Today, I’m going to read the account of that first Holy Thursday from the Gospel of Mark. However, this story is also found in the Gospel of John with some extra details that I’ll be talking about today. I’ll give you references as I get to those sections. But first, here’s our text for today from Mark, Chapter 14 (10-26, NLT):
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?” 13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there. 17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.” 19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?” 20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” 22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25 I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” 26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Folks, we’re still on the journey with Jesus from the time he ‘set his face’ to go to Jerusalem—made that decision to fulfill the will of God for his life, and to get to his final earthly destination—the cross. And today you’ll see that Jesus’ ministry is moving toward its climax. Just to recap some things that led up to this point…
- Jesus had already been anointed for burial by a woman—a believer and…
- He was about to be betrayed by one of his very own disciples…
Now, Christians call this special day ‘Maundy Thursday’—the word ‘maundy’ being derived from the Latin word mandatum—meaning ‘mandate’ or ‘commandment’, like the one Jesus’ gave his followers in John 13:34: “I give you a new commandment [mandate]: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love one another.” We often refer to the meal celebrated around this day as ‘Eucharist,’ ‘Holy Communion,’ ‘The Lord’s Supper,’ or ‘The Last Supper.’ I’m sure you’ve heard all those names at one time or another. For Jesus, though, it was his last meal with his very closest friends—the apostles—his last meal before that terrible Friday!
So, what were the key elements of this very special evening? Who was Jesus in the midst of all that was going on? And what can we learn from these key events today? Here they are: Let’s start with…
The Group Meeting… This gathering of Jesus and his closest disciples (Apostles) had significance in at least two different ways: First, this was one of the ‘lasts’ that Jesus was experiencing at this time.
Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you experience some ‘lasts’? Let me give you some examples of what I’m talking about…
- If you’ve ever made a physical move (to another community, especially) in your life, you know what I mean—the entire last year you’re in a community you begin to realize that you’re experiencing some ‘lasts’ … the last time you experience this event with these friends, etc.
- If you’ve ever graduated from school before, or are currently a senior in high school for instance, you know what I mean—moving from one chapter of your life to the next … when you suddenly realize that nothing will ever be the same as it is right now…
- If you’ve ever been married before, you know what I mean. Our son Josh was just married a few weeks ago, and he’s finding out that life will never be the same again. What he’s discovered is this: His last year before the wedding was a series of ‘lasts’ that he went through—the last time he can just clean the house when he wants to, the last time he can just pile up the dishes on the counter for as long as he wants to, etc. He’s turned a (good) corner in his life…
- If you’ve ever had children, you know what I mean. Our daughter and son-in-law have just gone through this with the birth of their son last November. They had no idea how free they were … before Henry was born! I don’t think there’re any regrets, but it’s different! So, the time prior to his birth was full of ‘lasts’ for them; life would never be the same…
And that’s what Jesus was going through too. It’s kind of like going to college and growing new friendships and then graduating. Jesus had spent the past 3 years with these guys—his very best friends … and now it was about to be over. So, even before the arrest and the beatings started, Jesus I’m sure was experience the emotional pain that sometimes goes with the ‘lasts’.
Secondly, the dinner, for Jesus, was also the Passover meal. During the Passover, Jews celebrate the Passover meal, remembering the night in Egypt when their ancestors—who were slaves at the time—sprinkled the doorposts of their homes with blood so the angel of death—who was coming to put to death the oldest children—would ‘pass over’ their homes and save their firstborn. This was a huge event in the life of God’s people—one they’d never forget. The Passover meal was ceremonially significant. They’d eat unleavened bread, in remembrance of the no-yeast bread the Hebrews ate during the time of the first Passover and so forth. So it’s no surprise the disciples asked Jesus (Mark 14:12), “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
This was an annual event that wasn’t optional; if you were a Jew, this is what you did. Now, the Gospel of Mark reports that Jesus—knowing full-well what lay ahead of him—told the disciples where to go to make a room ready for them, which they did. But several important things took place in that ‘upper room’ that—even today—continues to instruct, impact, and inspire Christians all over the world! And what I want you to notice—at this particular point in Jesus’ journey—is that he becomes a shining example to all of us about what it means to be Christ-like—not only to be believe in Jesus, but to live out that faith in the world we’ve been placed in by the power of his Loving Spirit within us. Jesus knew that Judas would sell him out; Jesus knew that Peter would betray him by denying association with him; and Jesus knew the disciples would soon scatter like scared chickens … and yet he loved them and showed it by his service to them… Let me move now to the second key element of Maundy Thursday … and this particular part of the story comes from the Gospel of John (13:1-17)…
The Footbath… Many of you know this story, but I want you to consider now the ‘foot washing’ that takes place on Maundy Thursday, asking yourself: Why did Jesus do it? And what was he trying to teach his disciples (including us)?
As they reclined at the table that evening, I’ll just bet that everyone was talking—remembering the healings on the way, fears, angry religious leaders, affection expressed for one another. And as they’re dining, and talking, suddenly Jesus gets up, puts a towel around his waist, picks up a water basin, gets down on his hands & knees, removes the disciples’ sandals (as he makes his way around the table), and begins to wash their dirty feet… In our modern day, it’s really hard to comprehend the dramatic symbolism here. But in the New Testament, only soldiers and rich people had boots—everyone else wore sandals. Paved roads were practically non-existent—only dirt paths and trails. Few folks had chariots or even horses; most people walked, miles and miles and miles every day. Filthy, dirty, dusty, and tired feet!
