#236 The Last Supper Series, Lesson# 1 First Things First

Series: The Last Supper — Lesson #1 First Things First
By: Pastor Karl Thomas

A very important supper to Jesus. Holy Spirit made sure that this dinner was secured in Scriptures.
Jesus last chance to communicate before He laid His life down.
Luke 22:15 “Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;’”

John 12:9-10  “Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.”

THEY WERE EXPECTING SOMETHING DIFFERENT — Divided over this Jesus.
Psalm 118:9-12  “All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.”

They were thinking to would be a political take over. Cabinet positions…
Luke 22:24-30
“Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest … he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? … Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”

Key Verse In Whole Chapter: John13:31-35
“So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”       

John 13:18-30 HE KNOWS OF THE PLANNED BETRAYAL
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me[b] has lifted up his heel against Me.’[c] 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning back[d] on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night. 

John 13:36-38  HE KNOWS OF PETERS DENIAL
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.         

John 12:27-28 JESUS WHOLE STATE OF MIND … FULLY ENGAGED IN MISSION!!!
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

What do we want to examine in this passage? 
What Did Jesus Know What Did Jesus Do What Did Jesus Teach

What Did Jesus Know? John 13:1-3, 11
3 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 And supper being ended,[a] the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

He knew what time it was. He knew what to do.  He where He came from. He knew where He was going.
He knew He had authority. He knew who would betray Him. He knew how to secure the mission.

What Did Jesus Do?  John 13:4-10
“…rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

Peter got the message! Acts 4:12
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Dr. Sandy F. Ray “Jesus was not merely washing the dust from the Judaic deserts from their feet; he was washing shackling fetters of tradition from their minds. He was washing the ancient cobwebs of customs and crippling concepts from their souls. Their feet were not as dusty as their hearts and attitudes. Their hearts and minds were dusty with selfish ambition … When Jesus returns, he will not be seeking titles; he will be checking towels.”

What Did Jesus Teach? John 13:12-17
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.       
The greatest human tragedy is for a person to never embrace the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The second greatest tragedy is that a person receives Jesus Christ and his grace, but then it never manifests in service toward others.

First lesson that must be embraced for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They key to great personal and corporate revival: “…love one another; as I have loved you …”  It looks like: A Towel

“He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
Dr. Karl Menninger, famous psychiatrist questioned after giving a lecture on mental health, “What would you advise someone to do if he felt a nervous breakdown coming on?” Most people expected the doctor to say, “Consult a psychiatrist.” Instead he said, “Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find someone in need, and do something to help that person.”

A mark of spiritual maturity is when a Christian takes off the bib and puts on the apron.
Mark 10:45
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

John 13:8 “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

He left His seat. He laid aside His garments. He put on a towel. He washes Their feet. He returned to His seat.

He left the throne. He laid aside divinity. He became like us. He washed us with His blood. He ascended to the Highest place.

236 The Last Supper Series, Lesson# 1, First Things First, PowerPoint Slides

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