Days 38 – Maundy Thursday
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.”
-Romans 12:16
You would think that Jesus, the Messiah and King of the world, would spend more time before his crucifixion with the Jewish authorities or Roman rulers just before his death. After all, these were the people with power and influence. If they would change their minds about him, the future of Christianity will be secured after his death. That is what any politician worth his salt would do in our day and age.
Yet Jesus, knowing that his time had come to leave this world, chose to spend time with his twelve disciples, a ragtag bunch of fishermen and outcasts in society, relative nobodies in this world. He had “loved his own who were in the world, (and) he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1) And during this night 2000 years ago, he spent his final night as a free man washing his disciples’ feet and instituting the Lord’s Supper of intimacy and fellowship with them.
By doing this, Jesus had fully exemplified what the Apostle Paul urged us: “Don’t think too highly of yourself, but be willing to identify with and interact with ordinary folks!”
Recently I had the privilege of visiting a very elderly lady. She had collected cardboards and other discarded items as a form of living but had to stop because of ill-health. Yet as she sat in her wheelchair and was hard of hearing, I could only shout to her “Jesus loves you!” because I felt the overwhelming love of Christ for her. She laughed heartily at my words😄
Today, we are like that old lady to Jesus. His institution of the Family Meal with us at Maundy Thursday is because each one of us, though seemingly insignificant, matter very much to him! We are all his precious sheep, the ones he gave his life for, and he will never abandon us. He would gladly spend his last moments with us in a heartbeat! May this assurance that you matter to him encourage and assure you as you come to meet with him this weekend!
Revd Ian 🙏