Sermon delivered on Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2014 at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, Columbus, OH.

Lectionary texts:  Exodus 12.1-14; Psalm 116.1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11.23-26; John 13.1-17, 31b-35.

There is no text for this sermon. Click here to listen to the audio podcast.

Hear the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”  Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

–Matthew 26.17-75 (NIV)

From the archives. Sermon delivered Maundy Thursday, April 1, 2010,

Lectionary texts: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-7, 31b-35.

In the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today is Maundy Thursday and a day when we focus on the Lord’s Supper just before his Passion and death. The term, “Maundy,” comes from the Latin, mandatum, which means “commandment.” It is based on Jesus’ command in today’s Gospel lesson at verse 34 “to love one another” as he has loved us.

This evening I want to focus on how we should look at the Lord’s Supper and why we should partake in the Eucharist as often as we can. Our response to Christ’s command to love one another should be done as a grateful response for all that he has done for us and when we feed on his body and blood by faith with thanksgiving, we can count on his very Presence each day to help us be obedient to his commandment to us.

In today’s OT lesson, we have a perfect summary of the plight of the human condition. Israel is enslaved in Egypt and groaning under its oppression. We can relate to this because we too groan in our daily lives as we struggle with the hurts, the sorrows, the sickness, the alienation, the economic hardships, and the broken relationships in our lives. No, it doesn’t take being an ancient nomad to relate to the plight of God’s people enslaved in Egypt. We can relate because without God’s help we too are a people living in alienation and exile from God.

But then we read of God’s mighty rescue plan for his people Israel living in exile and take hope. God has brought a series of disasters on Egypt to demonstrate his might and power to the Israelites. But this latest and last plague—killing the firstborn in all of Egypt—will be the disaster that finally persuades pharaoh to let God’s people go.

Listen to the story as it unfolds. First, God tells Moses that the Passover—so called because God will go throughout the land and “pass over” every house that has the blood of the lamb smeared on its doorposts and not destroy the firstborn of his people—is to be the event around which Israel will build its calendar. The Passover is a foundational event and so important to the life of God’s people that Israel is to remember and celebrate it for all time.

Next, God tells Moses that his people are to eat their lambs in a hurry. They are to eat them with bitter herbs and unleavened bread to remind them of their oppression and sorrow at the hands of the Egyptians and the haste in which they must leave. These are to be tangible reminders of the years God’s people struggled in exile and that they are not to lose hope or courage in following God’s call to them, no matter how impossible or ridiculous that call may sound. As you listen to the instructions and imagine God’s people eating their first Passover meal that night, you can almost feel the tension and awful anticipation as Israel awaits its deliverance from exile. Will God be good to his promises and his word? As the Passover story unfolds, God answers this with a mighty “YES”!

Consequently, the exodus story sets the stage for us to look at the Lord’s Supper because we see Christ prefigured in it. First, we as Christians mark our calendars around Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Like the Passover meal the Jews celebrated just hours before God’s mighty intervention on their behalf, so the Lord’s Supper precedes God’s central Act of salvation on our behalf to end our alienation and exile from him forever.

Second, just as the blood of the sacrificed lambs saved God’s people during that first Passover, so the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, saves God’s people from our sins and eternal separation and alienation from God. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, there can be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of  blood (Hebrews 9:22). This reminds us of the great and terrible act of love poured out for us on the cross. Here we see God become man, pierced and suffering, and bearing the just punishment of our sins himself.

Likewise and last, we see God sealing his New Covenant with his people in the blood of Christ, a covenant based on the Word of God, Jesus himself. By his blood we are healed and find reconciliation with God, something we could never do or merit on our own because none of us is capable of being perfectly holy as God calls us to be. But in Christ’s blood we find forgiveness of our sins and a chance to live forever with God. We have a poignant reminder of all this as we take ahold of the chalice during the Eucharist today.

As you think about the Last Supper and its the symbolism, it will hopefully evoke feelings of praise, thanksgiving, and a sense of relief in you. We no longer have to worry about trying to gain eternal life based on our own merits, a path that will surely fail and become a terrible burden on us if we are not careful. Self-help is not the way of the Christian. Jesus is the Way.

