And when it was evening, He came with the twelve. (Mark 14:12-16)

We are gathered here in the evening, after the sun is down, so perhaps we can use the darkness around us to better imagine the events which took place on this sacred night so long ago.

The story actually begins earlier in the day, when Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem to make preparations for the Passover meal. You may remember a sermon from a few weeks ago ("The Boy Who Ran Away") in which I mentioned that Jesus has to use an "underground" organization and secret signals to get safely around Jerusalem in these last days. In this case, the signal is a man carrying a jug of water - he is a secret sympathizer who will lead the disciples to the Upper Room. With spies and informers around every corner, Jesus and His fr…