Mark 14:12-31

Mark covers the preparation for the Passover, the celebration of the Passover, and the conversation after the Passover in less than 20 verses. This is a much shorter text than any of the other Gospels.  But a beautiful theme develops in this text. The disciples witness the providence and predictive power of the Lord. We're told little about how Jesus arranged this Passover plan. But the disciples were sent and found the man with the water jar, which is unusual because that is woman's work.  They followed him to a house where the owner was supportive of Jesus' work. In our lives as disciples we enjoy the Lord arranging events, meetings, encounters, jobs, etc. etc. with startling regularity. So much so, we tend to miss them as God’s providence or we even expect them as routine. We become so familiar with God’s providential care that we may, tragically, even lose wonder or forget thankfulness as our response.

When they come in the upper room the disciples experience Jesus in the most intimate way possible. Volumes could be filled on all the implications of the supper. It was new in that it was celebrating an effective sacrifice for sin. It was new in forming a new and better covenant. It was the fulfillment of the Passover, which had always been a promise. In the Passover, forgiveness was leased from one year to the next, but in the sacrifice of Christ we have forgiveness with a clear title. The disciples enjoyed closeness with Christ, but all the implications of that closeness they could not comprehend.

Despite this closeness they would all fail. Even in their failure the Lord loved them. We are never let off the hook for our responsibility to live holy.  Grace and mercy are not passes to misbehave. Those with the closest relationship to Christ still fail. But that Lord loves them and us and desires that we turn back to Him.