Maundy Thursday

This is the night of the last supper before the crucifixion of Jesus.

John 13
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love. 2 It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.
6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, "Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You don't understand now why I am doing it; someday you will."
8 "No," Peter protested, "you will never wash my feet!"
Jesus replied, "But if I don't wash you, you won't belong to me."
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!"
10 Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn't true of everyone here." 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, "Not all of you are clean."
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and you are right, because it is true. 14 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. 17 You know these things-now do them! That is the path of blessing.



Luke 22
The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which begins with the Passover celebration, was drawing near. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were actively plotting Jesus' murder. But they wanted to kill him without starting a riot, a possibility they greatly feared.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went over to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted that he was ready to help them, and they promised him a reward. 6 So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him quietly when the crowds weren't around.
7 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lambs were sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, "Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together."
9 "Where do you want us to go?" they asked him.
10 He replied, "As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, 11 say to the owner, `The Teacher asks, Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' 12 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is the place. Go ahead and prepare our supper there." 13 They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.
14 Then at the proper time Jesus and the twelve apostles sat down together at the table. 15 Jesus said, "I have looked forward to this hour with deep longing, anxious to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won't eat it again until it comes to fulfillment in the Kingdom of God."
17 Then he took a cup of wine, and when he had given thanks for it, he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come."
19 Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you-an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.
21 "But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 For I, the Son of Man, must die since it is part of God's plan. But how terrible it will be for my betrayer!" 23 Then the disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.

May we follow Jesus' example as a washer of feet and may we accept the
body and blood of Jesus which was poured out for our sins.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This death and resurrection of Jesus is a silly story.

Think about a partially decomposed body with its smell, and cells that can no longer function. What morbid fascination Christians have with this walking undead person.

And what is Easter Sunday, but Jesus Zombie party day?
Dan McGowan said…
Wes - I am sorry that Mr. Anonymous has decided to hide behind that title to slam our faith... this is not "a question" but a slam... and this is the very reason why I feel so strongly that, while it's okay to question things, we can't then allow those questions to become DOCTRINE when they are not founded on Biblical truth.

Anonymous - I am curious what part of the resurrection you have the most trouble with?
wellis68 said…
Dan,
I agree with you. Some people don't think through things very responsably.
-Wes