So what lessons should we take from the Lord’s Supper as we watch Jesus institute the New Covenant just hours before he enters into his Passion and death? Three things, I think. First, the Lord’s Supper reminds us to look back. As Paul writes in today’s Epistle lesson, Jesus himself tells us to remember what he has done for us in the sacrament of his body and blood. The Lord’s Supper points us to Calvary and the cross. It reminds us that Christ died for us so that we might have our exile and alienation from God ended permanently. It reminds us that in Christ’s broken body and blood we have hope and life, our one and only chance to live with God forever. It reminds us that we don’t have to try to earn our way into heaven anymore, something that is impossible in the first place, because God has done the impossible for us in Christ. The Lord’s Supper points us to God’s symbol of his holy justice and holy love—the cross. When we come to the Table, we are to always remember God’s costly and wondrous love for us.

Second, the Lord’s Supper reminds us to look ahead. As Paul reports in today’s Epistle lesson, we are to proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes again in great power and glory to finish the work he started. This reminds us that we have a New Creation to which to look forward and that one day Jesus’ work on the cross will be fully consummated. But we do not want to get too far ahead of ourselves and must wait until Sunday morning to talk more about this. In the meantime, as we await Christ’s Second Coming, every time we come to the Table, we are reminded of our hope and glory as we partake in the sacraments of his body and blood, and are refreshed and strengthened by it.

Third, the Lord’s Supper reminds us to look at the here and now. Too often we fail to consider the power that is ours when we come to Christ’s Table. When we feed on Christ’s body and blood by faith, this allows him to work in and through us by the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit to transform us into his very likeness. Why is this important? Because as we await the New Creation, we realize that right now we are broken and fallen people, incapable on our own of keeping our Lord’s command to love each other. Even as we are eager to respond in obedience for all that Christ has done for us in his death and resurrection, we often find ourselves unable to do so because all too often we try to love others based on our own power and strength, and this often doesn’t work because we are broken and fallen people.

But when we feed on Christ at his holy Table, we are taking him into our very bodies and allowing him to act through the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit to enable us to obediently follow his command to love one another. We remember that we can only do so through the Power and Presence of his Holy Spirit and when we feed on Christ today and each week, we strengthen his very Presence in us in a quite real and tangible way (and consequently we increase our ability to follow his commandment to us because he lives in us and helps us be obedient).

Both the Passover and the Lord’s Supper remind us that we are part of God’s great rescue plan, a plan that has been fully realized at Calvary but not fully consummated. Just as God rescued his people Israel from their bondage to slavery in Egypt by the blood of the lambs on that first Passover, so he rescues us from our bondage to sin and the separation and alienation it causes through the blood of the Lamb, the blood of Christ, the very blood of God made human. He has promised to come again in glory to finish what he started and gives us his very Self through the sacraments of his body and blood so that we can have life with him forever starting right here and now. That’s good news, folks, now and for all eternity.

In the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Read about the world’s premier evangelical scholar (who just happens to be an Anglican bishop). I cannot tell you what a massive influence Wright has had on my thinking and preaching. Simply remarkable.

People who are asked to write about N. T. Wright may find they quickly run out of superlatives. He is the most prolific biblical scholar in a generation. Some say he is the most important apologist for the Christian faith since C. S. Lewis. He has written the most extensive series of popular commentaries on the New Testament since William Barclay. And, in case three careers sound like too few, he is also a church leader, having served as Bishop of Durham, England, before his current teaching post at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

But perhaps the most significant praise of all: When Wright speaks, preaches, or writes, folks say they see Jesus, and lives are transformed. A pastor friend of mine describes a church member walking into his office, hands trembling as he held a copy of Wright’s Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. “If this book is true,” he said, “then my whole life has to change.”

The superlatives are striking, considering Wright’s goal in his teaching and writing is to massively revise the way Christianity has been articulated for generations. Christian faith, for Wright, is not about going to heaven when you die. It is not about the triumph of grace over the law of the Old Testament. He says its key doctrine is not justification by grace alone, the cornerstone for the Protestant Reformers. The church has misread Paul so severely, it seems, that no one fully understood the gospel from the time of the apostle to the time a certain British scholar started reading Paul in Greek in graduate school.

Read it all and get to know this brilliant and faithful scholar, writer, and bishop.