“The Night Love Was Poured Out”

1. WELCOME (Pastor Scott Davis)

“Good evening, church family. Welcome to our Maundy Thursday service. Tonight, we gather in reverence to remember the final evening Jesus spent with His disciples before going to the cross. This is a sacred moment—one that draws our hearts to the humility, love, and sacrifice of our Savior. Thank you for being here tonight.”

2. INTRODUCTION TO THE SERVICE

“The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the Latin ‘mandatum’, meaning commandment, referencing Jesus’ words in John 13:34: ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you.’

This is Thursday of Passover week. In first-century Jerusalem, this day marks the midpoint of the first of three yearly Jewish festivals—of which Passover is a significant part. The Passover begins tonight at 6:00 PM. According to Jewish tradition, the beginning of a new day is marked not at midnight, but at twilight—6:00 PM. That means that most of the drama of Jesus’ final hours will begin at sundown, the start of the Jewish Friday.

We call it Good Friday. And over the next 72 hours, Jesus will fulfill prophecy, redeem a lost world, and create a path for restored relationship between man and God.

Let me take you back to the first Passover. In Exodus 12:1–6, the Lord gave instructions for the Israelites in Egypt to select a lamb:

Exodus 12:1–6 ESV

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

The lamb had to be perfect, spotless—without blemish. That is Jesus. He is the sinless Lamb of God, chosen before the foundation of the world, now preparing to lay down His life for the sins of all. As we walk through the events of this sacred night, we remember: the Lamb has come.

3. SCRIPTURE READING & REFLECTION

I. JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET

John 13:1-17 “In this act of humble service, the King of glory stoops to wash feet—teaching us that leadership in the Kingdom is servanthood.”

John 13:1–17 ESV

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

II. THE NEW COMMANDMENT

John 13:31-35 “Jesus tells us how the world will know we belong to Him—not by our theology alone, not by our traditions—but by our love.”

John 13:31–35 ESV

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

III. JESUS PREDICTS HIS BETRAYAL AND PETER'S DENIAL

John 13:21-30; 36-38 “Even surrounded by those closest to Him, Jesus was no stranger to pain. He was betrayed by a friend, denied by a brother. Yet He loved them still.”

IV. THE LAST SUPPER INSTITUTED

Luke 22:14–20

Luke 22:14–20 ESV

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

4. THE LORD’S SUPPER

“Tonight, we do not partake of this supper lightly. We come to the table to remember, to repent, and to rejoice in what Jesus has done. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11, ‘Let a person examine himself…’”

[Distribute elements] Read aloud:

“This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” [Partake of the bread]

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” [Partake of the cup]

(Moment of silence)

5. CLOSING WORD AND DISMISSAL

“On this night, our Lord Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, was betrayed, arrested, and led away. As we leave, let’s carry the weight of His love and the light of His commandment into the world: to love one another as He has loved us.”

John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

“You are dismissed. Go in reverence, and go in love.”