"He will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there" (Luke 22:12).
Read Luke 22:11-12.
As Jesus directed, the two disciples enter the city gate and find the man carrying the water jar. He will guide Peter and John to the house where they will prepare the Passover for Jesus. But for these disciples the strangest thing may not be the man carrying water.
The strangest thing may well be that a room large enough to accommodate at least 13 men is still available in Jerusalem. The city is bursting with Jewish pilgrims gathered together from all over the Roman Empire to celebrate the Passover. But as Jesus predicts, they won't just find a large empty room, it will be fully furnished, with all the furniture and utensils they will need.
Thirty-some years ago a Jewish carpenter diligently searched for just such a room in the little town of Bethlehem, a few miles southwest of here. In fact, Luke uses the exact same Greek word for "guest room" here as he uses for "inn" there (see Luke 2:7). But no such room was available that first Christmas, so Jesus had been born in a humble shelter for cattle.
But this time it is different. A room has been held back and reserved. In this space Jesus will celebrate His Last Supper and institute Holy Communion. The owner of this house knows the Teacher, and will be deeply honored to lend Him this room. He is the second man in recent days who has been privileged to loan his property to the Savior of mankind. Just the previous Sunday a man had loaned Him his young donkey, which had never been ridden before. And before the sun sets again, a prominent Jewish ruler will lend Jesus his unused tomb.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for choosing to honor us with Your presence. Use our time, treasure, talents and lives to spread Your Kingdom and glorify Your Holy Name. Amen.
Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 23-24 Matthew 28
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