Just as He Said…The Upper Room

April 14, 2014

“And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; and wherever he enters say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.” Mark 14:13-16

Just as He Said…

The Upper Room

Nine years ago, our son and future daughter-in-love were preparing to be married and to create a Christian home for the family that they hoped and prayed to have. Four months after their wedding, our daughter and our future son-in-love became engaged and we began the preparations for their wedding. Within a nine month period, both of our adult children married…and we were blessed with two new adult children!

How well I remember the preparations for each of the incredible special events. Suddenly every detail of the plan became critically important, highlighted with expectation, (I might add…huge expectation)

It is true that while the planning and preparation were the pillars of the success, the foundation of each wedding and the accompanying events, was the relationship and the anchor in Christ which provided each of the families vision, love, and patience as each step unfolded. And the young couples were rooted and anchored in their faith and in their relationships with God and their weddings became testimonies of God’s design…His plan and His purpose…and His grace.

The rehearsal dinner for Adam and Claire was held in Baton Rouge where the wedding also was held. We chose the Old Governor’s Mansion in the downtown area for the venue; it was historical and beautiful, but many miles from our home in the Waco area; thus, I depended on phone calls and emails, the suggestions and encouragement from Claire’s wonderful parents, and on one trip to Baton Rouge to finalize the plans…I remember the anxiety that I was ‘tempted’ to feel…anticipating and expecting the details to be considered and covered…And, I also remember feeling confident and anchored in God’s provision as we literally bathed the events in prayer and thanksgiving…With great expectation we arrived to set up in the beautiful, historical structure…I can remember the relief and the exhilaration as we found the tables and chairs that we had rented already set up, the lovely champagne linens adorning the tables, the beautiful flowers in place, the caterer making preparations for the delicious menu which Adam had so carefully chosen for his bride and for their guests…the jazz musician who arrived early…and played late…the video which had been lovingly prepared by Christie…and countless other details…We arrived to find things just as the vendors had said…

And may we remember that…The wedding events and celebrations are pictures of how our loving God will celebrate the wedding feast of the Lamb and His Bride…the Church, at His table with His guests, the believers…The marriage which lasts for eternity…

And how well I remember the beautiful days of helping Christie and Barry plan their wedding festivities. We had the privilege of working together with Barry’s parents and planning their celebration! Christie and Barry married at Horseshoe Bay Resort, so again we worked with some out-of-town vendors, as well as a few from Waco…and each one was dedicated to the details…One of the most important decisions was the choice for wedding cake; the wedding and groom’s cake ranked among the most important considerations for Christie and Barry, with the cake tasting being one of the highlighted memories of celebration as well! The “dress”, fabrics and flowers, the photographer, the videographer, the string musicians…So many details…even the color of the rose petals for the center aisle…And when all was said and done…and preparation was finished, we arrived to find things just as the vendors had said… (With just one small issue…the wedding cake leaned ever so slightly, and it remained a secret until the photos revealed the slight imperfection…) and we were deeply thankful!

Beautiful days!

“…Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb…” Revelation 19:9

How wonderful it is when people keep their word, when people are worthy of trust…when they fulfill their obligation, when they fulfill their promise, when they fulfill their contractual duty, when they live up to expectation! How devastating it can be when we disappoint one another, when we drop the ball, when we lower the bar, when we fail to meet expectation, when we purposely abdicate responsibility…when we abandon…when we unintentionally neglect, or when we intentionally ignore…break covenant…a handshake, or a promise, or an agreement.

I was relieved and appreciative when my business decisions concerning the wedding plans for my children produced the results which I hoped for, anticipated and expected…because these events were incredibly important to us…to our children and their chosen ones…We had to take risks…we had to trust that our business agreements would be honored and would produce the results that our children dreamed of on their wedding days…And with a few chuckles…a few unforeseen circumstances…a few slight imperfections…The contracts were honored…the services rendered…and the financial balances paid in full…(all by the grace of God) Because each of these beautiful days was bathed in prayer…trusting God in the details…

And it is true that the planning and the preparations that we made were enjoyable, memorable, and rewarding…but we had the responsibility of making the plans…of overseeing details…details… Ultimately trusting God in the details…because the “ultimate” goal was the marriage…

The Upper Room-Just as He Said

As we remember the events of the first Easter this week.…and as we celebrate the HOPE of eternity because of this miraculous event, I think about The Triumphal Entry of Christ Yeshua into the city of Jerusalem and the days which He spent teaching…watching…telling…preparing…praying…

