Thanks to my friend and Pastor, Pastor Ken Hicks of Heights Community Church for writing this!
Whew … it’s Thursday! What a week it has been! Tonight, Jesus will gather w/ the Disciples to celebrate Passover. For them, this is why all the crowds have made their way to Jerusalem, and part of the Feast and tradition. However, things will radically change tonight won’t they?
He will wash their feet as the ultimate sign of Servanthood (and many of us know the story of Peter going “… no Lord.” This was not something they had experienced at the Hands of Jesus before. Then Jesus would take the bread, and the 3rd cup of Salvation, and lead them in the preparation for The Lord’s Supper.
Luke 22:14-20 … 14When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.a
And then … Judas left. Jesus actually told them what was coming, including one of His own that would betray Him.
Following the evening together, Jesus and the now 11, went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray … and not just pray, but to pray perhaps the greatest prayer ever prayed!
Luke 22 tells us how Jesus “… offers up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears.” In fact, Jesus was so distraught, “… His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” Luke says.
But don’t miss something pretty interesting in the prayer. Often times we think it was 3 times Jesus was pleading for God to take the cup from Him. [And oh by the way, while Jesus was praying, He left Peter, James and John to keep watch, and they were so exhausted physically and emotionally, each time when Jesus returned, they were asleep]
But when we look at Luke 22, we see that the 1st time Jesus prayed, He said “… Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done. And then there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” [Luke 22:41-44]
The angel came to provide the strength needed, for Jesus to do what He needed to do. And when Jesus went to pray the 2nd time, the language changed. “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Jesus realized the cup could not be removed. When we read in Mark that Jesus prayed the “… same words” Mark is referring to “… Not My will but Yours be done.”
Jesus had this incredible shift in His prayer. Not for the cup to pass, but for the success in drinking it! If Jesus had not been obedient unto death, he would have been swallowed up by death forever and there would be no resurrection, no salvation, and no future world filled with the glory of God’s grace and God’s children. This is what Jesus prayed for “to him who was able to save him from death” — that is, save him from a death that would not succeed its saving mission.
THOUGHTS/INSIGHTS/ENCOURAGEMENT:
Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin word Mandatum, meaning “commandment,” and it is Jesus’ final commandment to his followers in John’s Gospel, “Love one another as I have loved you,” that we remember today.
The washing of feet, which has originates in John’s Gospel Letter, and is one
of the most ancient and universal rites in the Christian Church. It is a reminder of the humility necessary to be Ministers with one another. The reminder that SERVANT is rooted in a HUMBLE HEART! Having your feet washed [even today when we have socks and shoes] is absolutely one of the most humble and powerful experiences ever!
On Maundy Thursday we also remember the LAST SUPPER that Jesus ate with his friends, which has become for us the model for the Sacrament of Communion. This weekend as we celebrate EASTER, we will again REMEMBER the BODY of Christ that was Given for us, and the BLOOD of Christ that was shed … so that we might be Forgiven & Restored into a righteous standing before God!
This prayer from Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) describes the heart of Maundy Thursday:
“Christ has no body now on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ must look out on the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless His people.”
TODAY, was a powerful day! The last earthly day for JESUS! He modeled the life of a Humble Servant! He shared the vision for His Church, and left the HOPE of the world in the hands of the Disciples.
AND … would later be handed over in the Garden to be rushed into a middle-of-the-night trial, and even though found Innocent, handed over to DIE.
THAT is how much God Loves You! Let’s walk in Humility today and allow that to overflow into our Humble Serving of someone else today in the name of Jesus!
PRAYER:
God, allow me to see from the lens of Jesus. God, move me to pray more often, … not my will, but Yours be done. God, there are times in my life that seem exceedingly difficult. Now, I’ve never sweat drops of blood, but I have had many, many times when I have poured my heart out to You in tears, pain and anxiousness. And that’s ok … Your Son did the same thing.
But God, forgive me when I’ve landed in a place that truly desired My Will over Your Will. God, if the cup cannot pass, then share w/ me the strength and success in drinking it!
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