The Last Supper Impact

This is Hans Schile from the Finishing Well Podcast. On Finishing Well, we help you make godly choices about Medicare, long-term care, and your money. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just seconds.

Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the Truth Podcast Network. Jesus prays a great adventure, but life doesn't usually feel that way. Jesus speaks of narrow gates and wide roads, but the masculine journey is filled with many twists and turns. So how do we keep from losing heart while trying to find the good way when life feels more like a losing battle than something worth dying for? Grab your gear and come on a quest with your band of brothers who will serve as the guides in what we call the masculine journey. The masculine journey starts here now.

Yes, it does. And in our case, we're trying to figure out how do you keep from losing art? Wherefore are out. He's incognito tonight, so we lost him. Well, you might think we did. And Art might think we did because Art didn't put a clip to this new subject matter that we have, but we have a clip for Art. And then he shaved off all of his hair so he wouldn't recognize it.

He clipped in order so that he wouldn't be clipped, but, you know, so that we don't want to feel you left out of what's going on. Art has been a regular with us for almost a year, year and a half. Yeah. How long have you been with us, Art? It's over a year.

I'm not sure if it's a year and a half yet. And so recently he's kind of come out of the closet. I don't know how else to put it. Well, you know, the thing was that they had me sitting on the couch in training and then, you know, Robby, he handed me a fake microphone and he said, here, just pretend like you're talking on the radio. So y'all have no idea what I have to go through with these guys in this. Especially Robby. We had you on the couch.

They wouldn't let me talk. They actually took the couch out of here. So anyway, Art really inspired us last week. He really did with his topic and this idea of what do the guys think about, you know, his friend that was suffering with cancer and that kind of thing.

And it was absolutely beautiful. And so we kind of challenged Rodney this week for a topic and specifically something that would be close to his story and his, which turns out to be his passion, turns to be out the passion. You know, you're going to see the passion of this particular passion that we're talking about here in a minute. But with that, you know, it's really been fun for me, honestly, Rodney, to listen to the guys, right? Talk about a very theological idea, right? Which is what we're talking about.

But with that, Rodney, introduce your topic. Well, it is the Last Supper. And specifically about the guys, wanted to know, well, what is it about the Last Supper that does help you drive your Christian walk?

Whether you consider yourself in the sun or just as a man or as a believer, you know, and whatever role or thought kind of comes in your mind and how does that sit with you? Because there's so much going on in the Last Supper that there's so much we can take out of that. And I was just kind of curious of where everybody would go. And it's been fun, really has. And so speaking of where everybody went, where did you go? Well, kind of what when I wanted to go through this, I was like trying to read it afresh and say, OK, what's going on here?

Because there's a story being told here. And the very first thing you get is the prophecy of betrayal, right? One of you will betray me. So you got that going.

And then, of course, what's going to happen after that? Surely not I, Lord. No, not I.

So denial, right? Then you're going to get into the whole breaking of bread, right? Which is basically this prophecy of forgiveness. I'm breaking this bread for you. So you've got this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And then, of course, with the cup, this cup is poured out for you in the new covenant in my blood. And Jim actually did that for us tonight. We took communion. And then at the end, you have this confrontation with all this seriousness.

Jesus lead up to his death. He's been telling them over and over and over. They have been getting it. So what happens with these knuckleheads? Confrontation. They start arguing about who is the greatest among them.

And they're arguing about this. So where I went with this clip, because it just started sticking to me is like, I am the greatest, jumped into my head. And I think everybody that's of some age, I don't know where the drop off would be, would recognize this voice of Muhammad Ali. But it's this montage of him talking about how great he is.

And I just kind of picture him and the disciples all having this conversation. I am the greatest. 15 times I have told the clown what round he's going down.

And this chump ain't no different. He'll fall in 8 to prove that I'm great. And if he keeps talking jive, I'm going to cut it to 5. Who knocks out everybody and no one can whoop him. That's when that little Cassius Clay from Louisville, Kentucky, came up and stopped Sonny Liston, the man who annihilated Floyd Patterson twice. He was going to kill me. But he hit harder than George.

His reach was longer than George's, he was a better boxer than George. And I'm better now than I was when you saw that 22 year old undeveloped kid running from Sonny Liston. I'm experienced now, professional. Jaws been broke, been knocked down a couple of times.

I'm bad. I've been chopping trees. I've done something new for this fight. I done wrestled with an alligator.

That's right. I have wrestled with an alligator. I done tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning, throw thunder in jail. That's bad. Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick.

I'm so mean I make medicine sick. Bad dude. Bad. Fast. Fast. Fast.

