GOING DEEPER
04.o5.2020 | GOD, PART 2 | Wk 10: “A New Sacrifice”
Join the community and go deeper with this Bible study.
Breaking Ground
How are you holding up in this season? What is your biggest struggle? What is your biggest challenge? How can you be praying for each other in that?
The Dig
What is the biggest thing you’ve ever sacrificed for someone else? Why did you make that sacrifice? How did it impact your relationship with them?
Read Matthew 26:17-30. In this scene, Jesus takes the Passover meal (the symbolic meal celebrated every year by the Jewish people that retold the Exodus story) & reorients it in a number of ways.
Why do you think Jesus uses the Passover meal, not a lecture or a teaching, to walk his disciples through what is coming & what will happen to him?
Notice how the scene breaks into three major sections. First, Jesus predicts the coming betrayal of his disciples. Though Judas betrays him uniquely – all of them will abandon him in the coming hours & all of them would have dipped their hands in the bowl with him in the meal at this point.
How does that impact this scene? What tone does it set for what is about to come?
Next, Jesus takes the Unleavened Bread (a symbol of the bread God had the Israelites make right before being liberated) & connects it to his body.
Why does Jesus use this metaphor of bread for what’s coming?
How does the unleavened bread’s backstory impact the role it plays in Jesus’ retelling of the Exodus story around himself?
The last part of this section of the meal would have been the Passover Lamb. The sacrifice that ultimately liberated the Israelites & defeated Pharaoh. Notice, the lamb isn’t at Jesus’ dinner. Instead, he reorients the cup of wine around himself & his blood. Reflect on what this means.
First, the Passover in the Exodus defeated the Pharaoh to free God’s People. Who is the Pharaoh in Jesus’ new Exodus story? What does this tell us about why & how he dies in the new few hours?
Second, the Passover was all about liberation. What role does liberation play in what Jesus sees as happening at the end of his life?
Do you often associate liberation with Jesus’ sacrifice? How & why? How does this launch the New Exodus?
Finally, reflect on the fact that in other Gospels Jesus tells his disciples to repeat this often. Why do you think that is? What does Jesus think this will do for us?
Getting Out of the Hole
Take time this week to take part in Holy Week. Check-in on social media & Vimeo for:
- The Upper Room experience (Wednesday @ 7:00PM)
- The Prayer Vigil (Thursday @ 7:00PM)
- Tenebrae (Friday @ 7:00PM)
Lean into this season, reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, & stay connected to the community as we move through Holy Week. Journal about what comes up & pray for our world in this season. Share your experience with the group throughout the week!
Additional Resources*
Matthew Commentary by Stanley Hauerwas
Simply Jesus by NT Wright
Jesus and the Victory of God by NT Wright
Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament by Chris Wright
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, April 12: Join us for the next week of our series GOD PT 2, where we will be celebrating Easter & looking at Christ’s resurrection as the New Exodus Victory of God.
* Please see mye3.org for details.