Text: John 16:16-24, John 16:32-33, Matthew 26:17-75, Psalm 41:7-13, Zechariah 13:7
Today is the fifth day of the portion of the church calendar commonly known as Holy Week.
In the coming days, we will slow our pace, walking through the events that took place between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Rather than offer personal, written responses to each day’s Scripture reading, we’ve asked our friend, Pastor Russ Ramsey, to provide a real-time summary of the week’s events. Our prayer is that this more descriptive approach will usher you into the narrative and allow space for you to fully engage the beauty and ache of Holy Week.
Take this week slowly and reverently. It is a somber time, but let us never forget: Sunday is coming.
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The Thursday prior to Jesus’ crucifixion fills many pages in Scripture.
It began with John and Peter securing the upper room (Matthew 26:17-19). There in that room, Jesus would wash His disciples’ feet, explaining He had come to make them clean (John 13:1-20). As they began to eat, Jesus told them that one of them was about to betray Him. Each disciple wondered if He meant them. Meanwhile, Jesus discreetly dispatched Judas to do what he intended (John 13:21-30).
During this last supper, Jesus set apart the Passover bread and cup and reassigned—or better, perfected—their meaning. The bread is His Body. The cup is His blood. This meal would no longer primarily remind them of how God delivered their forefathers from the external tyranny of Pharaoh. Now it would remind them of how Christ delivered them from the internal tyranny of their own guilt and sin against God (Luke 22:14-23).
Then Jesus prayed for them, His friends, and for those who would come to know Him through their testimony. He prayed that His Father would make them one (John 17). After praying, Jesus rose to His feet and asked His disciples to stand with Him to sing a doxology over their suspended, unfinished Passover meal. Jesus led them in the traditional Passover song, Psalm 118, about how the stone the builders rejected had become the cornerstone, and how the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.
To pause and lead His disciples in a song like this, at this particular moment, shows the strength of Jesus’ resolve to face His impending arrest and crucifixion. The Gospel accounts tell us that He started that Last Supper overwhelmed with sorrow, and that later in Gethsemane His sweat became like drops of blood (John 13:21, Luke 22:44). In the middle of that tension, Jesus sang of the faithfulness of God.
Think about that for a moment: one of the things Jesus did on the night He was betrayed was sing (Matthew 26:30).
When they finished singing, Jesus led His disciples out to the Mount of Olives, to one of their regular meeting places—the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:26-32). But Jesus didn’t go there only to pray. He also went there to wait. Soon a line of torches snaked their way toward Him through the darkness (Mark 14:42-46). This was what He had been waiting for.
written by Russ Ramsey
adapted from Behold the King of Glory
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68 thoughts on "Holy Week in Real Time: Maundy Thursday"
Jesus sang, YES sang, the night before he died. What makes this even more awe-inspiring is what he sang. (He sang the Hallel psalms as a part of the Last Supper/Passover.) Psalm 118 was the last hymn he sang – ‘Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever’. The Psalm then goes on to foreshadow the suffering Jesus would endure. Jesus sang, YES sang, praising God for the suffering he was about to endure on our behalf.
It struck me today that Jesus was scared and sad. I always knew this offcourse, but today it struck me that he was not only God, but also human. It wasn’t easy for Him because He is God. It is really scarry to know that you will be captured and killed in a short time! And still He said ‘Your will be done’ WOW
What is really getting me this year is how Gentle and loving Jesus is with Judas, from washing his feet, to calling him, “Friend,” even as he was betraying Him. That is the same gentleness, tenderness, and compassion with which my Savior treats me.
So thankful for our Deliverer!!
it’s almost the same feeling as hiding bad news from your children knowing it’s too much for them to bear. Jesus held it all in and led the disciples in song! knowing what would happen within hours! strength like no other!!
Ladies, I urge you to read Psalm 118! Usually I gloss over the extra mentioned passages, but the Spirit prompted me to read this one. To read the song Jesus sang before His arrest & death is so powerful! He must have been so encouraged to be reminded of God’s faithfulness & strengthened by hearing the song of a redeemed voice– redeeming His people being the very reason He was to go through what He was about to.
