HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONAL DAY FIVE: MAUNDY THURSDAY
one church: columbus, ohio- Easter sunday
jesus demonstrates love
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.
MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT:
The word maundy is derived from a Latin word, mandatum, which means to command or order. This word represents the words spoken by Jesus to His disciples after washing their feet at the Last Supper, "a new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another" (John 13:34). Thursday gave Jesus many opportunities to demonstrate that New Commandment. On this day, Judas, one of His disciples, betrays Him. Also, Jesus will model the New Commandment by taking a towel and a basin of water and washing the feet of the ones who would use those feet to run from Him and forsake Him just a few hours later.
The greatest act of love was demonstrated as Jesus broke bread and instituted the Passover Meal or Holy Communion. As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving His body to be broken and His blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin (Luke 22:44).
Have you ever had your love for someone tested - really tested? Perhaps it was a Judas kind of betrayal or you experienced abandonment by those who walked away when you needed them the most like the disciples did to Jesus. When we are rejected, abandoned, forsaken, or betrayed, the greatest demonstration of love we can offer to the one who wounded us, is forgiveness.
There is an oft-quoted line that is used twice in the movie Love Story, "Love means not ever having to say you're sorry." Whoever wrote those lines missed the moment on the cross where Jesus prays for His enemies with these words, “Father, forgive them.” Or another way of stating those words is “Father, forgive them, as I forgive them.” Love is a gift to the one who is the recipient of undeserved grace, but it is also a gift to the giver because it also gives the one who offers forgiveness freedom to let go, and let God handle their offender. Love means saying “I’m sorry” but it also means saying, "I forgive you.”
APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
Who do I need to forgive? How do I know I have forgiven someone? What are the next steps that I can take to follow Jesus' example to love the one who hurt me?
GUIDED PRAYER:
Jesus, thank you for demonstrating forgiveness to me by dying on the cross for my sins. I need your power to help me to forgive others the way you have loved me. Show me the steps that I need to take toward the one(s) who have hurt me. Bring healing to my broken heart and reveal to me anyone that I have hurt. Give me the courage to ask for forgiveness and bring reconciliation and wholeness to the broken relationship. Amen.
We would love for you to join us for Easter Services at One Church, Saturday 5:30pm and 7pm- Sunday at 9:00am, 10:30am and 12:00pm. CLICK HERE for more details.
