Today is “Maundy Thursday.” What is Maundy Thursday? It is the Thursday before Easter when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with His disciples. Most notably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, displaying an excellent posture of humility. Jesus then commanded his disciples to do the same for each other. Christ’s “mandate” is commemorated on Maundy Thursday – “maundy” being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means “command.” It was on the Thursday of Christ’s final week before being crucified and resurrected that He said these words to his disciples:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34).
Tomorrow is “Good Friday.” What is Good Friday? It’s the day we remember Jesus Christ’s great love and sacrifice for the people of God. Those who have trusted in Jesus have been reconciled to God by his death, cleansed by his blood, and given new hope and a new life (read Romans 5).
During the last quarter of the second century, one Christian wrote these famous words:
[God] himself gave his own Son as a ransom for us—the Holy One for the godless, the Innocent One for the wicked, the Righteous One for the unrighteous, the Incorruptible for the corruptible, the Immortal for the mortal. For what else was able to cover our sins except his righteousness? In whom could we, who were lawless and godless, have been justified, but in the Son of God alone? O, the sweet exchange! O, the inscrutable work of God! O blessings beyond all expectation!—that the wickedness of many should be hidden in the one Righteous Man, and the righteousness of the One should justify the many wicked!
Saturday is “Holy Saturday.” What is Holy Saturday? It’s the day we think about Jesus lying dead in the tomb. His bruised and lacerated body, hastily wrapped, rests on a stone slab, cold and stiff in the darkness. Correspondingly, our hearts remain quiet. We remember Christ’s redemptive power on this holy day, which had plumbed the darkest depths before ascending to the brightest heights. Holy Saturday recognizes this wondrous mystery and invites us quietly to enter it.
Yet, do our hearts long for the glorious day right around the corner? Can you sense it? Does it stir within you a longing, a hope? We know the Story and how the joy of the resurrection animates our hearts and heartens our lives.
Can I encourage you to take the time to do three things over the next few days?
First, REMEMBER! Remember the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the meaning of his death on the cross, and the greatness of God’s love for you.
Second, REFLECT! Reflect on how severe our rebellion against God is, so severe that the only way to bring redemption and reconciliation for us was the death of his Son. And reflect on how great God’s love is that he willingly gave his own Son to redeem his creation and his family from the tragic effect of sin (read Ephesians 2:1-10). Hallelujah!
Third, RESPOND! Respond in worship, prayer, and praise. Sing to our Savior, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
Remembering, reflecting, and responding to the good news with you, church!
-Wade