As we approach the celebration of Easter, I have been thinking about what we find in the Gospels that lead up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Those moments in His ministry are some of the most defining and most memorable. But there are a few other Gospel snapshots that carry some important significance for us.

Here is one of those moments, recorded by Mark (14:12–16):

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 

So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.

Apparently, Jesus knew about the arrangements that were in place for the upcoming Passover feast. We are not told how He knew, but He did give two of His followers some rather intriguing instructions to find the place they could prepare for the feast.

Jerusalem would have been crowded because of the feast. To find a man carrying a jug of water in the midst of a large crowd would have been a challenge. To follow the man and ask the owner of the room and find it had already prepared for them would have been surprising. What do you think they would have thought as they headed out to carry out Jesus’ instructions? What do you think they would have felt when they found the man and the room? And, more importantly, why do you think Jesus sent them on this task?

Perhaps the answer to those question is found in the last verse where we read what happened: “They found everything as Jesus had described.” It all was just as Jesus had told them.

That may have been what He wanted these two–and the other disciples–to realize. Everything that was about to unfold in the city would happen just as He had told them. His betrayal. His suffering. His death. His resurrection.

They needed to know that everything that He had told them–yes, everything–would not play out by chance. It wasn’t random. It wasn’t a sad tragedy unfolding, but a plan that Jesus was fully aware of . . . and was purposefully stepping into.

And that was the perspective they would need as they followed Him into the events ahead.