Day 44

Tonight, on this Maundy Thursday (sidebar- Maundy is Latin meaning either "new commandment", begging as in alms giving, or washing of feet . . . there are cases for all three meanings, and if you really look at them together, it's a new way of life that Jesus was about to set as the standard for followers of Him. What He's about to go through demonstrates all these things together), my family partook in a Messianic Seder (meaning "order" or "sequence") Passover meal with some dear friends (the Sloans) and their three kids. We had a roast, complete with intact shank, amazing cheesy mashed potatoes, gravy, a spinach craisin salad, and french bread. So so good, even if it wasn't 100% traditional!! We also had the traditional elements like the bitter herbs, the salt water, the Matzah bread, the lighting of candles, the grape juice/wine (with multiple refills), Haroset, and something else I'm forgetting right now. It was great fun reading the texts together and listening to prayers, hearing about the 4 cups, watching the kids search for the Matzah, and just celebrating the Passover and Christ's sacrifice in a tangible way, together as families. During the Seder Meal, Pappy Sloan explained to the families that the Haroset (ground apples, nuts, and honey) symbolized hope. JJ, said (after tasting it on Matzah bread the first time) "Can I have some more of that hope, please." (-:

We had to cut dinner a little short because we were going to attend a Maundy Thursday service at Holy Cross Lutheran Church and didn't want to be late. We arrived, took our seats, and enjoyed a beautiful liturgical service, complete with communion served with real wine! JJ said after communion "wow, I think that was my first time drinking wine, it was pretty sour." We looked at the perspective of Jonah, and how He and God weren't on the same page. Jonah was fine with God's grace when he was the benefactor of it, but he didn't want anything to do with God dispensing it to others (Ninevah). Jesus talked a bit about this in the parable of the wine vineyard and the workers. Some of the workers come on time and work in the field all day, and some of them come at the end of the day but get paid the same. The all day workers think this is unfair. Jesus points out it's the farmers' field to do with as he pleases and pay the agreed upon price to any worker that came to work. It is the same with salvation. Just because we may receive salvation at an earlier age than others or put in our time on this earth serving the Living God, doesn't mean that we get to look down on others who seem to skate in at the last second or who don't seem to deserve it. That ultimate gift of forgiveness and grace is not ours to grant, and it's what Jesus is all about. We need to get on that page!

Jesus' disciples weren't on the same page with Him either. Matthew was a tax collector, James and John were trying to vie for attention and position around Jesus, Peter was unknowingly about to deny Jesus three times though thoroughly confident that could never happen, and Judas was getting set to betray Jesus over to the pharisees. None of that seemed to be on board with God's mission, yet each played a vital role. And then in Romans, Paul talks about how all of us are sinners and fall short of God's glory. So we're in the same boat as Jonah and the disciples. How often do we gush over how God's worked in our lives and then snub our noses at those in our paths that just can't seem to get it together or who are living in sin or who deserve death and destruction? How often do we vie for God's attention over others, cheat and steal in what seems to be a harmless way that may even be part of our job, deny our Lord when it's convenient or we're scared, or flat out betray Him and His work in us by turning back to our sin rather than our God? Are we on the same page as God, or do we get what we want from Him then turn back to our old way of life. Do we really have the full love and long-term dedication to love people like Jesus loved them? Like I said, it was a great service. We enjoyed the powerful message, the liturgical elements, the different format of communion, and not having to lead for the night.

So this week is the culmination of why we observe and discipline and practice this thing called Lent. It's Holy Week. There are deep emotions that Jesus felt this week, and hopefully we can grasp, starting with a seemingly joyful entrance into Jerusalem (though I'm sure the human side of Jesus was truly dreading what was to come), moving to a period of celebration with the Passover, time of fellowship with dear friends, agonizing prayer, betrayal, indescribable pain (emotional, spiritual, and physical), abuse, scorn, mockery, death, and ultimately resurrection. Today Jesus shared His last meal with His disciples (the Passover meal as was tradition), then went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemene while His disciples fell asleep, prayed so fervently that He sweat blood, and then was betrayed and arrested. The rest of this night, Jesus went through more betrayal, denial, anguish, trials, beatings, and judgements. In the morning, when you wake up, remember that Christ was starting the process of a crucifixion . . . the thorns, the cross on a beaten back, the walk, the nails, and the cry of "forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do." Amazing love indeed! I hope that you've been able to experience it fully. If not, there's still more to come, so take the time to engage, reflect, and enjoy what Jesus did on that cross for you!