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Special service of song, Scripture, and the Lord's Table
Maundy Thursday service. And I get asked every year, what does Maundy mean? It's not the type of service that has been typically used in our kind of churches and our circles and so forth. So a little unusual.
So every year I have to remind myself of what, it's actually from a Latin word, and the Latin word is mandatum, mandatum. And that has to do with a mandate or a command. So the connection between Maundy or mandatum and the night of the Last Supper is that in that upper room, the Lord Jesus gave several commands.
So for example, in John 13, verse 15, after the Lord had washed the disciples' feet, he said, I have given you an example that you should do as I have done unto you. But more poignantly, as far as a command goes, in verse 35, he says, by this all will know if you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.
That's right after he gave the commandment, a new commandment, he says, I give to you that you love one another. And there were a couple other places in that upper room when Jesus gave some commands. Chapter 14, verse one, he said, you believe in God, believe also in me.
And in verse 15, he says, if you love me, keep my commandments. So because of the commands of that upper room evening, the Lord established those commands, and because of that, in memory of that, we have this particular service.
And of course, that evening was noted for much, much more than those commands. And we're gonna focus on that tonight and what followed. You know, in Jesus' public ministry, people were drawn to him for all sorts of reasons.
Some were drawn to him because they had either seen him perform miracles or they heard about the powerful miracles that he had performed, and so they wanted to see, they wanted to see the spectacular.
And so they were drawn to him for that spectacular, those spectacular sights and experiences. Some were drawn to him because they had received bread, remember the feeding of the 5 ,000, and after that, they were drawn to him because they wanted more bread.
They were drawn to him as a provider to give them what they wanted from him. Some were drawn to him because of his authoritative teaching and so he was seen as a prophet and maybe the prophet that was to come, and so they were drawn to him to hear what he had to say, hear what he was teaching.
And some were drawn to him because of their messianic hopes. They thought maybe he is the Messiah, but their hopes, of course, were tied to the restoring of Israel as the nation of the world that would rule over all the other nations.
So they had this messianic hope of a revived kingdom and they were drawn to him because of that. But that was all before the Ascension. Since the Ascension, those things are not the kinds of things that people are drawn to Jesus for.
I mean, nobody's gonna see Jesus performing any miracles, nobody's gonna hear Jesus publicly, in person, doing any teaching and so on and so forth. At some point during this Passion Week, the Lord Jesus said this from John chapter 12.
He says, now my soul is troubled and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, an angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered and said, this voice did not come because of me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world.
Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself. Jesus said that after he is lifted up on the cross and then eventually lifted up in the ascension, he would draw all men to himself because of the cross.
This one thing, the cross, would draw people to himself. He'd be drawn to him because of his death, an atoning death, a substitutionary death, a sinner's death. He died the death of a sinner. He died a cross death.
So to be drawn to Jesus is to be drawn to the cross. And tonight we want to follow the steps to that dreadful scene on Calvary where the Savior's sacred head was wounded. Let's begin with our hymnals and turn to number 241.
Our 241 in our regular hymnal. We want to sing the hymn, O Sacred Head Now Wounded. I pray tonight that as we reflect upon our Savior's steps from that upper room to Calvary's cross, that we would both be humbled and appreciative.
We would mourn over sin and what it causes, but we would also rejoice in the one who paid the sin's debt. Bless this service tonight, we pray, and we ask it in Jesus' name, amen. So we want to follow this Lord's steps from the upper room to the cross through the gospel of Mark.
So we want to turn to Mark chapter 14. If you want to follow, you're going to be reading chapters 14 and 15, interspersing it with some hymns along the way in Mark chapter 14. I want to begin reading verses one through nine.
It says, after two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by trickery and put him to death. But they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.
And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper as he sat at the table, a woman came, having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on his head.
But there were some who were indignant among themselves and said, why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than 300 denarii and given to the poor. And they criticized her sharply.
But Jesus said, let her alone, why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish, you may do them good. But me, you do not have always.
She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.
Let's take our hymnals again and turn to number 10. Number 10. And I wanna sing the first, third, and fourth stanzas of I Will Praise Him. Stanzas one, three, and four, hymn number 10. I saw the cleansing fountain.
Open wide for all my sin. They obeyed the spirit's wooing. When he said, wilt thou be clean. We'll praise him. I will praise him. Praise the lamb for sinners slain. Can wash away each stain.
Blessed be the name of Jesus. He's forgiven my transgressions. He has cleansed my heart from sin. We'll praise him. I will praise him. Praise the lamb for sinners slain. Can wash away. Glory to the father.
To the son. To the lamb for sinners slain. Continuing to read in Mark chapter 14, it says, then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, went to the chief priest to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money.
So he sought how he might conveniently betray him. Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread when they killed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?
And he sent out two of his disciples and said to them, go into the city and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, the teacher says, where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with my disciples?
