If we were living back during the time of Jesus, a lot would have happened last night while we slept in our comfortable beds. It is traditionally called "Maundy Thursday" and consists of the events that happened the night Jesus was arrested. Let's take a look at the sequence of events.
The evening started in the upper room somewhere in downtown Jerusalem. This was the location of the Last Supper. One of the most important traditions of the Jewish people was transformed into a much more important ordinance. Jesus picked up the bread and the wine and asked His Father to bless it. He then personally passed it to his disciples and told them that from that day on, it would represent His physical body. Unbeknown to them, that body would be brutally mistreated the very next morning. After the meal, Jesus wrapped a towel around His waist, dropped to His knees at the feet of each disciple as they reclined at the supper table and lovingly washed their feet.
After the meal, they sang a hymn and headed out to the Garden of Gethsemane. It was common for Jesus to go to private locations and pray. It was here that He implored His Father to change the eternal plan if at all possible but resigned Himself to the will of His Father. His prayer was so intense that blood actually mingled with His sweat as He stressed over the events that would soon take place. I believe the greatest stress He endured was knowing that SIN would consume His body on the cross.
Then, the betrayer was revealed when Judas brought the guards into the garden to arrest Jesus. With a kiss, Judas sealed his own eternal fate. From the garden, He was lead to the judgment hall and was tried and questioned all night long. He was slapped, beaten, ridiculed and disgraced while you were sleeping.
Today He will be crucified!
I hope all of us will not sleep through this weekend and what it means to all of humanity. It is the single greatest event in the history of the world and always will be. Remember that today is the day we commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord and the great price He paid to save us and set us free. Please say a prayer and thank Him as you think about the Love of Christ today.
See you on Sunday.
Bill