I Have Earnestly Desired

Day 114: Luke 22:14-34

“And he said to them, ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."' - Luke 22:15 ESV

What was it about this Passover meal that had Jesus "earnestly desiring" to eat it with his disciples? I mean, if this were me, I would be dreading it a little bit. It would remind me of the fact that I'm about to suffer an incalculable amount of anguish, both physically and emotionally. Also, the fact that one of my top twelve is about to betray me would also cause me to not desire to eat this meal.

I believe there were two reasons that Jesus "earnestly desired" to eat this meal:

1) It reminded Him of His mission: As we'll see very soon in Gethsemane, Jesus was fighting resistance in His flesh to avoid the pain of the cross. Being reminded of the why behind the suffering would ensure follow-through. The Israelites' Passover was a perfect setting.

2) It provided space for Him to lay out the future mission of His disciples: Jesus shared His deepest desires for the disciples and for the entire world. Reading John 14-17 in one sitting gives us insight into what He communicated to them.

Do you need Jesus to remind you of your mission?

Do you need Him to give you a greater measure of endurance during this season of life?

We still see Jesus offering these truths each time we take Communion together.

"Jesus’ statement about his 'eager desire' to eat this Passover suggests the great significance of the event. It is not simply that he wanted one last meal. He wanted to be in Jerusalem at this time to eat this meal, because the meaning of his suffering (before I suffer) is bound up in this event." - Black, M. C. (1995). Luke (Lk 22:15–16)