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared. There, make ready for us. So his disciples went out and came into the city and found it just as he had said to them and they prepared the Passover.
In the evening, he came with the 12. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, assuredly I say to you, one of you who eats with me will betray me. They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one by one, is it I?
And another said, is it I? He answered and said to them, it is one of the 12 who dips with me in the dish. The son of man indeed goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed.
It would have been good for that man if he had never been born. Verse 22 begins, and as they were eating. So let's take our blue supplement books and turn to number seven. And we want to prepare for partaking of the elements of the Lord's table.
So if you have your little handy cup there, you may want to tear off that first top plastic piece to partake of the bread. The way we'll sing this hymn, the communion hymn, is we'll sing stanzas one and two, and then partake of the bread.
Stanza three, partake of the cup, and then stanza four. So number seven in our supplement, Behold the Lamb. Tears our sins away, slain for us And we remember the promise made That all who come in faith Find forgiveness at the cross So we share in this bread of life And we drink of his sacrifice As a sign of our bonds of peace Around the table of the king The body of our savior Jesus Christ Torn for you and remember the wounds that heal The death that brings us life Paid the price to make us one So we share in this bread of life And we drink of his sacrifice As a sign of our bonds of love Around the table of the king
Verse 22 says, and as they were eating, Jesus took bread and broke it. And he gave it to them and said, take, eat. This is my body. Third stanza. Blood that cleanses every stain of sin shed for you Drink and remember he drained death's cup That all may enter in to receive the life of God So we share in this bread of life And we drink of his sacrifice As a sign of our bonds of grace Around the table of the king 23 says, then he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them and they all drank from it.
And he said to them, this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many. Drink you all of it. And so with thankfulness and faith we rise to respond And to remember our call to follow in the steps of Christ As his body here on earth we proclaim That we'll come again and we'll join the feast of heaven
Then Jesus said, assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And then, verse 26, when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
And when Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn, we should think of that Jewish hymnal, which is the Psalms. And so we have been blessed by the opportunity to purchase these psalters that you picked one up, I trust, when you came in, the red hymnal when you came in.
And so similarly to what they would have done, when they sang a hymn, they sang a psalm. So I wanna take that psalter and turn to number 19. Number 19 is the hymn, O Lord Most High. The tune you will recognize is the tune of the doxology, Old Hundredth, O Lord Most High.
With all your wondrous works I will proclaim I will be glad and give you thanks of your nesting Just judge of all the just and all the huge proof A safe retreat with a bowl of tea In Mark chapter 14, beginning in verse 27.
Then Jesus said to them, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.
Peter said to him, even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.
But he spoke more vehemently. If I have to die with you, I will not deny you. And they all said likewise. Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, sit here while I pray.
And he took Peter, James and John with him and he began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then he said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death, stay here and watch. He went a little farther and fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will. Then he came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping?
Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again, he went away and prayed and spoke the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy and they did not know what to answer him.
Let's take our supplement books again and turn to number 64, hymn written light of this evening event in Mount Olives to his midnight and on Olive's Brow. Number 64. A star. Came the third time and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting?
It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. And immediately while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the 12 with a great multitude with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
Now his betrayer had given them a signal saying, whomever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him and lead him away safely. And as soon as he had come, immediately he went up to him and said to him, rabbi, rabbi, and kissed him.
Then they laid their hands on him and took him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus answered and said to them, have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to take me?
I was daily with you in the temple teaching and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled. Then they all forsook him and fled. Now a certain young man followed him having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body.
And the young man laid hold of him and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. And they led Jesus away to the high priest and with him were assembled all the chief priests, the elders and the scribes.
But Peter followed him at a distance right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but found none.
For many bore false witness against him, but their testimonies did not agree. Then some rose up and bore false witness against him saying, we heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another made without hands.
But not even then did their testimony agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus saying, do you answer nothing? What is it these men testify against you? But he kept silent and answered nothing.
Again, the high priest asked him saying to him, are you the Christ, the son of the blessed? Jesus said, I am. And you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming with clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, what further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy, what do you think? And they all condemned him to be deserving of death. Then some began to spit on him and to blindfold him and to beat him and to say to him, prophesy.
And the officers struck him with the palms of their hands. Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, you also were with Jesus of Nazareth.
But he denied it saying, I neither know nor understand what you are saying. And he went out on the porch and a rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again and began to say to those who stood by, this is one of them.
But he denied it again. And a little later, those who stood by said to Peter again, surely you are one of them for you are a Galilean and your speech shows it. Then he began to curse and to swear, I do not know this man of whom you speak.
Second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. And when he thought about it, he wept. In our hymnals, turn to number 407, shall we?