The Upper Room

And when it was time…on the first day of Unleavened Bread festival, the day when the Jews would kill the Passover lamb, the disciples of Jesus questioned Him about preparations and where they should go to prepare for the Passover meal, a very special celebration for the Jewish culture…and The Last Supper for the Lord. Jesus very specifically answered them with details of the preparation and expectation…He told them to go and they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water; they were to follow him to a house and ask for the guest room for the Passover for The Teacher and His disciples…Jesus told them that they would be led to a large upper room, which was furnished and prepared for them. (Luke 22) Details…details…details…

As we anticipate…as we remember…I wonder what was in the minds of the disciples as they had already been amazed by miracles, by teaching, by love, by challenges, by the very detail of the waiting colt in the city…waiting for Jesus, waiting to carry Him into the city on what we call Palm Sunday…Those details had been just as Jesus had said. Would the disciples find the same to be true as they sought the “Upper Room” with all the details, Just as He had Said? Did they wonder? Perhaps they had absolutely no doubt…Perhaps they were totally confident…Perhaps they had great expectation…Perhaps they were confused…frightened…anxious.

But no doubt, when they arrived in the Upper Room…they must have been completely amazed at the detail and the provision of their Teacher, as “they found it “Just as He had told them…” and they went about their business of the preparation for the Passover meal. “Just as He Said…” Details…details…details…

The Upper Room

And I know that Jesus did not have to do any of this…none of it…He could have turned His colt the opposite direction and left Jerusalem. He was flesh; He was a man; He was human.

He did not have a contract to perform…He was not being paid to do a job…He was not being coerced…He was not being persuaded…He was not being rewarded…He certainly was not being promoted…He was not concerned with job security…He was not being honored as a dignitary…He could have chosen to leave, to leave the details. He was not obligated…He was not hired, or appointed …

He did not have to “arrange” for the Upper Room…for the preparation of the Passover meal…the details…He did not have to fulfill the prophecy…He chose to…

Because He was God…And God cannot lie…God will not lie…God cannot and will not be thwarted or trampled…God cannot and will not be discouraged or discounted…God cannot and will not be diminished or defeated…

He is good, He is righteous, He is gracious, He is merciful, He is holy, He is immanent (dwelling with man), He is transcendent, He is forever, He is omnipresent,(everywhere present in His fullness of identity), He is omniscient, (all-knowing),He is omnipotent (unlimited power) He is love, He is faithfulness, He is sovereign (supreme, boundless, total, ultimate)

Nothing can disrupt…interrupt…or corrupt His plan…His prophecy…His purpose…nothing and no one.

And in the Upper Room, the most intimate of meetings took place…The tables and chairs were set…the food was prepared…And Jesus arose from the table and took off His robe, and tied a towel around His waist; He poured water into a basin…and Jesus the Messiah began to wash each of His disciple’s feet…in love and intimacy in The Upper Room… every detail completed…the bread…the wine… And He made the new covenant with His Body and His Blood, shed for many. He shared literally His last supper, His last meal with those whom He loved… And Jesus told about the things to come…

Judas found it, “Just as He Said” in his own betrayal of the Lord…

Peter found it, “Just as He Said” in his denials of the Lord…

The disciples found it, “Just as He Said” in His arrest…

His trial…

His suffering…

His death…

His resurrection…

Halleluiah!

As our children were married in beautiful, intimate God-filled ceremonies, their wedding experiences were held in an “Upper Room” in the presence of and with His witnesses… in the presence of and with the Almighty God…God, who sees to the details of their lives…Their physical birth, their spiritual birth…their earthly families…their spiritual families…their earthly weddings…their eternal wedding with Christ…their earthly homes…their eternal home…Details…details…details…

As we go into this week, may we experience “The Upper Room”, where Jesus is immanent, dwelling with each one of us…He has prepared a place where we can meet with Him…where we can experience the intimate relationship with the Living, Loving God Almighty…He dwells with each one of us…He is God! But, we must do as He says and go…seek…and find…everything, “Just as He Said”.

Just as many people went before our children to prepare for their weddings…it was all done because of love…The Biblical picture of God’s BEST! His design…His details…

And, because of Love, the Lord God Almighty went before His people to plan and to prepare the Way for all people to enter into The Upper Room to meet with Him…to fellowship…to sit at the table with Him…He keeps His covenant…His promise…His Word…

“This is real love-not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” 1 John 4:10 (NLT)

Easter blessings of New Hope! May you, trust God in the details of your lives…May you spend time with your Master…your Loving Father, in “The Upper Room”…and be assured, that you will find everything, every detail, “Just as He Said.”

… “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:9

Abundant Hope and Joy,