Last night I cut the light off my bedroom, hit the switch, was in the bed before the room was dark. Incredible. Fast. Incredible. And you, George Foreman, all of you chumps are going to bow when I whoop him. All of you. I know you got him. I know you got him picked.

But the man's in trouble. I'm going to show you how great I am. Everybody stop talking now.

Attention. I told you, all of my critics, I told you all that I was the greatest of all time. I told you today, I'm still the greatest of all time. Never again defeat me. Never again say that I'm going to be defeated. Never again make me the underdog until I'm about 50 years old. Then you might get me. And could you imagine anybody more proud?

I mean, it ends the most before the fall, right? That's what sets you up for that big getting knocked off the mountain moment. For me, how many times in sports, whether it was one sport or another or doing something where you just thought, man, look at me. I'm really making it.

I'm great. Man, I would get taken out. I remember getting taken out and football getting tackled in the gut with my arms up in the air to getting the wind knocked out of me, going back to the hose, just trying to breathe. You're just like, that's a humbling experience.

And those are the kinds of things where when you get the sail, the wind knocked out of your sail there, you're just like, I can't even breathe. Those jarring moments when you're with your kids and you're trying to teach them something and the next thing you realize is how stupid you just sounded when you said some things and they're correcting you. That's humbling. And that's one of the things I love this quote I got from Andrew Murray on being humble. Let me see, where did it go? Oh, I misplaced it. It was a good quote. Oh, there it is. Oh, there it is. Andrew Murray, as natural and as easy as it is to be proud, it must become natural for us to become humble. And I'm like, that's one of the been one of the hardest things for me to ever be is really just to walk in humility. Is that Bill's brother, Andrew?

Could be. I've written some great books on prayer. And then one of the songs I thought about using for the bump because it came after the one I already cut for it.

But Mac Davis, you guys remember? Oh, Lord, it's going to be humble when you're perfect in every way. Oh, my mom and I had a great time with that is when I was a kid, we just say it to each other all the time and just, you know, because we're both just claiming to be perfect. But that's where I've had those moments where I've just always struggled with thinking I'm better than what I am and getting knocked off that perch time after time. After a while, you kind of get, you know, scarred up and drove through the forest a few times. And it's like, ah, it kind of gets to where you just kind of get used to it and you get numb to it. Which one of those stuck out as you were processing this particular of those times you got knocked off?

Can you take us into that story? That's where I really struggle with a lot of them. But I think as much as anything, like today, you're talking about work. And when you see things going on at work around you that you're just like, this doesn't make any sense. And then you got to check your own attitude with, well, where am I really at with this? Am I just, you know, propping myself up and thinking I'm greater than what I am? And that's where, you know, fortunately now being a Christ, I can check that a lot easier because I go down that path all the time.

I just want to blame everybody else for all the stupid stuff that's going on without looking at my own contribution. For those who don't know, Rodney's a systems guy, right? And he helps with the communication and the processes within the plant that he works. And so you've got the vision that's been shared with you and it's your kind of task to implement that vision, which I'm sure at times is frustrating. And look for inefficiencies and stuff, right? That's the whole goal is to find them and point them out to everybody. So it makes you kind of critical in thinking.

The one with the biggest problem is the one with no problems. So you're trying to point them all out and everybody gets on you for, well, why are you pointing out all the problems? Well, you hired me to do that. Right. And so, you know, how does God come for you in that? I mean, there you are, obviously, you know, you're the guy nobody really wants to see coming. I'm serious.

It's true. And so how does God come for you in that? In the complaining and grumbling.

And he's just been on me really hard about, oh, are you stepping over the line here and just instead of just pointing out problems, you're complaining and grumbling and just stirring up, stirring the pot, so to speak, just because you want to look good yourself. What's your goal? What's your aim? What's your motivation?

What's your intentions? And I'm always having to check that and go back and sit by myself for a while, pray and understand that, which is nice. I'm in a place kind of by myself right now. So it's really good for me just to be able to go sit and be with myself when I have those, because it hits me pretty hard sometimes when it's like, do you realize what you just said? Oh, sorry, Lord.

Yeah, I need to go check myself. And I got to come back and present things in a way that says, yeah, here's here's the picture, but here's where we're going together somehow. And I got a group of guys now that hopefully we're going to do some of that. We get another one more chance. It's always nice when you got one more chance, you know? Yeah, it's a beautiful thing that we have that, and this ups the stakes, right? I mean, that's what the guys were finding out that this is like life and death here. This isn't small potatoes. Right.