407, my faith looks up to thee. Peter's response when he wept was to look unto Jesus. 407. My faith looks up to thee Thou Lamb of Calvary Save one this day, be my rich grace impart May zeal and swastika die for me
O may my land changeless be, a living God On that last stanza, on the fourth. Woman's life's transient dream And death's cold solemn screams shall o 'er me roast Savior, then in love, trust above me
Chapter 15, immediately in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. And they bound Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. Then Pilate asked him, are you the king of the Jews?
He answered and said to him, it is as you say. And the chief priests accused him of many things, but he answered nothing. Then Pilate asked him again, saying, do you answer nothing? See how many things they testify against you?
But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled. Now at the feast, he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels.
They had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. But Pilate answered them saying, do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?
For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, what then do you want me to do with him whom you call the king of the Jews?
So they cried out again, crucify him. And Pilate said to them, why, what evil has he done? But they cried out all the more, crucify him. So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and he delivered Jesus after he had scourged him to be crucified.
Then the soldiers led him away to the hall called Praetorium and they called together the whole garrison and they clothed him with purple. They twisted a crown of thorns, put it on his head, began to salute him, hail, king of the Jews.
Then they struck him on the head with a reed and spat on him, and bowing the knee, they worshiped him. And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off of him, put his own clothes on him and led him out to crucify him.
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country, passing by, to bear his cross. And they brought him to the place Golgotha, which is translated place of a skull.
Then they gave him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but he did not take it. And when they crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. Now it was the third hour and they crucified him.
And the inscription of his accusation was written above, the king of the Jews. In our Blue Supplement books, let's turn to number 26. Number 26, the hymn, He Was Wounded. Our promised prince lacked majesty Stricken hard, grotesquely scarred No face was there so cruelly marred Ostracized, he was despised As one from whom men hide their eyes Beauty free, a brittle tree Yet through him God's strong arm we see He was wounded, he was wounded Praise, observe, and sacrifice Alleluia, alleluia We are healed by Jesus' stripes Though he groaned with pain his own Our griefs and tears he bore alone He was scourged as scoffers urged And by his blood our guilt was purged Soldiers done, God hid the son And then his precious son For the sin of sheep like men God chastened God, our peace to win He was wounded, he was wounded Praise, observe, and sacrifice Alleluia, alleluia By Jesus' stripes he bore his stress By men oppressed he uttered near a loud protest Like a lamb, the great I am Said not to those he might have damned Innocent, his soul was rent Eternal wrath on him was spent In a cave, a borrowed grave He lay for those he came to save He was wounded, he was wounded Praise, observe, and sacrifice Alleluia, alleluia By Jesus' stripes he bore his stress As God willed, his blood was spilled The guilt he spared, the guilt was killed Heaven's king, poor heaven's sting Was poured out as an offering Jesus died, was satisfied And many shall be justified Throne restored, his prayers outpoured Soon all shall bow to Christ the Lord He was wounded, he was wounded With him, they also crucified two robbers, one on his right and the other on his left.
So the scripture was fulfilled, which says he was numbered with the transgressors. And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, aha, you who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross.
Likewise, the chief priests also mocking among themselves with the scribes said, he saved others, himself he cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel descend now from the cross that we may see and believe.
Even those who were crucified with him reviled him. Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, just translated, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Some of those who stood by when they heard that said, look, he's calling for Elijah. And someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine and put it on a reed and offered it to him to drink saying, let him alone, let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. So when the centurion who stood opposite him saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, truly, this man was the Son of God.
Last hymn, we want to turn to number 59 in our supplement book, The Power of the Cross, number 59. Would you stand with me as we sing number 59. O to see the dawn of the darkest day Christ on the road to Calvary Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then Nailed to a cross of this the power of the cross Look the blame forgiven and see the pain written On your face, bearing the state of sin Every bitter thought, blood stained breath This the power Christ became, look the blame for the wrath We stand forgiven and all the daylight flees Now the ground beneath quakes as its maker bows his head And torn in two, dead are raised to life Finished the victory, crushed to death Life is mine to live, one through your selfless love So Father, tonight we are so grateful that as we stand here in this room, separated by a couple of millennia and thousands of miles from that which Jesus gathered at the table with his disciples and gave them that emblem of what was to come in 24 hours.
Father, we are grateful that we can stand here forgiven because of that work on the cross, because Jesus, God in flesh, gave that flesh to be broken, gave his blood to be shed, to pay the atoning penalty of our sin debt on that cross.
Oh Father, we are grateful tonight for that gracious saving work of the Lamb of God who was slain for us. Thank you, Father, that we can stand forgiven at the cross. And now, oh Lord, as we go our ways tonight and we reflect on what our Savior did on that cross, on that Friday, a couple thousand years ago, may we go grateful, humbled, and truly, truly rejoicing in who he is and what he did.
And then also, anticipating the glory and the power that was manifested in the open tomb, the empty tomb, when he who died on that cross rose again. So bring us together again on the Lord's day when we can celebrate that event and rejoice in serving a living Savior.
And we pray this in Jesus' name. Lord bless you, you are dismissed.