Luke 22:14-29, John 13:1-17

Today is Maundy (or mandate)
Thursday, the day when Jesus at the Last Supper gave his disciples a new and
supreme mandate to love one another. 
 
At the Last Supper Jesus
re-appropriated the ancient Passover meal commemorating Israel’s liberation
from bondage in Egypt, giving us the sacramental meal of Communion by which we
commemorate the Lord’s death and partake of his body and blood. 
 
Of course, the disciples didn’t know this was the last supper before Jesus’ suffering and death—they
were still anticipating the arrival of the kingdom of God in the way of conventional conquest. Yet Jesus was explicit about this being the last meal of an old age, telling his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until the kingdom of God had come. And thus we see the significance of Jesus eating and drinking with his disciples following his resurrection!





Sadly, the poignancy of this final meal was marred by a dispute among the disciples over who would be
regarded as the greatest in the coming kingdom. Once again, for the last time
before his death, Jesus stressed to his obtuse disciples that what is counted
as greatness in the empires of the world is not what is counted as greatness in
the kingdom of God. 
Now that we have heard of the
dispute among the disciples lets take a moment to hear what else happened at
the last supper from John’s account of the event. Let’s read about Jesus
washing his disciples' feet from John 13:1-17
As we hear from this portion of the evening picture, the events are taking
place. How do the actions of Jesus contrast the attitudes of the disciples
who are arguing over who would be the greatest in the coming Kingdom?





Caesar and all his successors
measure greatness by power—power to kill, power to obtain, power to control.
But in the kingdom of Christ, greatness is measured by love, humility, and
service. Jesus modelled this kingdom version of greatness when he washed his
disciples’ feet during the Last Supper. Despite the disciples’ inability to
fully grasp what he was saying and doing, Jesus spoke warmly about how they had
stayed with him through his trials. As a result, they are to eat and drink at
his table in his kingdom.
 
As we finish today, take a moment to imagine what it was like to be a disciple
having his feet washed. Now take a moment to place yourselves in the seat of
the disciples. See Jesus washing your feet. What is your response to this situation?
Lord Jesus, as we partake of your body and blood on this holy day, may we be your flesh and blood presence
in the world, and may our presence be characterized by love, humility, and
service. Amen.
 

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