It's way more than they ever even thought it was, and they thought it was big going in, and it was way more than they could ever even imagine. Right, right. And so it's interesting that the stakes of the testimony that you leave with these guys ends up way bigger than the problem that you're trying to solve.

So your stakes are high. You need to come to a boot camp. I'm telling you, it's November 16th through the 19th.

Go to masculinejourney.org. We'll be right back. What we have at our boot camp is something that makes you stronger and gives you the strength to go on your regular walk with God. It's something that will make you be bigger than you were when you got there. I've been coming regularly, and it's just such a blessing. When you guys invited me, I was at the worst time of my Christian walk. I was going through some things. The first time I came, I don't know if you remember, I couldn't even walk.

I couldn't even stand up straight. And I'm walking now. I ain't running around the lake yet, but you know. The greatest things is just being around a group of men that love the Lord and sharing His kindness and His love. All of you guys, I done sat and talked with all of you guys, different occasions, different conversations, and it's all been unique and refreshing. You guys gave me a whole different perspective in life, and you can't hide the true, genuine love of God. You can't hide it.

Register today at masculinejourney.org. Until the break, what will we sing? Christ, He lives. Christ, He lives. And what reward will Heaven bring? Everlasting life with Him. There we will rise to meet the Lord. Then sin and death will be destroyed. So Rodney, that's your beer bump right there, too. Yeah, that was Christ, Our Hope in Life and Death, and that's kind of where my mind was with this. It's a life and death matter.

It's not just something that we're going to skirt through. And this was sung by the Gettys and Matt Pappa, which they always do great work, the Gettys. But it was something that's where I went to, and I was trying to look through good bumps for this, and there were so many, actually. It was hard to really choose. I think I remember them from the 60s.

It was the Mamas and the Papas. Anyway, I'm just – Robbyism. This is where Robby's mind goes, folks, as you know. I couldn't help but think about it.

But anyway, moving on, we got Danny. And Danny, where did your heart go with this idea of the Last Supper? Well, first of all, we have to correct a heresy in this, because all my life I've been told that meals were breakfast, dinner, or breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And clearly it's biblical.

It's breakfast, lunch, and supper, because Jesus didn't eat the last dinner. There you have it. So I'm going to clear that up.

It's all right. Crystal. Crystal clear. You know, I always think about those guys around the table at the Last Supper, and we had mentioned earlier in pre-show about the diversity of company that was at the table. And we look around the room here and the diversity of company around the table. But Jesus was inviting them in to an intimate setting, basically.

And that's kind of where my heart went. And, you know, he's having some deep conversation with these guys, you know, and Rodney mentioned they're discussing who's the greatest. And he, you know, kind of throws out the, well, what are you going to betray me? But, you know, prior to that, he washes their feet. Now, he's sitting with a group of guys that are all of them are going to leave him except one when it all goes down.

They're going to run scattered like roaches. And one of them is going to betray him, you know, sell him out for 30 pieces of silver. Yet he sits down and has his last meal with them and he washes their feet. And, you know, that's his invitation to us is, you know, the scoundrel that I am and can be, you know, the drug addict, the whole nine yards, the things that he redeemed me from.

He invites me to come and dine, as the old song goes. And, you know, my clip is from Gladiator and it's a conversation between Marcus and Maximus. And Marcus is casting his vision for Rome onto Maximus. Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius. Yeah, there you go.

I wasn't sure I could pronounce it. So, you know, anyway, he's casting his vision to us. He says, you're the man who restored Rome to the people. And, you know, Maximus, he got the wrong guy.

And, you know, so often in my life, Jesus, you got the wrong guy. But, you know, the clip is just a great interchange. And that was the heart and soul of, obviously, Marcus to Maximus, but to Jesus and to the disciples and all of us.

So you can play the clip. We'll talk about it. There is one more duty that I ask of you before you go home. What would you have me do, Caesar? I want you to become the protector of Rome after I die. I will empower you to one end alone, to give power back to the people of Rome and end the corruption that has crippled it. Will you accept this great honor that I have offered you?

With all my heart, no. Maximus. There is why.

It must be you. But surely a prefect, a senator, somebody who knows the city, who understands her politics. But you have not been corrupted by her politics. And Commodus? Commodus is not a moral man.

You have known that since you were young. Commodus cannot rule. He must not rule. You are the son that I should have had. Commodus will accept my decision. He knows that you command the loyalty of the army. I need some time, Sire.

Yes. By sunset, I hope you will have a greed. Now embrace me as my son. And bring an old man another blanket. Does somebody have a blanket for Harold?

