Maundy Thursday of Holy Week

Holy Week is a time to focus on God and His gifts to us. Maundy Thursday is a special day. It is often called Holy Thursday reminding us of Jesus’ interaction with His disciples as he instituted the Communion and washed their feet.

John 13:34 NLT

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Thursday of Holy Week is one of the best known of the week. It is the first observance of the Lord’s Supper and the Passover with His closest friends. Jesus shared the meaning of His blood and body that we continue to celebrate. It is in Jesus’ body and blood that we find the forgiveness of sin and redemption.

The conversations that took place around that table must have been amazing and powerful. It would have been eye opening to be there.

What would you do if you knew you had 24 hours to live? Great question. Jesus knew. It was His last day. This was His destiny. He was willing to step in where we couldn’t go. He was willing to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

John describes this last day in ways that the no other Gospel does. Jesus told them what was ahead. He was honest and strong. He confronted the accuser. He even gave direction to the disciples that included Peter denying Jesus.

Yes, this denial was something we still talk about today. Peter, James and John were three of the closest to Jesus, and this day, Thursday of Holy Week, must have been very hard for Peter and all of the disciples.

May we know Jesus like they knew Jesus. Just ahead is the cross, and around corner is the resurrection. Past that is abundant life for us. Thank you, Jesus, for this and more!

John 14:6-7 NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

Easter is ahead. The cross and the resurrection are the days we remember, celebrate and share. Let’s get ready for Easter and Jesus!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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