Today
is a special day on the Church calendar called Maundy Thursday. It is the day
that we look back upon the Last Supper; that pivotal event where Jesus called
his disciples into a new covenant in his blood. The term Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (from which we get our English word mandate), from a verb that means, "to give," "to
entrust," or "to order." On this night Jesus entrusted his
disciples with the New Covenant, symbolized in the Lord’s Supper. At the heart
of this night is intimate communion with Jesus. This was Jesus’ last time of
close fellowship with the disciples before he went to the cross. On
Maundy Thursday the Church comes together to remember and reflect upon that New
Covenant that Jesus passed on to us.
This
day, April 2, also happens to be my birthday. It is a day for me to pause,
remember and reflect upon my life. It was in the year 1954 that I came into
this world. It was in the year 1959 that I took my first step toward new life
in Christ. It took place in the basement of our church, following Sunday
School, when I responded to the teacher’s invitation to invite Jesus into my
life. In simple child-like faith, that is what I did. My journey of new birth
began on the day. The reality of that decision came home to me a number of
years later, when I was 13, sitting at a campfire service at Stony Glen Camp, in
Ohio. On that night, I came to realize what it means to follow Jesus and live
in the New Covenant. I have been learning how to do that from that night on.
For
many reasons, this is a day to remember and reflect. All four Gospels record
events from Jesus’ final hours with his disciples. In Luke’s Gospel, the heart
of this day is spelled out in Jesus’ own words. And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover
with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it
finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16) Jesus “eagerly
desired” to connect with his disciples in a new, different and significant way.
Jesus led his disciples through the traditional Passover meal, which was
intended to remind them of how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He
took those familiar symbols and infused them with new meaning. He took the
unleavened bread, broke it, and declared that it represented his body, which
was about to be broken for them. He took the cup of wine and declared that it
represented a new covenant, not through the blood of animals, not through the
old sacrificial system, but through his shed blood.
Just as the Passover reminded the people of
their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, so now, the Lord’s Supper reminds us
of our deliverance from our slavery to sin. Maundy Thursday is a day to remember
and reflect upon what motivated Jesus and what it cost Jesus to free us from
our bondage to sin.
Jesus
was motivated by love for us. He was eager to share his life so that we can
have life eternal. Jesus was willing to give his all to redeem us. Paul summarizes
the heart of Christ in Philippians 2:6-8. Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being
made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled
himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Jesus, out of
love, willingly set aside his glory to take on our humanity, to suffer life as
we suffer life, and to die in our place.
On
that fateful night, in an upper room, in Jerusalem, Jesus extended his love and
compassion to all of his disciples. Knowing that Judas would betray him that
very night, Jesus still extended love to him. Knowing that all the others would
abandon him, he still poured out his heart to them. He did it through his words
and his actions.
Knowing
what was ahead for Jesus, reflect upon what he was willing to do. The evening meal was being served, and the
devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus
knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come
from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his
outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured
water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the
towel that was wrapped around him. (John
13:2-5) Jesus took the role of a servant to set the stage for a new order of
living. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and
returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?"
he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that
is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you
also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should
do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:12-17)
Later, John records that Jesus instructed his disciples about their future; what was to come, how they were to live, and the Holy Spirit who would become their constant companion. Than Jesus prayed for the disciples and for those who would follow; for us! At his time of greatest anguish and struggle, Jesus prayed for us! (John 14-17)
We
are often quick to rush to the good news of Easter Sunday; an empty tomb and a
risen Lord. But we should not overlook the journey that gets us there. It was a
journey of compassion, sacrifice, struggle and love. Tonight our church will
gather for a special communion service to remember and reflect upon Jesus’
journey and ours. Whether you attend a service tonight or not, take some time
to stop and reflect on the significance of what Jesus did for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment