Maundy Thursday 2020

THAT and THIS

On THAT night nearly 2000 years ago Jesus met with his disciples and other followers in the upper room to celebrate the passover feast.  They were after all Jews, and part of being a jew at the time of Jesus was to remember THAT night.  A night like no other in which the Lord God delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt.  It was a night where Moses instructed the jews to make unleavened bread and to slaughter a lamb and paint their doorposts with its blood.  This was to let the Angel of the Lord know to pass over their home and to not to kill the firstborn of the household.  A pretty violent world they lived in and they believed God to be like the God’s of other cultures who solved problems with violence and domination.  I sometimes hear people say they think God is behind the Corona virus like it is God’s way of somehow showing us that God is still in control and we better watch out.  

Here are some reasons that I think that is immature thinking.  

1) Jesus on THAT night got up from the table and removed his outer garment and washed everyones feet.  All over there were Jewish families gathering to celebrate THAT special meal.   Before anyone sat down at table, the lowest servant in the household would wash everyones feet.  Probably unceremoniously, as the guests arrived as was the custom.  Jesus waited until everyone was seated.  I think he may have done THIS to show that THIS is not something to be missed but it is every bit as important as the rest.  He said to them, “I have washed your feet so you are to wash each others feet.  Washing feet is not a powerful act of domination unless of course, the person didn’t want their feet to be washed in the first place, THAT was not the case as it might be now.

2) Jesus shared bread with everyone not just those with social standing.  Who invited you to passover and who you invited, was a big deal and often it was used for social climbing.  You would never eat THAT sacred meal with tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes and most importantly those who would betray you, deny you and desert you, all of which were invited to THIS meal.  This can only portray a God who loves and cares for all people.

3) Later that night when Jesus was arrested, Peter pulled a sword (Macchia) and cut off the soldiers ear.  Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the man named Malcus by reattaching his ear.  The so called, “sword” Peter was wielding is actually not a sword but a specific kind of knife used to slit the lambs throat quickly and cleanly for preparing the passover meal which they had done earlier that day.   More like a small crescent shaped hand knife used by butchers.  Jesus’s followers otherwise carried no weapons. 

4) Jesus allowed himself to be arrested, did not defend himself in his trial before Pilate and even forgave his assailants from the cross.  Does THIS sound like someone who uses force to scare people?  

When Jesus shared the meal in the upper room he took bread and broke it and give it to his disciples and said, “Take and eat, THIS is my body.”   In doing so he not only was saying that this bread was going to be infused with his spirit  and become for all his body, but the act of giving bread and sharing even with those who will betray you, deny you and desert you is a holy act.”  Sharing with everyone is also the, “THIS” Jesus speaks of when He says do THIS in remembrance of me.  

And then He took the cup, gave thanks and He blessed it and gave it to all present and said, “This cup is a new covenant in my blood shed for you and for all people.”  Do THIS in remembrance of me.  Drinking from that cup is only a part of doing THIS. It does not just mean taking a sip of wine  to have our sins forgiven but it means to live a life like Jesus and to go with him to the cross and to forgive our enemies.  The word THIS is such a small word filled with so much meaning.

Every time I, as your pastor lift the bread and the cup and share the word’s, “Do THIS in remembrance of me,” I imagine us all participating in the life God has called us to live.  We are blessed, let us give thanks and eat and drink.

Amen, come lord Jesus.