The verse that stuck out to me was 118:24. “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I’ve always assumed this was about celebrating the current day & praising God for it. Oh, no, I think this is talking about The Day that Christ would set everything right. This is The Day God had planned from the very beginning to redeem His people to Himself. What an encouragement & beautiful reminder to Jesus that This Day was the one He’d been set apart specifically to carry out on our behalf. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU LORD!!!
thank you I read it and wept!
But Jesus is the same…yesterday, today and tomorrow. He means what he says and he loves us to the end. Period. Precious Jesus.
We don’t know the true condition of our heart until it is exposed by God’s word. Even then we deny.like Peter, we say, “no, I am not like that.” Or like Judas, we continue to do what we want to do.
Appreciated all the insight today. For me, it made me think of a song “He could have called 10,000 angeles to destroy the world and set him free, but he chose to die for you and me.”
Oh Peter. In my own human-ness I can actually hear him justify in his mind those three betrayals. In the heat of the moment I’m sure he thought “surely the teacher wouldn’t want harm to come to me just because I know him” and “well I don’t want them to kill me too!”.
Safety. Self-preservation. Survival.
Our human instinct to survive has become so glorified in our culture. There are whole television shows dedicated to it. Season after season of surviving deserted islands, zombies, apocalypses. All things done in the name of survival are sacred to us.
But should they be? What if instead of glorifying survival, we glorified living? And not just living but living for a purpose greater than ourselves? Because when we believe that survival becomes obsolete doesn’t it?
Christians love to say they believe in living for a higher purpose. But what’s the first thing we pray for when we send missionaries out into the field? Safety.
What if we stopped doing that? What if instead we prayed for their ministry first. For mountains to be moved, for extraordinary experiences that brought them closer to their Savior and allowed them to share a radical grace with everyone they encounter.
What a trip that would be.
Thank you Jesus for your body that was broken and your blood poured out. So that we don’t have to worry about our fate or our tomorrow’s. Or even our survival.
Absolutely love this! The Lord has really been showing me that safety and comfort dictate most of decisions and the majority in my thinking… How much more freeing and peaceful would life be if I really trusted. He will meet me out of comfort/safety zones and I feel life would be that much richer!
Wow Emily, your words are so thought provoking! We should definitely pray bigger prayers for our missionaries!
Thank you for your words Emily! I have a young friend on a mission trip in the Dominican Republic. I didn’t really know how to pray for her and her team, but I am encouraged by your words!
He sang. Jesus sang the faithfulness of God as he was being betrayed by one of His own in order to fulfill a prophecy so we would not suffer. Makes my heart shake every time.
Many times I dont get it. I struggle with shame immensely yet Jesus came to take it away..how
how…by laying everything at his feet and putting your trust in him. Just as Mary did in the study yesterday. Praying that God will illuminate his word and help you. May God bless!
Yes, yes, yes. So grateful for this reminder of truth, Meg.
xoxo-Kaitlin
I am crying over Jesus’ pain. I want to hug Him.
So much power when we praise God in the storms! That even through persecution, difficulty, hardships and trials God is STILL good.
Such a good passage. This has so encouraged my heart this week. Thank you!
http://www.in-due-time.com
Not my will but Your will be done. Those words.
I’ve always wondered why singing was mentioned.
Yeah, I’m glad that got pointed out because I have glossed over it in the past.
Wow. This reading today really touched me. I’ve heard and read the story over and over, but today reading how Peter betrayed Christ three times just hit me hard. How may times have I betrayed my Savior? Thank you Lord for your unending grace and forgiveness.
Betrayed Him a million times. Yet just like Peter He foreknew this and saw our need for Him in spite of.
Thanks for joining us, Tricia! Grateful to read these truths together.
xoxo-Kaitlin
I am taken with a new perspective. Jesus is struggling with his human self, seeing the end of his life coming. He asks his friends for support, to pray with him. When he comes back to them they have let him down by falling asleep. I think God was giving him a gift! When his friends let him down, it helped him deepen his resolve to walk out what God asked of him. The world had little to offer him compared to what God had planned. His human self means less when his human friends couldn’t pray for even an hour. God let them sleep. What a picture of Gods love for his precious Son!
What an amazing perspective. I had never considered that. Thank you for sharing.
This is so good. Thank you.
I had never thought of it this way either. I have always interpreted that passage as Jesus encouraging the men to stay awake and pray… that the disciples’ spirits were willing to support him but that their flesh was weak (sleepy). Was Jesus talking about His own human flesh being weak?
