holy thursday
Holy week has a more somber tone come Thursday, but this day is a turning point that will carry much significance to the work of the Cross.
On this day, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to begin to prepare for the Feast of Passover. That evening Jesus gathered with His disciples, took off His outer garment and wrapped a towel around His waist. He began to wash the feet of His disciples as they prepared to share in Passover. With Jesus taking this posture of washing feet, He was displaying how believers should love and serve one another. He wasn’t just going to say He came to serve, but He was committed to showing it knowing this would be one of the last images of Him they would have in their minds before He would be arrested. This position of washing feet was the lowest job for the lowest servant and Jesus, The King of Kings, was taking this posture revealing for all of humanity that the greatest leadership is servant leadership. No matter what situation you find yourself in with family, work, school etc…servant leadership will open up doors of opportunity for others to see Jesus in and through your life.
We pray that, as a church, this posture would be would be on display in all of us to wherever God sends us to put His ways on display.
After washing the disciples feet Jesus shared the Passover meal with them, saying: “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15-16)
As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the true meaning and purpose of Passover. The fulfillment would happen by laying His life down for His body to be broken and His blood to be shed as a sacrifice to free us from the bondage of sin and death.
It was during this Last Supper that Jesus set the spiritual practice of Communion, instructing us as His followers to continually remember his sacrifice by taking the bread of His body and the wine of His blood recognizing the New Covenant established for us. (Luke 22:19-20).
We encourage you to make communion a practice, that you don’t just wait for the church to do it, but that you and your family do this together. Make it a priority in your home for the work of the Cross to never be overlooked.
Later on that Thursday, Jesus took the disciples and went to the Garden of Gethsemane. This is where Jesus prayed in agony to the Father. In the Gospel of Luke, it says that “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” because of the pressure He felt from the purpose required of Him. (Luke 22:44).
Matthew 26:36-56
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”
37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
The disciples couldn’t stay awake and pray for one hour. Church, in today’s time and in this hour of our lives, we must be spiritually awake and alert. Jesus is at work, may we not be found sleeping in the midst of what He is doing in and through us.
As Thursday night of Holy Week came to a close, the very feet that Jesus had washed earlier that day were now running away from Him in fear as Jesus was taken as a prisoner by the Romans.
May we be reminded today to stand firm in our faith, The Gospel of Jesus is worth it.
Grace & Peace,
Voyage Church