Maundy Thursday

It’s now Thursday of Holy Week. This is the day when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, shared a final meal with them, initiated communion, gave words of comfort about the Comforter, taught about the branches’ dependence upon the vine, prayed in the garden while his friends slept, and was arrested by the Roman guard.

Busy day.

But it was what he came to do. He came to model and teach a servant’s heart. He came to let us know we need him or we die. He came to die for us even though the thought crossed his mind that maybe there was another way to reconcile sinners to God.

He came for you. He knew and knows the wrongs you have done. Everything from selfishness to telling lies to looking at dirty pictures to taking money from your employer’s till to pointing a gun at someone and pulling the trigger. I know, you didn’t do all that. Maybe you didn’t do any of that. But still there’s something in your past, maybe in your present, that the Bible calls “sin.” And sin separates you from God.

He came because of your sin. And he died because of your sin. He came into your world so that you could enter his heaven.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was arrested by people who thought they had just cause. They didn’t but they were used by God to fulfill his plan to deal with your sin. You should have died for your sin; but Jesus did so you don’t have to. He didn’t die for blasphemy or treason or inciting a riot. He died for you.

If you think the Friday after Thanksgiving is a busy day for retailers, you need to understand that the Thursday before Easter was a busy day for Jesus.

Maundy. It means “command.” Jesus commanded us to serve and to love and to trust and to obey and to remember and to believe.

Busy day.