Thursday of Holy Week: Loving Us Anyway

April 9, 2020

Tonight’s Maundy Thursday Worship and Tomorrow’s Good Friday Worship

As of the time of writing this devotion, Brentwood UMC plans to present tonight’s and tomorrow night’s worship online live.  
>> Maundy Thursday Service
>> Good Friday Service

I encourage you to participate in tonight’s Maundy Thursday and tomorrow’s Good Friday worship services at 7 p.m. These services provide a means through which we can better experience Christ’s grace through his death so that we can have better experiences of the joy of resurrection on Sunday.

DAILY READING

Matthew 26:23 – “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.”

FIELD NOTES

Jesus loves us despite our sin. Why?

This scripture becomes very real when we consider the question, “What if the coronavirus had been that bowl at the Last Supper?”

Why is this question so relevant today? While the people in biblical times did not know about germs, they knew they could get sick after dipping and eating from a shared bowl. Thus, people primarily ate with family and friends. Holy people never ate with “sinners,” who were considered “unclean.”

That’s why the Pharisees complained when Jesus ate with Matthew and his tax collector friends. It signaled to all that Jesus considered these “sinners” his friends. 

At his last meal with his disciples, Jesus performed this intimate act of dipping his bread into the same bowl with Judas as a way of saying, “Judas, I know what you are about to do. Yet, I want you to realize that I still love you. I will still be your best friend. You are family to me. Why? Because I know there is far more potential to you than the sin you commit. I still love you, man.”

While we make mistakes, family and friends love us more than our mistakes. They know there is more to us than our mistakes. 

I am so thankful that Jesus knows that there is far more to us than our sin. 

Even though we may not receive Holy Communion at our church building tonight, we can still hear Jesus say as we eat our meals, “I give my body and blood to you because I know of all your potential. Please let me help you grow into your potential.”

After we return to our sanctuary for Holy Communion again, whenever you receive the cup, hear Jesus say, “I know you need my help. Receive me as you receive this bread because I want to help you. I know your sin, I know you will sin again, and I know you need my help cleansing you of your sin. Please receive the help of my forgiveness through this cup.”

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

• Is there a sinful act, thought, or attitude that you’ve not surrendered to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing? Are you willing to let him forgive you?
• Is there potential in your life that you know Jesus wants to bless and empower? What might you need to let go of to allow Jesus to reveal your potential?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Discuss the times in which we, as family members, hurt each other, but we still loved each other.
• Discuss various ways in which we, as family members, might show even more love.
• Discuss how we might let Jesus help us love and bring out the best in each other instead of focusing on mistakes and hurts.

PRAYER GUIDE

Most loving, gracious Lord, like Judas, I tend to betray you through my thoughts, attitudes, words, and actions. My sin betrays you. Thank you for still loving me despite my sin. Thank you for your willingness to help me grow into the potential you gave me. Help me grow into the person you had in mind when you first created me. Again, Lord, help me do my part in helping you rid this world of the coronavirus. In your gracious name, I pray.  Amen.