We call it “Passion Week” – the week that began at Palm Sunday and ended with the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The word “passion” comes from the Latin word which means “suffering.” To enhance your worship and appreciation for what Jesus did for us all, let’s follow Jesus through the Scripture during this most important week in human history and understand how the events of each day related to His substitutionary death and Glorious Resurrection.
It’s Thursday….known as Maundy Thursday. It’s called that because Jesus gave a new commandment to His followers – love one another. (John 13:34). We’ll focus on two significant events happing on Thursday.
1. The Last Supper. Read about it in Matthew 26:17-35, Mark 14:12-32 and John 13:1-17:26. As you read, think about these things:
- When Jesus woke up Thursday morning, He would not close His eyes to sleep again until He closed them in death on Friday afternoon.
- Jesus and the disciples spent several hours together in the upper room. While there, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, ate the Passover meal, and identified Judas as His betrayer.
- He predicted Peter’s denial. Jesus told Peter that Peter would deny Him three times before rooster crowed. But, look at Look at Luke 22:31-32, for it shows that Jesus would be with Peter even through this ordeal:
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
- He then left them with instruction about life without Him and promised the Holy Spirit. That appears in the verses referenced in John above.
Remember that the Passover Feast was to remind the people of Israel of how God saved them from death in the last plague of Egypt. You remember from Exodus? The blood of the Lamb would protect the Israelites from the angel of death. It was – and still is – the blood of the Lamb that protects us from eternal damnation.
2. The Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus and the remaining disciples left the upper room late Thursday night, and went to the Garden of Gethsemane. Read about it in Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; and Luke 22:40-46. While there:
- Jesus took Peter, James & John with Him to pray.
- Jesus prayed that, if it be god’s will, the cup of His suffering be removed, but ultimately renewed His willingness to surrender to God’s plan.
- Then, the mob arrived. Judas was in the lead, and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Jesus was in complete control. He greeted Judas as “friend.” Focus with me on John 18:4-6:
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”
They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Did you catch what happened? Jesus spoke – “I am.’ That profession of Godhood – even under these circumstances – caused them to step back and fall to the ground.
- The disciples mostly abandoned Jesus at this point.
The events of the Garden leave us amazed, stunned and thankful. Some people read this story and think God’s plan had gone wrong – but we know that was not the case. Jesus prayed – as should we – that God’s will be done, and surrender Himself to God’s will. All the world saw was a lonely man abandoned by His friends. God saw redemption. When the world think God lost control, He is still sitting on His throne.
Jesus was not afraid to die for us. It wasn’t that at all. But, He loved you and me that much that He would endure being made sin and being separated from God so that He might restore us to fellowship with God. The Bible tells us that, although Jesus never sinner, He became sin for us on the cross. Never underestimate or under appreciate that sacrifice.