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On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’ He answered, ‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’ Judas, who betrayed him, said, ‘Surely not I, Rabbi?’ He replied, ‘You have said so.’ While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ (Matthew 26:17-29)
Good day, dear Friend! I trust this finds you well. It is Thursday of Holy Week and an important day for all believers. The above passage from Matthew's gospel tells us why. I ask you pause and pray for me as I will be bringing the message tonight in our Maundy Thursday worship at First Methodist of Gonzales at 6 p.m. If you're in the area, I invite you to stop in and join those who praise God for Jesus and His having blessed us with what we call The Last Supper.
For Jesus and His twelve it was already an important day. I suspect that for the previous two years they had, like good Jews, observed the Passover. It was a high holy day for their faith, and one that was meant to be observed at home. The theme was remembrance and gratitude, for it was the night of the freedom that came to Israel when the angel of death passed over the houses of those who had marked them with the blood of a lamb. Those whose homes did not have the blood suffered the loss of the first born child. Among the houses affected that night was the palace of Pharaoh, whose first son died. That was enough for him to grant the Jews freedom and the Exodus began. This meal was to remember the meal of that night. Unleavened bread was key, for they had no time to wait for bread to rise; the meat from the lamb sacrificed for the passover of the angel was eaten as were bitter herbs to remember the pain and anguish of the 400 years of slavery in Egypt.
The meal begins on a scary note, for Jesus say to them that one of them would betray Him. "Surely, not I, Lord?" was asked by most of them all. Jesus gives the clue, and if you remember yesterday's Spy Wednesday's lesson, we know who the betrayer was; Judas Iscariot. But, key to the meal with Jesus was the start of what we do at least once a month; remember the Last Supper. Jesus takes bread, blesses and breaks it and says, "Take, eat, this is my body." Jesus then took the cup and again gave thanks and shared it with them saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Then, the haunting, but promising word, "I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." A promise of the big wedding feast that awaits us in Heaven.
Add to that, from another gospel, that Jesus gave to His twelve a new commandment. This is found in John 13:34-35 and from the Latin for commandment we have Maundy Thursday: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’" From the love demonstrated by God through Jesus, we are to share that love with one another; make it obvious!
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for today and its significance for my life. I pray that I may receive from You a double portion of love that I can share with others today. Thank You for Jesus and His willingness to give His body and blood for me. In His Name I pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Make plans to be in worship this evening if you can, but start right now praising God; let others see the love you have from them has come from God!
Eradio Valverde
