We are on day five of our series on Holy Week, and it is Maundy Thursday. Maundy is latin for command, and it refers to the instructions or commands Jesus gave His disciples on this day. Let’s remember that in Israel a day was from sundown to sundown. So Maundy Thursday started at sundown on Wednesday and went to sundown on Thursday, and there was a lot happening.
Jesus washed their feet. What an act of love and humility. He gave us this example of servitude to do just as He did. Then He gave them the new commandment.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
John 13:34 nlt
We see them celebrating what we call The Last Supper, but that’s not what they called it. To them, it was just another Passover. Did they know it would be the last time they would eat with Jesus before He died? Did they realize it was their final meal together with their rabbi, their master, their Lord, their friend?
Jesus predicted His death just a couple days before, but did they fully recognize what was happening as they were living in the moment?
Passover. The Last Supper. Communion as we call it in the church. The bread is my body, the wine my blood.
And then I realized as I read this again, they were eating lamb with The Lamb. The were celebrating the ancient tradition of Passover as they as a people had for thousands of years with the One who would be the final and perfect Passover Lamb. They ate lamb with the Lamb. They shared the unleavened bread with the Bread of Life.
Ponder that for a minute, the significance and symbolism of it.
After this, Judas left to go and betray Him, and we have some of the most amazing words of Jesus to His disciples. They’re His final words of instruction and care and the last prayer He prays for them in John chapters 14, 15, 16, and 17.
He promised to send another comforter to take His place who will be just as good to them as He was.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever—
John 14:16 ampc
He speaks of getting our prayers answered.
If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:7
He let them know they are loved by the Father and that’s why God would answer their prayers.
Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.
John 16:26-27 nlt
The Father Himself loves you dearly. You need to hear this today. I need to hear this today. He loves us.
Such huge revelations are buried in these final words He imparted to them this day. He wanted them to be sure and certain of these things.
He prayed for them and for us.
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. (That’s us. Jesus in John 17 looked down through the portals of time and prayed for us!) 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
John 17:20-21
We look at that as if He was praying we would be one with each other. But what if He meant we would be one with Him and one with the Father as He was one with the Father? And if we are all one individually with Him, unity among the church would flow from that oneness. Jesus said things like I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. The Father and I are one. There was an intimate connection. Since the garden of Eden, He has wanted intimacy with His children. What if that is what Jesus is praying? For the church to have an intimate connection with Him.
Then we see them go off to the garden of Gethsemane. Along the way, Jesus foretells Peter’s betrayal, which Peter vehemently denied. “No Lord! I would NEVER do that! I’ll go with you to death.” (And I’m sure he believed every word he was saying, but in the moment, Peter ended up denying Him.)
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 nlt
I love what Jesus prayed. He prayed that when Peter fell that his faith would not fail. He did not pray for Peter not to fall, which is what I probably would have prayed. I would have prayed for Peter to not get sifted, but that is not what Jesus prayed. Wouldn’t that have been better? But I love that He allows for our humanity, and He made provision for Peter’s restoration before he even fell. “When you have repented and turned to me again…”
Jesus spoke to the failure and the restoration. When we fall, we need to repent and turn back to Him. He will always restore. Nothing we could ever do would take us beyond being able to repent and be restored.
Then He goes deep into the Garden, taking with Him Peter, James and John.
Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
Matthew 26:36-46 nlt
Jesus was facing in the spirit what He was about to experience in the flesh, and He’s making sure His will stayed aligned with the Father’s. “My soul is crushed with grief. Watch and pray with Me. Father, is there any other way!? Not My will but Yours be done!”
But the disciples slept. They slept through their moment. This would have been their last time to pray with Jesus on earth, and they slept right through it.
And it made me think. How many moments have I slept through, naturally or spiritually? What did I miss out on in my slumbering?
I don’t want to be sleeping naturally or complacent spiritually when the Lord calls me to come to Him. They were probably thinking there would be other opportunities, but this was it. There aren’t always more opportunities, and I don’t want to miss my moment.
I know there are times to rest and be refreshed. Jesus also shut the door on the crowds and took the disciples to places of rest. But there are times to be watchful, alert and awake.
These are those times for the church to be awake and alert and watching. God needs the attention of His church. He needs us to watch and pray. And we don’t want to sleep through our moment. Right?
So what should we do to prepare our hearts for Passover this Maundy Thursday?
Connect with Jesus. Watch and pray. Take communion. Stay awake. And remember, failure is never final. There’s always restoration for the repentant heart.
Let’s pray.
Father, saturate us with an awareness of Your presence today and an alertness in this hour. Let us hear Your voice call to us to watch and pray, and strengthen us to do it, Father.
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen