Maundy Thursday: What is it??

OPEN WITH——-

Maundy Thursday---"maundy" being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means "command."  It was on the Thursday of Christ's final week before being crucified and resurrected that He said this commandment to His disciples in John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. He demonstrates this through the scriptures and acts of footwashing and communion. Both of which we will participate in this evening. and a foreshadowing of is to come in his crucifixion.

We will have a couple songs of worship, a deeper message on Maundy Thursday, then transition to footwashing, and then take communion together and close out the evening with a song. Let us begin in prayer. Please stand with me as we pray—-

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As we think and participate in Maundy Thursday let us take a moment to set the scene- before any of this took place, before Jesus washed their feet, before Jesus shared in the last meal with them, before Jesus broke the bread and took the wine in demonstration of his sacrifice, He did this knowing that each one around the table would desert him. That as some fled, others would even deny that they knew him. This also marks a pivotal moment of betrayal when Judas Iscariot makes a choice to betray Jesus unto death.

We get to see here Jesus demonstrate unconditional love, pointing to His sacrifice that restores humanity's broken relationship with God.

1. John 13:1-17 Read from the Bible

—————————— Transition into footwashing———————-

2. Matthew 26:26-29

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[a] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom The sharing of bread and wine symbolizes His body and blood, offered to sustain us even in times of betrayal. This sacrificial love urges us to commit deeply to faithfulness, remembering His covenant with us in every trial we face.

LET US PARTAKE IN THESE ELEMENTS TOGETHER- TAKE COMMUNION-

John 13:31-35 31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

A new command I give of you - LOVE ONE ANOTHER - YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER WILL PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES. As Jesus loved, served, and broke bread with those that were going to betray him, as he showed them unconditional love, as he has shown us mercy and grace, may we demonstrate this type of love for each other, so the WORLD will know that we belong to Christ and are a part of a family, where the love can not be measured, because it pours on us through our Father!