Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Maundy Thursday
Abraham Mattackal
MTC of Los Angeles,
CA
23 He
answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray
me.
Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples known as the Last Supper. The word "Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for command and refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper to love and serve one another.
The Jewish Calendar was full of feast days and celebrations. They had the feast of tabernacles, the Day of Atonement, the feast of Pentecost, the feast of Trumpets, etc. However, the most important of all was the feast of unleavened bread. The feast of unleavened bread was so important to the Jews that it was one of only three feasts which they were required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. The feast of unleavened bread lasted for seven days and the key event that kicked of the celebrations was Passover. Passover was when every Jewish family remembered the time God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Passover was a memorial built around a meal a family shared with their guests, just as we celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November.
As instructed by Jesus the Christ, the disciples went into the city and arranged all the preparations in a large Upper Room. When evening came Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples and sat around the table eating the Passover meal. Jesus interrupted the meal with a startling statement; "one of you will betray me ". Everyone started asking, "Lord is it I?" Then He answered, "He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me." Why does Jesus make this statement? We could see the graciousness our Lord Jesus is offering to Judas, a chance to repent of his evil.
Jesus again interrupts the Passover meal. This time He interrupts in order to transform it into the Lords Supper. He takes the bread and tells His disciples that the bread now represents His body and the wine represents the blood He will shed on the cross. The breaking of the bread symbolized Jesus laying down His life for His people. The night of the Last Supper is full of power and passion. Jesus was trying to tell the disciples that the time of his death was growing near. He even told them this would be His last Passover meal. (Luke 22:15-16) His blood would be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. By His death a new covenant will be made in place of old covenant. This is a night that changed the world for ever.
Maundy Thursday is the name given to the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples known as the Last Supper. The word "Maundy” is derived from the Latin word for command and refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper to love and serve one another.
The Jewish Calendar was full of feast days and celebrations. They had the feast of tabernacles, the Day of Atonement, the feast of Pentecost, the feast of Trumpets, etc. However, the most important of all was the feast of unleavened bread. The feast of unleavened bread was so important to the Jews that it was one of only three feasts which they were required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate. The feast of unleavened bread lasted for seven days and the key event that kicked of the celebrations was Passover. Passover was when every Jewish family remembered the time God delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. Passover was a memorial built around a meal a family shared with their guests, just as we celebrate Thanksgiving on the last Thursday in November.
As instructed by Jesus the Christ, the disciples went into the city and arranged all the preparations in a large Upper Room. When evening came Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples and sat around the table eating the Passover meal. Jesus interrupted the meal with a startling statement; "one of you will betray me ". Everyone started asking, "Lord is it I?" Then He answered, "He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me." Why does Jesus make this statement? We could see the graciousness our Lord Jesus is offering to Judas, a chance to repent of his evil.
Jesus again interrupts the Passover meal. This time He interrupts in order to transform it into the Lords Supper. He takes the bread and tells His disciples that the bread now represents His body and the wine represents the blood He will shed on the cross. The breaking of the bread symbolized Jesus laying down His life for His people. The night of the Last Supper is full of power and passion. Jesus was trying to tell the disciples that the time of his death was growing near. He even told them this would be His last Passover meal. (Luke 22:15-16) His blood would be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. By His death a new covenant will be made in place of old covenant. This is a night that changed the world for ever.
PRAYER
Our eternal loving Father, on the night of his
betrayal, Jesus Christ gave his disciples a new commandment - to love one
another as he loved them. Lord, help us to write this commandment in our hearts
and give us the will to serve others in need as Christ was the servant of
all, gave His life and died for us. As we celebrate His Death and
Resurrection, we pray that you will bless us as a Diaspora Community of
believers and keep us all under your protection now and always, Amen.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, I love you" - Billy Graham
“God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, I love you" - Billy Graham