Sermon Snippet – The Desire of Jesus
INTRODUCTION – In Luke 22:13-20, Jesus institutes the Communion service (sometimes called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist). This passage reveals the huge heart of our Savior God, especially verse 15: “And He said unto them, ‘With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.’”
1. THE HISTORICAL FACT OF JESUS’ DEATH INCLUDES THE FULLNESS OF HIS FEELINGS
The statement of verse 15 is the translation of a Hebrew idiom that indicates the greatest possible intensity of emotion. Even though Jesus was to fulfill the typology of the Passover the very next day by dying on the Cross, He really wants to eat this meal with His closest disciples – a meal that would prefigure His impending lonely death. Our Lord is an absolutist in all that He does; thus, it is not surprising from a theological perspective that He would completely desire both to share this time of fellowship with His followers and to accomplish our salvation. Still, we should be personally surprised and awed that this total love has been lavished upon us, particularly when we consider the cost to Christ Jesus.
2. THIS GREAT DESIRE OF JESUS DIRECTS ATTENTION TO OUR OWN DESIRES
James, in his characteristically blunt style, writes, “Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted of God’: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (1:13-15). “Desire” and “lust” translate the same Greek word; as we would expect, given man’s sin nature, the word is normally used in a negative way. Simply put, our desires tend to move us in the wrong direction. James 4:1-3 is a similar passage and shows the wicked outcome of our worst desires.
3. HOWEVER, THIS GREAT DESIRE OF JESUS TRANSFORMS OUR OWN DESIRES
There are several verses in the New Testament that demonstrate that our desires can line up with that of Jesus. Let us consider just a couple. Paul writes in Philippians 1:23, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” Paul’s faith was so strong that he was ready to die, but it was also strong enough to realize that his Savior still had important work for him to do, including helping the Philippian church (verses 24-25). In I Thessalonians 2:17, Paul includes Silas and Timothy as he writes, “But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.” This “great desire” for fellowship with people that he previously despised (for they were Gentiles) is one example of the transformative power of Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION – By trusting in Jesus for salvation, we receive His eternal life: by partaking in the Communion service, we are aligning our desires with His absolute desire. Let us now remember Jesus and His loving work on our behalf as we obey His kind command to partake of these emblems of His sacrifice for us.