In our day, a host or hostess might meet you at the door and ask to take your coat and hat. But nothing compares to the foot washing welcome of biblical times! In a common family the youngest of the children might greet you at the door to wash your feet. A step higher in wealth, a paid servant—the one who cleans the bathrooms or does the dishes—might be on duty. And in a wealthy home, the lowest of the slaves would greet guests at the doorway, perhaps on hands and knees, and prepare to put cold water & dry towels on weary, dusty, dirty feet! So, what was Jesus’ point?
Do you remember when James and John’s mother came to Jesus and begged him to let her sons have places of honor—at his right and at his left in his kingdom, the other disciples got angry, then Jesus rebuked them all? He said (Matt. 20:26), “Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant.” Now, our Lord took the form of a servant … and I don’t know if you’ve ever thought of it this way or not, but…
- Jesus washed Judas’ feet, even though he knew he would betray him before the night was over…
- Jesus washed Peter’s feet, even though he would deny him 3 times before the night was over…
What incredible love … in the form of a servant! And to think Peter actually rebelled at first, asking Jesus not to wash his feet; he really didn’t understand LOVE, Jesus’ way, did he? But Jesus was busy illustrating his message… He rose up, took off his robes, tied on the towel, poured water into a basin, and began to wash their feet … and told Peter (John 13:8b), “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Let me now turn to another key element of that evening…
The Turncoat… One of Jesus’ carefully chosen Twelve—Judas Iscariot—had already made arrangements to go to the authorities … and Jesus knew it! Jesus said (Mark 14:18), “…‘I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.’” Most of the Twelve couldn’t believe it. They’d watched Jesus do marvelous healings—even raise his friend Lazarus from the dead just a couple of days earlier. They ate the bread when Jesus multiplied the loaves & fish and fed thousands of hungry people. And like Peter and Andrew, they’d all left their day jobs to follow him, so betray him? Inconceivable!
Folks, Jesus not only washed Judas’ feet, but he’d also allowed him to share in the broken bread and the poured out wine. In the Gospel of John (13:27), we hear that Jesus told Judas, “… ‘Hurry and do what you’re going to do.’” Notice here that God does not violate his gift of FREE WILL, even if we cause trouble for ourselves or others. Judas did both. He left the room and made his way to talk to the chief priests and the political authorities…
So, why did Judas do it? We can speculate… Some say he was a selfish betrayer—maybe out to line his own pockets, maybe trying to get ahead politically. But what happened after Jesus’ arrest tells me that it probably was not self-interest—frustrated and angry, Judas tries to return the 30 pieces of silver he’d received for turning Jesus over. I’m thinking Judas (and he wasn’t alone in this) had his own idea of who the Messiah should be. He knew that Jesus was powerful. He’d witnessed the miracles he’d done. So why not force him into a position where he’d have to take up arms … and strike down the enemy? His life ended in suicide (Acts 1:18) … which tells me he was deep in remorse over his actions, to the point of not wanting to go on. When he saw Jesus was now headed toward death, he couldn’t live with his actions. He never expected it to go that far…
How many of us have ever been in that position—where we’ve done or written something that we sure wish we could take back … but it was too late. And then, in spite of our actions, the very one we acted against didn’t seem angry at us, but still loved us … in spite of ourselves? That’s what I want you to see in this story—this part of our history: In spite of Jesus knowing what Judas was about to do, he still loved him … by serving him—washed his feet & offered him the Passover elements to eat… Amazing love! Finally, Jesus helps us remember his example of service with…
A Brand New Menu… The truth is, the disciples would never understand the full meaning of the broken bread and poured out wine until after the crucifixion and the resurrection! The disciples had not yet experienced the arrest, the trial, the inhuman torture that led up to the crucifixion, and the brutal crucifixion itself. They were like soldiers hearing a description of an oncoming battle, but they had not yet seen it or fought it. The highlight, the eternal, God-filled moment—the action that has been reenacted around the world and across the centuries—is when Jesus took bread and blessed it, when he took wine and said it was his blood. BUT, the full meaning of the action would not be understood until … the nails had pierced his hands and feet, the sword had ripped into his side pouring out his blood on the cross…
Hopefully, we’re beginning to understand this ‘new menu’ Jesus introduced that evening … and the deep meanings it portrays… The truth is Holy Communion means different things to different people … and at different times. I’ll never forget these experiences:
- A young woman coming down the aisle to receive the elements, with tears of sadness flowing down her face—obviously in deep sorrow or repentance…
- A young dad & mom helping their young son & daughter take communion; they were beaming with joy for helping their children know Jesus…
For some it’s sorrow for sins, for some it’s a steady faithful walk on their journey with Jesus, and for some it’s a plea for guidance from the Lord… Whatever it is for you, one thing is for sure…
Jesus always modeled servanthood. Even toward the end of his journey to his final destination—the cross, knowing full well that his life on this earth was just about over, Jesus would not quit serving others—all others! And, folks, he models his love to us in this way for a reason: Jesus wants us to love others in the same way! And we’re not alone in this! I want you to know that… Jesus serves us—and is a model of servanthood—even today!
Just as Jesus showed himself a loving servant through every event of that first Holy Thursday, so we too need to be servants amongst those God places in our lives—on our journey to our final destination. So, where might God be calling you to serve others today? As you leave today, give that some thought, would you? Then put it into action. Consider how one action might make a difference in the lives of others, then commit to that one act of service this coming week. What might God be calling you to do right now?