It’s so easy to forget the story leading up to His crucifixion, to forget the human emotions that Jesus felt leading up to his betrayal. Yet, he still was graced with strength beyond what we are capable of on our own. What a reflection of the power of God while He sent his Son to do what He knew was necessary for each of us. He had a peace amidst His fear. Such a mournful part of the story, but I love that we know the HOPE that is coming at the end of the story!
And now we are reminded that Jesus delivered us from the internal tyranny of our own guilt and sin against God
I’m saved yet I still have the internal tyranny
I love how Russ said, Jesus perfected the Passover.
My Congregation has a Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service every year. I look forward to it, it is my favorite service of the year. It steps on my toes and physically reminds me of how much Jesus loves us. Thank you for this Lenten journey, beautifuky done again friends.
Your will be done.
Maundy Thursday. Maundy meaning “command,” drawn from Jesus ‘ words to “do this in remembrance of Me.” Thank you, Russ, for connecting the dots of Scripture so that we might remember all that occurred on that Thursday. The foot washing part always touches me. Probably because this is a tradition followed in a church I have attended. I seek the opportunity to participate each year. Foot washing certainly had to do with servanthood, but think of those whose feet He touched. They were His closest friends with whom He had devoted three years of teaching and performing miracles. Right. Before. Their. Very. Eyes. They were His ‘persons.’ He bent His back, stooped low and humbly washed the dust off their feet. Not a pleasant job. He did it because they were His friends – despite the fact that one would betray him for cold cash; one would vehemently deny him; and the other 10 would desert Him. Only one would eventually return to comfort His mother. They abandoned Him. He knew they would. Yet He washed their feet. Because that is what Love does. It bends the back and stoops low. I look around me and I see those who have offended me or done even worse… Do I care enough about their eternal destination to overlook their offense and wash their feet in Love? Do I forgive? Do I want them washed clean even as I have been washed clean? Will I humble myself and just do it today? Will I, in remembrance, and in honor, of Him? Lord, help me to say yes and pick up the towel.
Love your comment! I needed this today. Thank you!!
So beautifully and eloquently stated. Thank you. TtThank y
Yes. Thank you for these thoughts. Jesus example causes me to evaluate my own posture.
“…that’s what love does. It bends the back and stoops low.” For the offensive. For the sinful. For the bothersome. For the hurting. For the widows, the orphans, the homeless. Thank you Churchmouse for you comments today.
Beautifully said!! Thank you for your insight, churchmouse!
Such beautiful thoughts. Thank you for this reminder!
I love this…
What a comfort it is to me to read these comments from other women who are treasuring this story. I feel like almost everyone in my life has abandoned Christ for something more “acceptable”… They think the cross is offensive, and i am offensive for believing that there is only one right answer. Just reading these words from you all makes me remember that I am not humanly alone.
We are here together to sing.
Amen.. sing the song of LIFE.. Jesus is ever faithful and always so near. BEHOLD, He said, I Am making all things new! Sing a new song! Praise you Jesus!
For me…
That never really sunk in with me before that it was during this time that Jesus sang about God’s faithfulness. What an loving example to us to help us during our times of overwhelming trials. If Jesus could do that with what He was facing, I can do that also. It has been such a joy to walk through these weeks leading up to Easter with this study.
Praise God that even in the middle of chaos and utter disorder our Jesus could and did sing!
Amen, Sooz! Thanks for joining us today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
So so thankful for Jesus and hearing this message. Jesus is so amazing.
Side note; SRT, words can’t express how thankful I am for this study-I get teary thinking about it!! It’s not easy to share but just a few weeks ago I had a very traumatizing experience and suffered some PTSD because of it, BUT I found your lent study and this has helped me tremendously in my healing process. Thank you so much for providing this community!! Know that all your hard work is paying off. Really looking forward to the next study
Thanks for sharing, Megan. I’m healing, too and God’s Word is the only thing that can heal pain I am convinced. Glad you are here!
It was so easy for Peter to proclaim his loyalty to Jesus when Jesus was present, but when Jesus was not physically present just moments after Peter denied him three times.
