Thursday, April 2, 2026
It’s Maundy Thursday – a day that has quickly grown to be my favorite day of Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. So many important things happened this day for us to remember and draw from. Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter and believed to be the day that Jesus and his disciples celebrated his last Passover with the last supper.
The Last Supper
Jesus knew his time on earth was coming to an end and he had been trying to prepare his disciples. They were experiencing a number things such as denial, confusion, and trying to make sense of what he was telling them in their own way. Jesus plans one last meal with his disciples to prepare them as much as possible for his death and resurrection. They gather in an upper room and share one last meal together. Jesus does some very important things during this time in the upper room. First he introduces the ordinance of The Lord’s Supper, a time for us to self-reflect and remember Jesus’ death and resurrection.L
And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Luke 22:19-20 CSB
As they sat and dined together, Jesus rose from the table and began to wash their feet. The job of a slave. Peter particularly didn’t want Jesus to wash his dirty feet. I am sure he felt that Jesus was far too worthy and he was way too unworthy to have the King of Kings touch his dirty feet. I know I would feel the same way. But Jesus told Peter that unless he let Jesus wash his feet, that he couldn’t be a part of his work. Jesus was setting an example for them. He instructed them to wash each other’s feet just as he had washed their feet. He served those who served Him. This is the lesson of the least shall be the greatest and the greatest shall be the least. And Jesus wasn’t just setting an example; He was telling them to be humble and serve one another. This is how He expected them to treat each other after He left.
A New Commandment
Maundy Thursday gets its name from mandatum, which means command. During their last supper together Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment – to love each other just as he had loved them, selflessly and unconditionally.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35
Jesus would not be there on earth with the disciples any longer so how would people know they were his disciples? By living and loving like he did. The same is true for us. The world will only know we belong to Christ by our actions – our words and deeds that reflect the Holy Spirit in our lives. Everything we say and do should be a reflection of him, glorify him, and point others to him. It is our mandate as well.
This was the last time Jesus and His disciples would meet. A bittersweet time together, but Jesus had an agenda. Things were about to get really ugly, and He needed to make sure they had everything they needed to carry on. He gave commands and instructions for them for after He departed. He needed them keep His ministry going. He was counting on them. That same message is for us as well. We are the hands and feet of Jesus taking his message to a lost world. We are the body of Christ – the church – living and breathing and moving in this world, representative of him.
Join us tonight at 6:00 pm in the Worship Center for a special Maundy Thursday service.
