Illuminate Holy Week- Day 6- Thursday
This is Day 6 of a 9 part series to Illuminate Holy Week. The events in today’s reading would correspond to Thursday of Holy Week. Take a minute to read the scripture before reading today’s devotion. I encourage you to read the full & harmonizing scripture account at the bottom of this post, which encompasses all of the events which occurred on this day in scripture.
It’s a day of joy, sorrow, and betrayal. It’s a day of a last goodbye, a last meal. But on the other side of a “last” is the dawning of something new.
Parts of a series are available to paid subscribers. A subscription is $5/month and can be cancelled at any time. I pray the blessing you receive from this week is of immeasurable value as you spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Scripture Reading:
Scripture meditation:
“I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:29
Many monumental moments in our lives become the last of their kind without the gentleness of a warning. There was a last time each of my children climbed into my lap for a snuggle. There was a last time I read a bedtime story. A tucking in at bedtime happened for a final time. A kiss on their sweet baby lips happened never to happen again. Each of these tender, beloved moments occurred without warning me I would never experience it again.
On rare occasion we are gifted the knowledge that an upcoming moment or event will be the last.
The last time you give your teen a ride before they are licensed. The last meal they eat at home before leaving the nest.
In our family we learned of an upcoming move just before Christmas. Two of our older boys decided they would like to remain in Omaha rather than start over in Nashville. That Christmas Day I knew would be the last of its kind - the one where you all wake up living under the same roof and have the type of Christmas you’ve had for 18 and 20 years. I spent four pre-dawn hours a sobbing mess, and then I held tight to each minute of that day.
It is hard to put into clear words those experiences that hold joy and grief simultaneously. The end of one chapter is the beginning of another. Each day of Holy Week that drew closer to the cross, Jesus experienced “lasts.” Wednesday was his last day of active earthly ministry - teaching and ministering to the people. Thursday would be his last intimate gathering with those closest to him.
Joy and sorrow.
Joy. Joy in the love with his disciples one more time. Joy in the what was to come. The kingdom.
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 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
I believe it is the co-mingled joy that pulls us through such deep sorrow.
Sorrow. Sorrow in saying goodbye. Sorrow at the suffering to endure. Sorrow in watching one of his own betray him. Sorrow anticipating the weight of the world’s sin on his bloodied back.
Joy, sorrow, and betrayal.
Dinner is well underway when Jesus drops a shocking statement. One of the 12 would betray him. At the heart of the word betrayer is one who inflicts wounds by damaging trust and hope. A meal is typically shared with close friends or people you trust not to hurt you. The very thought that one of them could hurt Jesus in this most personal way brought instant sorrow to all but the one who would betray.
Verse 22 tells us that each disciple in turn asked, “Is it I, Lord?” What humility to understand each was capable of falling into such sin. It is foolish to think any of us are immune to the traps satan lays. In their responses we see their honest assessments of themselves. Is it I? Could I possibly do this to you?
Jesus answers them that it would be one who dips bread with Him. Scholars submit this didn’t identify Judas as all the disciples partook in the dipping of bread. Judas was next. Judas, the betrayer, asks, “Is it I, Rabbi?”
Notice how each disciple, except the one who would betray him, spoke the name of Lord to Jesus. Only Judas chose to call him Rabbi, or Teacher, rather than Lord. Jesus never was “Lord” to Judas.
Betrayal cuts to the deepest parts of us. On this Thursday, my heart aches for Jesus.
Dinner concludes with Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper, singing a hymn, and leaving for the Mount of Olives and onto Gethsemane. It’s important to pause a moment and consider that Jesus sang in an act of worship just before being delivered over to torture and death.
I’ve never seen in scripture a call to worship only when life is good and circumstances pleasant. In fact, worship through song helps to realign our spirits with the Lord’s. To proclaim His nature and character and reinforce where our help comes from. Jesus shows us how to worship even when we are in the darkest, scariest, and loneliest times of our lives. Worship isn’t about us and our circumstances. Worship is a cry to our Creator and Father that He is worthy of our every affection.
Sitting in sorrow
The presence of friends sitting with us in sorrow is a priceless gift. “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” Philippians 4:14
Jesus asked his friends to join him in his sorrow, which is powerful to ponder.
Jesus requested the disciples pray while he agonized in prayer Himself with a sorrowful and troubled soul. He asked the three closest to Him to go with him a little farther off and to watch and pray with Him. Those three were invited to share the burden of sorrow and grief.
Despite the fact that Jesus was in the process of being betrayed and fully expected what was coming, He didn’t harden or protect Himself from his other friends. It’s tempting when we’ve been hurt to shut ourself off from opening up and being vulnerable again. Not Jesus.
He humbly and vulnerably asked His remaining friends to pray and join Him, and His closest 3 He asked to go even deeper into the pain with Him.
For a few minutes quietly ponder what Jesus experienced on this partcular day. A last meal with his favorite people - joy. Impending betrayal. Agonizing sorrow we see expressed in his prayers.
How deep the love of Jesus goes. I cannot even fathom.
Harmonizing scriptures:
Mark 14:17-26, 14:32-42
Luke 22:14-30, 22:39-46
John 13:1-17:26
Thank you for supporting my work.
Love,
Renee