April 7

Luke xxii.—1. Now, the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

2. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

3. Then entered Satan into Judas surmised Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

4. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him unto them.

5. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

6. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

7. Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.

8. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

9. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

At the time of the passover, Jerusalem was thronged with Jews from all countries who came up to celebrate the feast; and, as there were few inns, private hospitality was freely preferred to these guests. A householder, a friend of Jesus, had placed at his disposal a large upper room; and a sign was given to Peter and John by which they should identify the place. To this observance of the yearly festival would pertain an unprecedented interest, which had caused Jesus to look forward to it with intense desire. Not only would it be his last passover, but the whole meaning of the rite would then centre in himself. For ages this yearly sacrifice had been offered, to remind the people how the Lord, when he smote the first-born of the Egyptians, passed over the houses of the children of Israel whose door-posts were sprinkled with

10. And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in.

11. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

12. And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.

13. And they went and found as he had said unto them; and they made ready the passover.

14. And, when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.

16. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

the blood of the lamb. But this memorial was also a symbol of the greater redemption that should be accomplished through the blood of Jesus; and, now that Christ our passover was to be sacrificed for us, he longed to gather about him the disciples who constituted his family, thus to fix in their minds the true significance of his dying, and to transform the sacrifice that prefigured his atonement into the sacrament that should commemorate his love.

Already Jesus knew that Judas had yielded himself wholly to Satan, and was plotting his death. Calmly, tenderly, lovingly, our Lord prepared himself for the hour that should merge the passover of Moses in the supper of the Lamb, and so fulfil all that the law and the prophets had spoken in the perfected kingdom of God.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 37, 100, 161.

Almighty Father, we humbly draw near to thee this evening in the name of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. We bless and praise thee that through him thou hast opened a way by which we may approach thee with acceptance.

We humbly thank thee for the supply of our bodily wants, and our preservation from danger and death. O God! suffer us not to think little of our common blessings because they are every day renewed to us, and because others share them with us. Make us ever mindful of our own unworthiness, that we may be more truly thankful for all thy loving-kindness and tender mercy. O Thou who art the God of all grace! as thou hast supplied our temporal wants, supply also our spiritual necessities. We thank thee for thine unspeakable gift,—the gift of thine own dear Son. Implant in us, O Lord! a true and lively faith in Christ. May our whole trust be in him, all our dependence upon him, and all our hopes drawn from him! May his name be precious unto us, and his service delightful! May we love his voice, and meekly follow him!

Lord, thou knowest our errors, and our faults are not hid from thee. Oh! pity our weakness, and strengthen us with might by thy Spirit in the inner man. Pity our ignorance, and give us heavenly wisdom. Of thy great mercy pardon our many sins and shortcomings, and incline us to walk more humbly and more diligently in thy ways.

Bless thy gospel this day proclaimed, the truth taught to children in the family and the Sunday school, the truth preached in the sanctuary, the truth scattered by the wayside. Oh! unite thy whole Church in the feast of the Saviour's love.

And, now that we are about once more to lie down to sleep, O Lord! graciously watch over us and protect us. Preserve our bodies from harm, and keep our minds in peace. Raise up, O Lord! our hearts and hopes to thyself; scatter every anxious thought that disturbs us; and keep us simply trusting in thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.