I'm just asking. You know, there's so much into this Last Supper that you could take off on. But the reality of it is that we talked about the covenant a while ago, Robby. The only time I know in history that the priest received a sacrifice that was him. That's pretty awesome that he came to redeem that which was lost as part of the whole story. The larger stories we talk about. He invited me to that supper. That is so impactful. One of my favorite times in communion was at a retreat at one time.

We did the bread and that thing. When I got up from the altar that they had set up there, these big strong arms embraced me. I didn't know who it was at the time, but I know now. But at that moment, it was Jesus.

He was embracing. I've never taken communion the same sense. But it is that covenant that he's laid down and he has invited us in to the ultimate buffet, so to speak. Yeah, I love it.

I love it. And when Rodney brought up the topic, I thought, well, that's going to be an interesting journey to think about what clip to use. And then where do you come down with this and have a chance to revisit something you may have seen a lot of time.

You're revisiting it with your brothers. And then it was beautiful, like you said, that we took communion and Big Jim led us in that. And all that gave me this idea. I really hadn't seen how high the stakes were. But it's fascinating that God kind of took on the stakes. Right. And I remember, you know, when I first didn't understand the gospel or whatever, I'd always thought, you know, really, if you're God, you've got to come up with a better plan.

You've got to kill your son. I mean, that just didn't seem to make any sense to me. And, you know, that was the thing that God would make sense to me by humbling me the way that that Rodney so eloquently put it. But then as I was revisiting it, I began to look at it today, actually, like, okay, what's going on in the actual communion? And I understand well that it's been a picture that God's been painting since Genesis.

I mean, he started painting it right then and he's going to continue to paint it right through Revelation, because I don't know if you pay attention to the end of the story, but there's another supper coming. Okay. And we're going to drink wine again and we're going to eat flesh again. Okay.

A little different setup. And I don't know if you ever put it together that perhaps the enemy's flesh that we eat, because Jesus was made sin. Right? And so that's just another whole concept that for me, all that just goes like, oh my goodness, this is really life and death. And what really is life or death for me in this is, you know, what about my kids? What about my friends?

What about my family? And so I've studied the covenant just again today. It's in Genesis 17, 7, if you want to look for yourself. That's where Abraham got the first one that, you know, I think is just a matter of your theology is possibly the one that Jesus was talking about, a new covenant.

Okay. So what was the old covenant? And essentially that it was, he got to go be with God and he would have his seed be with God as well. And so is the new covenant now in Jesus's blood along those same lines? What an amazing thing, because you don't necessarily know what's coming, do you? And you don't really necessarily know what that covenant is. And so I'm using a clip from Star Trek, which is one of my favorite all time clips, really, because this is when Spock gives up his life.

The very same thing for his friends, which would not seem logical, by the way, from a self perspective. But as Spock pointed out, he will. And so if we're down to two minutes, you're not going to hear this clip because I went too long.

But fortunately, everybody's been pointing the time out to me. So I'll just say that in this famous scene, Captain Kirk does Spock's eulogy. And in his eulogy, he says, Spock was, of all the souls he had encountered, the most human.

And in the season of life I'm in, I had not realized what a phenomenal compliment that is. You know, people say you're only human. That is a horrible thing to say, because Jesus was wholly human. And so for you to be wholly human is like absolutely an amazing opportunity. And so when Spock chose to take his life in order to save his ship, as it does in this clip, he was being completely human.

Right? Which, I mean, what makes it great that it's not just some bad thing is that we are created in the image of God. And as we take up our cross, right, and as we die to ourselves, we too enjoy the resurrection that Spock got.

You know, those who are Star Trek fans. But you get to get the resurrection of eternal life because we lay down our life, take up our cross daily. And the whole idea is that that in of itself, because to love is to be in communion with God and with your neighbor.

And without that relationship, it really doesn't mean a thing if you don't follow up with walking with God and talking to him, loving him, being loved by him. Right. It's a beautiful topic that Rodney challenged us with. Indeed. And I am so grateful for Arts Challenge last week, you know, because it means a lot to me to hear from the guys. Because this is the group, you know, that God's given me, Jesus was given to some extent. And I did one of these fires last week. I got one coming tomorrow night where people were looking for friendship.

Somebody that really, they can really be honest with people that they can really trust. Come to the boot camp. You know, you want to ignite that hope back in your life.

Come to the boot camp. It's coming up April. It's coming up November 16th through the 19th. The weekend before Thanksgiving. There's another one coming in April probably.

That was for me. masculinejourney.org Yes, we love April, but we love November even more. It's coming. Thanksgiving. Yeehaw. This is the Truth Network.