Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this “Maundy Thursday”,
This day is most famous, of course, because it was Thursday evening of this Passover week that Jesus gathered with His disciples in the ‘upper room’ of a home in Jerusalem to celebrate their Passover meal together. As with the other significant events during this historic weekend, all four Gospel writers give us a Holy Spirit led perspective of that evening. Matthew’s account is found in Matt. 16:17-35; Mark’s is found in Mark 14:12-31. Luke’s account is found in Luke 22:7-38 and finally John’s lengthy account is found in 5 chapters in John’s Gospel, chapters 13,14,15,16,17.
We can assume this last evening with Jesus was several, life changing, hours in duration. I call it ‘life changing’ because of some unique things Jesus taught His disciples only that evening and because of some unique experiences which happened only that evening, which changed their lives forever. Come with me, let’s climb up those stairs to an ‘upper room’ and spend the evening with Jesus and His disciples.
John sets the stage for us with his opening reflection: “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world He now showed them the full extent of His love.” (John 13:1) Oh my that’s powerful, do you agree? John, of course, did not understand what he was experiencing in ‘real time’ that Thursday night. It was only years later, after John had plenty of time for the Holy Spirit to help him reflect on all he had seen and heard, that John began to gain some understanding of how significant those hours with Jesus were.
Do you see John wants us once again to understand that Jesus is God the Son, Immanuel, and Jesus had a full and total understanding of everything happening, both seen and unseen, that night? But also how that night fit into God’s eternal plan for humanity?! Jesus realized the time had finally come. What time?
The time for Jesus to finalize His earthly mission with these next very significant events: This upper room Passover meal; His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; His betrayal, arrest and trials; His crucifixion; His burial; His resurrection; His post resurrection appearances; and teachings; and finally His ascension back to heaven to assume His new roles at the right hand of God the Father. Each and all of these would demonstrate God’s ultimate love for humanity and complete Jesus’ Redemption of humanity!!
This Thursday night was life changing for all who were present with Jesus in that upper room because:
First: This night of Jesus’ TEACHING His disciples great truths regarding the Holy Spirit (John 14:16,17,26; 16:7-13); Jesus’ offer of a vine and branches relationship with them (John 15:1-8); Jesus being the only way to God the Father (John 14:6); and Jesus’ remarkable High Priestly prayer, which Jesus prayed for them and for us. (John 17)
Second: This night of unique EXPERIENCES with Jesus: His washing of the disciples feet (John 13:4-17); Jesus identifying Judas Iscariot as His betrayer (John 13:18-30); Jesus challenging Peter to consider that he would deny Jesus three times before daylight the next morning (John 13:31-38); Jesus leading His disciples through the well known Passover meal, but this evening Jesus added new meanings and explanations!
The fact that John was, years later, able to give us such a detailed account of those hours is evidence of one specific promise Jesus made that night: “The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
John also wants us to understand that while Satan was not visible in that upper room that Thursday evening, he was present and very, very active. John writes: “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus…” (John 13:2-5) Do you see John pointing out that the devil, Satan himself, was powerfully at work that night, leading Judas to complete his betrayal of Jesus.
That continues the invisible theme I introduced to you yesterday: that this Passover week was a very powerful spiritual battle between Jesus and Satan. Satan was determined to prevent Jesus from completing His Redemption Mission. Jesus was determined to fully obey God the Father’s assignment of providing Redemption to the human race through His atonement death and victorious, Satan defeating, resurrection.
John also writes that a little later in the evening when Jesus identified Judas as His disciple who would later that evening betray Him, “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him…as soon as Judas had taken the bread he went out into the night.” (John 13:27,30) The spiritual battle Jesus understood all too well was reaching its fever pitch, yet John tells us “..but no one at the meal understood..”
Did you notice John’s comment about Jesus having ALL power? “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God.” (John 13:3) John wants us to understand that from the time of Jesus’ baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit as recorded in Matt. 3:16, Jesus had been guided by and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. The power Jesus had before His incarnation, when He came from heaven to be born in Bethlehem, had been restored to Him by His heavenly Father, as evidenced by the miracles. (John 13:11)
Jesus had all power to do anything, anytime, any where! Yet does it amaze you my friends that Jesus did not destroy Satan, Jesus did not prevent Judas from betraying Him, (Matt. 26:47-56) nor prevent Peter from denying Him, (Matt. 26:69-75) nor restrain any of the disciples from fleeing into the night and abandoning Jesus, when He was arrested by the mob in the Garden of Gethsemane!? (Matt. 26:56)
Rather, Jesus got up from the meal, wrapped a towel around His waist, put water into a basin and got down on His knees to wash the filthy feet of His disciples. It was a profound gesture of humble service and ‘agape’ love, especially when Jesus washed the feet of both Peter and Judas! (John 13:4-11)
Finally, let’s please take special note of John’s written statement: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God.” (John 13:3) Jesus had been saying it for weeks… His earthly life and mission was nearing its end, but His death would be neither due to old age, illness, or accident, but rather a living sacrifice of His life for ours through His atonement death on the cross! For Jesus, this horrific reality was now only hours away.
But Jesus had also several times assured His disciples that His death would not be the end, but rather a new beginning, for Him and them and every human being. Jesus knew with certainty that God the Father would resurrect God the Son after three days, defeating death & Satan. But there’s more! Jesus knew He’d have 40 days to appear multiple times to His friends after His resurrection, and continue His teaching, and then finally, from the ridge of the Mount of Olives, over which Jesus had ridden a donkey just a few days before on Palm Sunday, Jesus would ascend from that hilltop, in full view of His disciples and return to reign triumphantly in heaven at the right hand of God the Father!
So with all that in His mind and heart, Jesus led His disciples through that incredible, several hour Passover evening together in the upper room! May I urge you my friends to seriously consider taking the time needed and carefully read through John’s entire story of that night? John 13-17, and I’ll meet you here tomorrow, Good Friday, as we together witness one of the most significant days in the history of our planet and the human race!
For today, here’s a very special worship song, prepared specifically for this Passover Thursday night. As you spend this day and evening in grateful reflection on what Jesus experienced and taught this Thursday nearly 2000 years ago. It is my hope you and Jesus have a very special time together today…
Today’s Scripture: John 13:1-30.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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