We call today Maundy Thursday and on that night of Easter week, Jesus was in an upper room and he celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples. But he gave it a new meaning. No longer would his followers remember the Exodus from Egypt in the breaking of bread. They would remember his broken body and shed blood. Later that evening in the Garden of Gethsemane he agonized in prayer at what lay ahead for him. But it is called Maundy Thursday from the Latin word for mandate or command. Earlier, this is what he said (John 13:34-35 NLT) “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.” This day we remember his great love for us and the charge to us is to love each other not as we envision love, but to love as he loved us. And then at that Last Supper he said that the bread was his body which is given to us…and to do this in remembrance of him and what he will do on the cross for us. And then later he took a cup and said that this cup is the new covenant between God and his people. An agreement that is confirmed with his blood, which will be poured out as a sacrifice for you, me and anyone who will receive it. So remember how loved you are by God, even when you didn’t believe. And now let your belief be translated into action, to love, real love. Because when you do that, you will prove to the world that you are disciples of this Jesus who died and rose from the dead. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Luke 22:19-20 NLT He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (20) After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
Luke 22:19-20 NLT He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (20) After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