A Teachable Moment…

Maundy Thursday

April 17, 2014

Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14 the Message Bible

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 the Message Bible

John 6:47-51 the Message Bible

Psalm 116:1-6, 12-19 the Message Bible

We have almost come to the end of our Lenten journey together. On our journey we have learned that through Jesus, God pours out so many blessings but the most important is the free gift God Salvation only found through Jesus. As Psalm 116 said, God heard our cry for help...He heard and came to help, He knew our need for a Messiah. God did not come and help in the form of a Davidic king taking Rome by storm but in the form of a helpless babe who grew up to be the King of all kings freeing all of humanity from a fate worse than death...freeing us from our sin. How interesting it is that He would come in the form of a helpless babe to help us in our helplessness of sin...He became like us to conquer for us...And this gift...is absolutely FREE!

We now enter the upper room where Jesus taught His disciples then and now one of the most important lessons in His ministry. There was one last thing He needed to show them…example for them…before He completed His work on the cross. Jesus took something that they were taught as they grew up…the Passover Seder…and turned into something new…something different. They were taught that the Seder was a remembrance of how God delivered the Israelite's from the tyranny of the Egyptians as is stated in the Exodus scripture I read this evening. Now this new thing was about remembering Jesus and His teachings…about remembering how Jesus acted and to go and do likewise.

        At this Seder, Jesus did something that a teacher would never have done. Instead of having others wash His feet…instead of claiming the rights of one was above others…Jesus did a new thing. He was the one who washed the feet. Taking on the posture of a servant instead of being served, He taught the disciples and us to live a new way…one that puts others above our selves.

        I can understand how Simon Peter felt…he knew who Jesus was. Peter understood that Jesus was special. Peter felt unworthy of Jesus washing his feet but Jesus told him that if He didn’t, Peter could have no part of what Jesus was doing…this new way of life. In taking on this new lifestyle… of a servant…Jesus also gave them and us a new commandment. To love others not as our self but as Jesus loved. To be willing to put aside self and take up theirs and our own cross and follow Jesus’ example.

        Jesus taught the disciples many lesson as they learned from their Rabbouni. We continue to this day to remember those lessons by reenacting the Lords Supper. This too was a new thing that night when the celebrated the Passover meal together. You see not only did Jesus become their servant and gave that servant example to them, He also changed the meaning behind the whole “Lords Supper”. It not only was a remembrance of what God did in Egypt but also what God did in Christ Jesus...He became that Pascal Lamb...He proclaims that He is the “Bread of Life” as in the John scripture from tonight. You know John the Baptist knew exactly who Jesus was. In John 1:29 John proclaims that Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” The disciples then and now celebrate this meal that Jesus offers so that we may live life with Him. Through Him there is life eternal instead of a life of death. Through His death and resurrection we have new life in Christ...1 Corinthians reminds us that each time we celebrate...reenact this meal, we are drawn back to the Upper Room and suit with Jesus. May we always cherish these moments and never get to the point that we become so familiar that we just go through the motions and miss out on the God inspired moment in the Upper Room...

        So...now Jesus gives one of His final lessons at this meal in the Upper Room. They and we are called to live in a new and radical way…much different than the world around us as Jesus’ disciples. Now...they and we are called to serve...to set aside ourselves our titles...our degrees...our self-interests...our ego's...we are called to not see color...we are called to not see economic realities...we are called to be a house of prayer and not a house of despair...we are called to be the hands, feet, voice and image of the Servant of the Lord. We are called to roll up ourselves and get involved with a hurting world that needs acts of Radical Hospitality.

        We are called to love unconditionally. We are called to serve others with the love and joy that Jesus did. We are called into the family business, as beloved children of the Most High God. We are called to be Christ to the world. Imagine what the world would be if we were more interested in the family business than branching out on our own? Maybe the world...humanity...needs to return to its original form and walk in the cool of the evening with our God? What to do you think would happen if you and I would unconditionally be the hands and feet of Christ? Just imagine.