Todays Service: Maundy Thursday
In this unusual time we invite you to spend a short period of reflection and prayer as we mark that last gathering of Jesus and his disciples.
We invite you to be in two locations. The first is wherever you usually eat your meals, at a kitchen table or bar, dining room table or even on the sofa with a tray on your lap.
The second is to go to a window, preferably one where you can see some greenery, or to go into your garden. This is more practical if you have mobile technology. We hope to guide you through but just pause for a moment and think where you are going to be ...
Go and sit at your normal eating place, settle yourself, and invite Jesus up to the table, or into a chair near you.
We will share Matthew's account of that evening:-
Reading: Matthew 26
v.17 On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?' 18 He said, 'Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, "The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."' 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.
20 When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve, 21 and while they were eating, he said, 'Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.' 22 And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, 'Surely not I, Lord?' 23 He answered, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.' 25 Judas, who betrayed him, said, 'Surely not I, Rabbi?' He replied, 'You have said so.'
26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'
Reflection
One of the features of Matthew’s gospel is his concentration on Judas. The inclusion of this short dialogue between Judas and Jesus is only found in Matthew and makes the betrayal later on even more poignant. Judas must be acutely aware of the deal he has made with the Council members. The thirty pieces of silver are probably chinking away as he reaches out for the Passover food as they share the ancient ritual. Judas almost knows that Jesus knows or is he bluffing? Yet we understand that Jesus does know and even now is giving Judas the chance to pull out. It will not change what will happen as Jesus is acutely aware of the plans to arrest him at night. He will be going out to a place, the Mount of Olives, and the spies will tell their masters anyway. Judas is set on a path however and his betrayal, as with Peter’s denial is part of our deep understanding of the loneliness of Jesus in the coming hours.
In this period of isolation we are bound to feel very lonely at times even if sharing a household with others. There are times when our fears and anxieties for ourselves and others can feel to overwhelm us and perhaps our greatest fear is being all alone if we succumb to the virus and find ourselves in hospital. Yet this year, perhaps more than any other Judas’s betrayal gives us a real glimpse into that aloneness of Jesus and just as we invited Jesus to be in our usual eating place so Christ will be with us in our periods of loneliness and deepest fears.
As Jesus broke the bread and shared the cup of wine it was shared with his weak disciples and even with his betrayer and deny-er– he shares that covenant relationship with us and forgives us our sins, our weakness and our failings too.
Spend a moment in silence to give thanks that in Christ we are all reconciled to God ...
continuing to read at v.30:
30 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Hymn, based on Psalm 46: 1 - 5 tune: Stroudwater (with intro.)
1 God is our refuge and our strength,
in straits a present aid;
therefore, although the earth remove,
we will not be afraid:
2 Though hills amidst the seas be cast;
though waters roaring make,
and troubled be; yea, though the hills
by swelling seas do shake.
3 A river is, whose streams make glad
the city of our God;
the holy place, wherein the Lord
most high hath his abode.
4 God in the midst of her doth dwell;
nothing shall her remove:
The Lord to her an helper will,
and that right early, prove.
Scottish Metrical Psalter 1650
Personal Reflection
Go to a window or out into the garden. If you do not have mobile technology then go through the reading, go outside for a few minutes and reflect on Jesus in the garden and return to your computer.
If on mobile technology linger in the garden as you read and reflect.
Or look at this image:-
Reading from Matthew, continuing at v. 31
31 Then Jesus said to them, 'You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written,
"I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered."
32 But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.' 33 Peter said to him, 'Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.' 34 Jesus said to him, 'Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.' 35 Peter said to him, 'Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.' And so said all the disciples.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then he said to them, 'I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.' 39 And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.' 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, 'So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial;[e] the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' 42 Again he went away for the second time and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' 43 Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.'
47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, 'The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.' 49 At once he came up to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, 'Friend, do what you are here to do.' Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
Reflection
So the one who had sat at the meal with Jesus such a short time ago now comes with an armed crowd. Most knew Jesus – they had seen him ride into Jerusalem just a few days ago, they had seen him in the Temple but Judas goes up to him and kisses him. Not only betrayed but this blatant action adds insult to injury.
Yet even in the bleakness of this night Matthew gives us the hint that these things, however painful, will not last. ‘After I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee’. Betrayed, denied, deserted, arrested; overnight to be faced with questioning, abuse, mocking and flogging Jesus lets those who dare see it through the possibility of a new thing, a new hope, a new experience … but that is for another day.
Tonight we leave Jesus alone in the garden, now in the hands of his captors and all we can do is wait and see this through also.
Take some time to come back to our reality, another time of waiting and trust that Jesus is with us in our Gethsemane.