9/15/26

Luke 22:15 NASB95 And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

Jesus said to His disciples, "I have earnestly desired to eat THIS PASSOVER with you!" He had shared two other Passovers with His disciples; why was this one different? Jesus chose two words to describe how He felt about this Passover, choosing two very similar words.

Earnestly means to hunger deeply for. It is a physical longing. Jesus had this longing since He wrapped Himself in flesh to redeem His people. This shows the length of His great love for us. The passover is a reminder of the sacrificial lamb whose blood caused death to pass over their home, allowing them life. Jesus longed earnestly for this Passover because it would show them what He fasted from heaven for. He earnestly longed to be their sacrificial lamb so they could have life with Him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit for all eternity.

The second word was desired. This was a passionate spirit filled longing. This word has a meaning of the heart's desire. It is a reference to the innermost part, as God breathed into man life. That soul is everlasting; it is the Spirit of God. This is the image of God in man, and it is in the Spirit, which is God, that He desired to show the disciples His longing to redeem man. He has had this desire since the fall of man. This Passover, He would share it as a picture of what He was about to do for them and all mankind. Being the only Way to the Father, He had longed to share this meal with them.

Jesus had earnestly desired to eat this Passover with them before He suffered. This was because it would give a vivid picture to them and all who would come after, exactly what the Passover represented. That He is the redeeming lamb!

How does it make you feel to know that Jesus not only desired in eternity to suffer and remove your sin debt? Which is extremely amazing and reveals enormous, all-encompassing love. Plus, He desired in the flesh, even after temptation and suffering, to continue with the plan to suffer and die so that you could have eternal life! This love is beyond our comprehension!

So, knowing what lay ahead of him over the next 24 hours. He said to His disciples and to us in Luke 22:15 NASB95 And He said to them, 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;

He is saying this to us also. We see this in Luke 22:19 NASB95: And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

We are told that when we take the Lord's Supper, we are to do it in remembrance of Jesus. He longed to do it for us.

We do this.

However, may I suggest to you that even when we do not partake of the Lord's Supper, we should still remember His earnest desire daily and consistently. That is, if you have Jesus as Lord and Savior. Because He raised you up as a new creation, with the Holy Spirit God in you to remind you daily of His EARNEST DESIRE for you!

Love Brother Scott