Maundy Thursday
4/14/22
Read Psalm 118
Today is the day the disciples would have shared the Passover Meal, known as "The Last Supper," with Jesus. This meal was to be shared every year to remember how God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It was symbolic of the ultimate deliverance from sin through the promised and long-awaited Messiah. Jesus literally shared the meal and celebrated the feast that He would fulfill on the cross. I doubt the disciples knew the significance of this moment at that time, but it would not be long before they did. The sequence of the meal was as follows: prayer, drinking the first cup of wine, eating from a dish of herbs and sauce, reciting the story of the Passover, singing Psalm 113, drinking the second cup, prayer, eating roasted lamb and bitter herbs, prayer, drinking the third cup, singing Psalms 114 through 118, and then finally drinking the fourth cup. There was symbolism throughout all of this that we will discuss further one day, but I want us to consider some of the truths from Psalm 118. How amazing was it that they were literally singing these things in the presence of the fulfill-er and the fulfill-ment of all these truths?-- during the meal that pointed back toward Egypt and forward toward Him. Jesus
is the proof of the steadfast love of God. He is our deliverer, comforter, helper, and refuge. He is the one who fights for us. He is our strength, our song, and our salvation. He is the right hand of the Father. Through Him alone can we have eternal life and be made righteous. He is the gate and the cornerstone rejected by men. He is the answer to our cries for salvation, and blessed is the one who comes to Him! He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever!
Have you ever really considered the significance of Christ's roles like those listed above? He was and is so many things for us. Take a moment to praise Him for who He is. Spend some time in prayer, praying back to Him some of those names and roles that describe Him from Psalm 118. If you're having trouble praising Him for those things, perhaps spend some additional time in this Psalm today and spend some time asking God to reveal Himself to you. God's Word says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).
Today is the day the disciples would have shared the Passover Meal, known as "The Last Supper," with Jesus. This meal was to be shared every year to remember how God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It was symbolic of the ultimate deliverance from sin through the promised and long-awaited Messiah. Jesus literally shared the meal and celebrated the feast that He would fulfill on the cross. I doubt the disciples knew the significance of this moment at that time, but it would not be long before they did. The sequence of the meal was as follows: prayer, drinking the first cup of wine, eating from a dish of herbs and sauce, reciting the story of the Passover, singing Psalm 113, drinking the second cup, prayer, eating roasted lamb and bitter herbs, prayer, drinking the third cup, singing Psalms 114 through 118, and then finally drinking the fourth cup. There was symbolism throughout all of this that we will discuss further one day, but I want us to consider some of the truths from Psalm 118. How amazing was it that they were literally singing these things in the presence of the fulfill-er and the fulfill-ment of all these truths?-- during the meal that pointed back toward Egypt and forward toward Him. Jesus
is the proof of the steadfast love of God. He is our deliverer, comforter, helper, and refuge. He is the one who fights for us. He is our strength, our song, and our salvation. He is the right hand of the Father. Through Him alone can we have eternal life and be made righteous. He is the gate and the cornerstone rejected by men. He is the answer to our cries for salvation, and blessed is the one who comes to Him! He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever!
Have you ever really considered the significance of Christ's roles like those listed above? He was and is so many things for us. Take a moment to praise Him for who He is. Spend some time in prayer, praying back to Him some of those names and roles that describe Him from Psalm 118. If you're having trouble praising Him for those things, perhaps spend some additional time in this Psalm today and spend some time asking God to reveal Himself to you. God's Word says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8).