The Last 24 Hours - Week 1 - 3/2/25

Luke 22:7–13 “7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.” 

We are now at the start of the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. There is a palpable sense of finality in Jesus and his enemies. The tension is rising with the chief priest and the scribes plotting to put Jesus to death. Matthew records that they had met in the place of the high priest Caiaphas working out how to arrest Jesus. They were cautious because they were afraid if the arrest was public there would be an uproar among the people. Judas, who had given into the temptation of the Devil, went to the chief priest and negotiated a price for turning Jesus over to them. They agreed to 30 pieces of silver, and from that time Judas looked for a way to betray him.  On the day they were to eat the Passover feast, the disciples came to Jesus to inquire where they should prepare to eat the meal together. He privately sends Peter and John with specific instructions. 

Dueling Plots 

Luke 22:2 “2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.” 

Luke 22:8 “8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”” 

This is a tension-filled moment where we can clearly see the work of Satan to stop Jesus at the same time as the plan of Jesus to eat the Passover with his disciples. An arrest at a private dinner would be ideal for the chief priest and the scribes.

There are times in our lives where we understand there are two plots being carried out, and we become unsure about which one will win out. 

Job 42:1–6 “1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.””

In circumstances when we are confused as to what is happening and how this can be the will of God, we are simply asked to respond in faith, knowing that his plan is good for us, and he is actively moving for our good. 

Job could not figure out why everything was happening, but when he ultimately encounters God, he understands that God’s plan was working and is perfect.

There will always be dueling plots in the life of the follower of Christ. Satan’s plot for your life is to kill you before you accomplish God’s purpose on this earth. At the same time, God is working everything Satan attempts for your good. 

If you don’t know the plans, it may be for your good. 

Luke 22:8–13 “8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” 9 They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” 10 He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.” 

This is not a miracle. This is not Jesus supernaturally causing all of these people to bend to his will. Many scholars believe that Jesus knew that Judas had agreed to turn him over to the chief priest. While it was Jesus’ purpose to go to the cross, it would be on his time schedule, and eating this Passover meal with his disciples was nonnegotiable. In light of that, he works out details that none of the disciples are aware of.

You being unaware of the details is not a sign that God doesn’t know them. It could be for your protection that he keeps us in the dark a bit.  Faith is not getting every detail and scrutinizing it against human reasoning and logic. Faith is trusting when you cannot see what is in front of you.

Step one - look for a man carrying a jar… There is enough information to get to the next step. In the steps, he is directing what he has already worked out.  Ensuring his plan for your life is accomplished may require you finding out at the last minute. 

His plan works. 

Peter was from Galilee and would more than likely have been unfamiliar with the city of Jerusalem. So Jesus gives him very specific instructions to know he was securing the right place. A man would not have traditionally carried water in the Jewish culture. That would have been the job of a woman. Jesus tells Peter and John to look for something specific, and then they would know. 

Matthew 24:36–44 “36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 

Matthew 24:45–51 “45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

We are to follow one step at a time until the next step presents itself.  Follow him into the house, ask the master where the room is, prepare it there. 

Luke 22:13 “13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.” 

You will never find it just as he had told you unless you do just what he tells you.  This is a wrestling of the will. Whenever we fail to submit our wills to him, we give room for Satan to interfere with the plot.

If you say, “Its ridiculous to look for a man carrying water because that’s a woman’s job”, then you will stop on step one. If you knew that Judas had already worked out a price to sell out Jesus, you probably would not even have showed up. God knows how to get you where you need to be when you need to be there. Simply follow the steps. 

John 14:1–3 “1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” 

The same Jesus that prepared for the last supper has prepared for us. 

John 14:15–17 “15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” 

Follow his steps (commands), and we will be able to ask for anything we need. His plan just works. 

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