The Day of Unleavened Bread. Luke 22:7-13 It would have been on Thursday when the Lord asked His disciples to prepare for the Passover that would take place in the evening. The “evening,” sundown, would have been the beginning of the next day according to the way the Jews considered a day. The lamb would be sacrificed, and unleavened bread was needed for the feast; however, where would they go to prepare for it?
God’s plans and purposes are not left to chance. God’s ways are past finding out by the limitations of our intellect and/or personal experience. It was an unmistakable description that the Lord gave to Peter and John of what, how, and where to do what was needed. They weren’t left to guesswork or their own devices. God has a plan. We are not left to guess our way through life either. God has a plan for us. In His own word and ways, He makes His will known to us. It is then our responsibility to take action when we know the purpose for which we are sent. “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat,” was not a suggestion but a plain statement in the form of a command.
Those men knew that they were to do the same as we do when we have a command from God. We are to go and make disciples. The “where to go” part took an act of faith to accomplish. A man doing what was considered women’s work would have been unmistakable guidance as to whom to follow, and the location was specific: “the entrance of the city,” where they would see the unknown man. To follow that man to another particular location would have again required unhesitating faith. The instructions were precise as to what to say: “The Master (Teacher) says to you, ‘Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’” That makes it clear that the Lord had everything planned and under His control.
Our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t leave us to speculate regarding His will for us and our responsibility to carry it out. The Holy Spirit guides us to take action on the word of the Lord and can easily make His will known to us when we are willing to act in faith upon it. Even when we are inclined to question what the point of our work is, it is not up to us to quit until we know the task has been completed to God’s satisfaction.
It is not uncommon in our service for God to be called upon by our Lord to do something for Him that we have never been trained for, never done before, and hardly know how to begin. It is then that we understand the practical aspects of “the just shall live by faith,” which is a lesson we have to learn over and over if we become careless and complacent. To go forward in faith, even with fear and trepidation, is evidence of our confidence in God. To carry out the word of God is our responsibility. The outcome of the work is His. He is the One who works in and through us to will and to do His good pleasure.