Tidings for Tuesday

And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. Luke 22:12

I was sent to Seattle several years ago to teach a four-day course on Java Fundamentals to a class of computer programmers. When I arrived at the learning complex, I was shown the classroom where I would be working. The room was pleasantly situated, with comfortable desks for the students, and an excellent desk and stool for my use. A large projector hung from the ceiling to display the course material onto a screen at the front of the room. Beside the screen was a chalkboard with plenty of chalk and erasers. Attendants kept the room well supplied with cold water and glasses for our comfort, and the washrooms were just down the hall. I could not have asked for a better furnished room for the class. But when I turned on the projector, I discovered that none of the learning material had been loaded onto it, although I had been promised that it would. So I immediately loaded the material from my supplies, to have it ready in time for the arrival of the students. It was all a very similar process to what the disciples did when they made ready for the Passover. And it is similar to what we do when we prepare for meetings of God’s Assembly.

In preparing for the Passover, the disciples had to use a room that was suitable for their purpose. That part was no problem: they simply followed the instructions of the Lord Jesus. By obeying His directions, they would find the right place. It is the same today; if we follow the instructions of the Word of God, we will find the right place for assembling with the Lord’s people. It starts with Matthew 18:20, the place where two or three have been gathered in His name. It continues with submission to the Word of God. Just as the tabernacle and the temple in the Old Testament were built according to patterns that God gave, so the place where the Lord Jesus dwells today will be according to the pattern that He has provided. His words will not direct us to a wrong place.

Once they found the place, the disciples had to do their share. There were preparations, from the purging of the leaven to the preparation of the various dishes and cups for the feast. Assembling with God’s people also involves purging: confessing our sins and eliminating any issues that we have between ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We also need to prepare. Depending on the meeting involved, we need to prepare baskets for worship, study the Scripture portion to be read, and pray for lost souls, to name a few. Then we will be ready for whatever our Lord will have for us to experience and receive when we meet.

Our Lord has shown us the place; let us make sure we prepare as we should. -Jim MacIntosh