When we’re at church and worshipping and the pastor is speaking we are so inspired and encouraged and we want to take on the rest of the week with Christ at the center, then Monday comes we’re tired, then Tuesday comes we’re caught off guard, and Sunday’s emotions and feeling start to fade and we find ourselves at the center of our lives and not Jesus. I want that fire I get from Sunday morning to burn even brighter throughout the week because after the rooster crowed I can only imagine how Peter felt. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh can be so weak. This morning I want to focus on letting Jesus be the center of if all. Jesus I never want to exclude you in any area of my life. Take hold of everything and don’t let my flesh get in the way
Oh, wow, love how you drew that comparison. Yes! May we seek Him just as fervently during the week as we do in church!
“In the middle of that tension, Jesus sang…” This portion of the Holy Week reading always stops me in my tracks. Each time I read of Jesus’ weeping in Gethsemane I am overwhelmed with emotion. My love of Him wants it to stop. I think to the unbearable pain He must have felt but I know there was no other way, which only deepens the pain I feel over it. Like a guilty child standing with the shards of a broken promise watching as an innocent friend steps in and takes punishment, I stand guilty too. And I can say nothing. There is nothing I can say that will remove this cut of condemnation from my Savior. No words, actions or apologies can change what has to happen and so He goes. The confusion for His disciples must have been thick like fog and as much I want to say that I, to, would never deny my Christ the reality is that each time I choose the things of this life over Him, I am. Each time the rooster crows, I too, stand convicted in my errs, humbled in my heart, wanting to weep bitterly like Peter. And yet, it brings me back to “Jesus sang” … So often when I am facing trouble I run things frantically through my mind, negotiating my way around them and my feelings, fearing more for the “going through” than the outcome when I should just be signing and so I will take the pain and responsibility I feel of Maundy Thursday, of watching my Savior walk towards the cross, taking punishment for me and I will sing, humbled by His actions, His love, His mercy and His grace and I will sing.
“So often when I am facing trouble I run things frantically through my mind, negotiating my way around them and my feelings, fearing more for the “going through” than the outcome when I should just be singing.” Thank you for these words today. Lord help me to follow your example. Give me a song in my heart and help me to sing.
I think that as solemn reading about the prayers in the garden is. it’s an amazing reminder that God is just like us. even the king of of the universe asked to do salvation another way. I mean seriously who would wanna die like that. but he is a perfect example yet again saying that even though he doesn’t wanna do it he wants gods will. one of my favorite parts.
Agreed!
The strength that Jesus portrayed during this week gives me what I need to keep moving forward. I’m so humbled & grateful to Him for what He did.
The story hasn’t changed, but sometimes it feels new and fresh. That’s the beauty of God’s Word—active and sharp, piercing the soul. Today, as I walk with all of you through this Holy Week, my heart is filled with both sorrow and gratitude for the Thursday that changed everything. “The strength of Jesus’ resolve,” and yet He sang of God’s faithfulness. This is love. This is faithfulness. This is obedience. I am certainly not worthy of the drops of blood in the Garden, much less the agony of the cross. Jesus, thank you for walking through that Thursday, even while knowing what waited for you as the sun broke through the darkness at dawn. Thank you for giving us the bread and wine to remember You. I will remember You.
“Active and sharp, piercing the soul.” Beautifully stated Kelly! Happy Holy Week friend. I hope all is well with you and yours this season!
Not worthy of the drops of blood in the garden, let alone the cross. So good, so true.
Even knowing how it all ends this fills me with such sorrow. I try to imagine the anguish that Jesus was feeling as He moved through this week and can’t. He was totally human at this point and wanted so badly for there to be another way. Too many times I gloss over His sorrow, a sorrow that caused Him to sweat drops of blood. He was in anguish and He still did His Father’s will. He still went to the cross for me. My sin put Him on that cross.
I pray that today I will feel the same anguish over my sin; that I will remember that it was for me that He went to that cross. It was for me that He suffered and died. I am so thankful that we do have the rest of the story; that we do know how it all ends, but for today I pray that I will feel the heaviness of what was about to happen. Lord, use this day to remind me of Your holiness and of the incredible gift You gave me when Jesus died on that cross for me.
Thank you Kathy, your comment helped bring my thoughts more into focus….the heaviness of today is a reminder of what Jesus did for each of us. And I dont want to lessen it by knowing the rest of the story.