Maundy Thursday March 29, 2018
Ex. 12:1-14a Ps. 78:14-20, 23-25
1 Cor 11:23-32 John 13:1-15
Lectionary Link
In writing a story about the past, it is very hard to pretend that we are not living in a much later time. Perhaps some of you remember the popular movie and television show called MASH. It was supposed to be an account of a military hospital during the Korean War, but it really reflected the attitudes of Americans about the Viet Nam War. American reactions to the Viet Nam war were written into the MASH script.
This happened when the Gospels were written. They were written 3-7 decades after Jesus was gone and so they represent the views and the practices of the early church more than they represent what was happening during the actual life of Jesus.
What was happening in the early church? The early church was practicing Holy Eucharist. When Christians met on the first day of the week, they broke bread and said the prayers, and they traced this practice and tradition back to what Jesus did with his disciple. The account of the Eucharist in Paul's letter to the Corinthian was written before the accounts of the Last Supper in the Gospels.
On Maundy Thursday, we commemorate the origin of the Holy Eucharist as a spiritual practice that Jesus gave to the church. It is the Christian family meal when we as brothers and sisters of Christ, hoping to be disciples of Christ, sit down and remember that our original brother Jesus Christ started this holy meal tradition. And this holy meal tradition has undergone changes in different times and places, but the essential elements of it have remained the same. We can say tonight that Holy Eucharist has endured and we are proof of it tonight, even as we could sing, "Happy Birthday, Holy Eucharist."
Were the early churches made up of perfect angels who lived in perfect harmony? Not really. People in every age have ego problems. We can't help it. We want to be in control. We want to be right. We want to shout our correct views the loudest. Some people even want to overthrow leadership. And this is shown in the Last Supper event of Jesus with his disciple. Judas was a disciple from the inner circle, so much so as to be the treasurer for Jesus and the Jesus Movement. But Judas was one who betrayed Jesus. In the early church, there were persons who at first followed Christ, but then left and even betrayed their fellow Christians. Betrayal was in the beginning and it continued in the early churches.
But then there were those every day ego problems of people wanting to be the leader. What happened at the Last Supper? Jesus noticed that his disciples were competitive over who would hold the highest position in his earthly kingdom, which did not happen. What did Jesus do when he noticed their competition? He took the role of the servant; he went around and washed his disciples' feet. And he said, "If you are going to survive as a community, you are going to have to do the same with each other." If you want to lead, you do so by service. Service is the meaning of love. Jesus said, "I have loved you and I have served you and you all think that I'm the boss. Go do likewise."
Tonight we commemorate the origin of Holy Eucharist. We also underlined the service principle of Jesus Christ, called the new commandment, the eleventh commandment. A new commandment, I give to you. Love one another as I have loved you with my service. This is how the church will survive into future. The future of the church is based upon the future of service. That is Maundy of Maundy Thursday, the Mandatum Novum, the New commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. Amen.
Ex. 12:1-14a Ps. 78:14-20, 23-25
1 Cor 11:23-32 John 13:1-15
Lectionary Link
In writing a story about the past, it is very hard to pretend that we are not living in a much later time. Perhaps some of you remember the popular movie and television show called MASH. It was supposed to be an account of a military hospital during the Korean War, but it really reflected the attitudes of Americans about the Viet Nam War. American reactions to the Viet Nam war were written into the MASH script.
This happened when the Gospels were written. They were written 3-7 decades after Jesus was gone and so they represent the views and the practices of the early church more than they represent what was happening during the actual life of Jesus.
What was happening in the early church? The early church was practicing Holy Eucharist. When Christians met on the first day of the week, they broke bread and said the prayers, and they traced this practice and tradition back to what Jesus did with his disciple. The account of the Eucharist in Paul's letter to the Corinthian was written before the accounts of the Last Supper in the Gospels.
On Maundy Thursday, we commemorate the origin of the Holy Eucharist as a spiritual practice that Jesus gave to the church. It is the Christian family meal when we as brothers and sisters of Christ, hoping to be disciples of Christ, sit down and remember that our original brother Jesus Christ started this holy meal tradition. And this holy meal tradition has undergone changes in different times and places, but the essential elements of it have remained the same. We can say tonight that Holy Eucharist has endured and we are proof of it tonight, even as we could sing, "Happy Birthday, Holy Eucharist."
Were the early churches made up of perfect angels who lived in perfect harmony? Not really. People in every age have ego problems. We can't help it. We want to be in control. We want to be right. We want to shout our correct views the loudest. Some people even want to overthrow leadership. And this is shown in the Last Supper event of Jesus with his disciple. Judas was a disciple from the inner circle, so much so as to be the treasurer for Jesus and the Jesus Movement. But Judas was one who betrayed Jesus. In the early church, there were persons who at first followed Christ, but then left and even betrayed their fellow Christians. Betrayal was in the beginning and it continued in the early churches.
But then there were those every day ego problems of people wanting to be the leader. What happened at the Last Supper? Jesus noticed that his disciples were competitive over who would hold the highest position in his earthly kingdom, which did not happen. What did Jesus do when he noticed their competition? He took the role of the servant; he went around and washed his disciples' feet. And he said, "If you are going to survive as a community, you are going to have to do the same with each other." If you want to lead, you do so by service. Service is the meaning of love. Jesus said, "I have loved you and I have served you and you all think that I'm the boss. Go do likewise."
Tonight we commemorate the origin of Holy Eucharist. We also underlined the service principle of Jesus Christ, called the new commandment, the eleventh commandment. A new commandment, I give to you. Love one another as I have loved you with my service. This is how the church will survive into future. The future of the church is based upon the future of service. That is Maundy of Maundy Thursday, the Mandatum Novum, the New commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. Amen.
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