A warm welcome to our service which has been prepared by our worship group. It is suggested that whilst reading through the Bible readings, you might like to have background music playing. The music chosen for this reflective service is Rachmaninoff Adagio (Symphony No.2 in E minor):
Mark 14:17-25 Jesus eats the Passover meal with His disciples.
The Lord’s Supper
17 When it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve disciples. 18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you that one of you will betray me — one who is eating with me.”
19 The disciples were upset and began to ask him, one after the other, “Surely you don't mean me, do you?”
20 Jesus answered, “It will be one of you twelve, one who dips his bread in the dish with me. 21 The Son of Man will die as the Scriptures say he will; but how terrible for that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born!”
The Lord's Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it. 24 Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God's covenant. 25 I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God.”
26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
John 13:21-30 Jesus Predicts his Betrayal
21 After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, completely puzzled about whom he meant. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.” 25 So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?” 26 Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus said to him, “Be quick about what you are doing!” 28 None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas was in charge of the money bag, some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told him to go and buy what they needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. It was night.
John 18:1-14 The Arrest of Jesus
1 After Jesus had said this prayer, he left with his disciples and went across the brook called Kidron. There was a garden in that place, and Jesus and his disciples went in. 2 Judas, the traitor, knew where it was, because many times Jesus had met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas went to the garden, taking with him a group of Roman soldiers, and some temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees; they were armed and carried lanterns and torches. 4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward and asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” he said.
Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. 7 Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 “I have already told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go.” 9 (He said this so that what he had said might come true: “Father, I have not lost even one of those you gave me.”)
10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the High Priest's slave, cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?”
Jesus before Annas
12 Then the Roman soldiers with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus, bound him, 13 and took him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people.
John 18:19-24 The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have always spoken publicly to everyone; all my teaching was done in the synagogues and in the Temple, where all the people come together. I have never said anything in secret. 21 Why, then, do you question me? Question the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them — they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?”
24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the High Priest.
_______
Reflection
During the coronavirus pandemic, we have heard many stories of loneliness, isolation, fear and anxiety and sadly, of people dying alone. This emotional loneliness is something that our Lord Jesus might have felt as we remember that on this night, Jesus and his friends were gathered around a table sharing a meal. They were all there, in a sense to remember God’s great and saving acts. And then Jesus did something extraordinary.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” He did this for a group of people who, from the beginning of their time together, mostly didn’t understand what he was doing and where they were going.
Then, scripture tells us, Jesus took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the [new] covenant…” Again, Jesus has taken this night of remembering, and after passing around the wine, says, “This is my blood.” Jesus tells his friends, his life will be poured out, in much the same way as the life of the Passover lamb.
At the same time, Jesus interprets the bread and wine of that meal in a way that forms the heart of our identity. That is what we are here to remember that in Jesus, God’s love is poured out, like a never-ending cup of wine and in Jesus, God’s presence comes to us, our daily bread, bread for the journey.
Jesus knew the loneliness of dying alone which very much speak to our current situation with the pandemic. So we thank God that His grace is unlimited and His compassion is for all His people.
Jesus commanded his disciples to love and serve one another. Especially in these unprecedented times, many people have been experiencing people loving and serving one another. May we continue to do these wonderful acts of kindness responsibly during this time and long after this lockdown ends. We will get through this time.
Prayer
Hear us God our Heavenly Father as we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. We remember your Son our Lord and Saviour this Maundy Thursday, who was teaching, leading and supporting his Disciples, all while he was going on his own troubling journey to carry out his duty and fulfil his work for our sake.
Even on his final days he was still teaching the Disciples the important lessons and showing them, how they were going to have to continue with his work. He washed the feet of his disciples to show them how the master can wash the feet of his servant, and master and servant are the same in the eyes of the Lord and wants us to be servants to one another.
Jesus also broke bread and shared in the peace with his friends. Showing mercy and compassion even to those who he knew were going to let him down through their human weaknesses.
Help us in these present times to show that same mercy and compassion to our neighbours. Encourage us to remind each other to keep ourselves safe at home, and to pray for each other. We pray for families who have lost loved ones or are living and seeing people suffering through having the illness. We pray for all those people in jobs which need to continue in the face of the illness. We pray for all those people who are feeling isolated and separated from the rest of the world. We hope they can feel comfort and peace through having your presence in their lives.
Please help us to be merciful and forgiving and look past hurts and mistakes and make peace with our family, friends and neighbours. Where there has been misunderstanding and conflict, help us to overcome the disagreements and live in peace again. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen
You can tune in tomorrow for our Good Friday service, Holy Saturday service and our Easter Sunday service will be streamed live from our church website/church facebook.
The Lord’s Supper
17 When it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve disciples. 18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you that one of you will betray me — one who is eating with me.”
19 The disciples were upset and began to ask him, one after the other, “Surely you don't mean me, do you?”
20 Jesus answered, “It will be one of you twelve, one who dips his bread in the dish with me. 21 The Son of Man will die as the Scriptures say he will; but how terrible for that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born!”
The Lord's Supper
22 While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it. 24 Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God's covenant. 25 I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God.”
26 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
John 13:21-30 Jesus Predicts his Betrayal
21 After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, completely puzzled about whom he meant. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.” 25 So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?” 26 Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus said to him, “Be quick about what you are doing!” 28 None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas was in charge of the money bag, some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told him to go and buy what they needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. It was night.
John 18:1-14 The Arrest of Jesus
1 After Jesus had said this prayer, he left with his disciples and went across the brook called Kidron. There was a garden in that place, and Jesus and his disciples went in. 2 Judas, the traitor, knew where it was, because many times Jesus had met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas went to the garden, taking with him a group of Roman soldiers, and some temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees; they were armed and carried lanterns and torches. 4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward and asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am he,” he said.
Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they moved back and fell to the ground. 7 Again Jesus asked them, “Who is it you are looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 “I have already told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “If, then, you are looking for me, let these others go.” 9 (He said this so that what he had said might come true: “Father, I have not lost even one of those you gave me.”)
10 Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the High Priest's slave, cutting off his right ear. The name of the slave was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back in its place! Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?”
Jesus before Annas
12 Then the Roman soldiers with their commanding officer and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus, bound him, 13 and took him first to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish authorities that it was better that one man should die for all the people.
John 18:19-24 The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 The High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have always spoken publicly to everyone; all my teaching was done in the synagogues and in the Temple, where all the people come together. I have never said anything in secret. 21 Why, then, do you question me? Question the people who heard me. Ask them what I told them — they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the guards there slapped him and said, “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest!”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?”
24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the High Priest.
_______
Reflection
During the coronavirus pandemic, we have heard many stories of loneliness, isolation, fear and anxiety and sadly, of people dying alone. This emotional loneliness is something that our Lord Jesus might have felt as we remember that on this night, Jesus and his friends were gathered around a table sharing a meal. They were all there, in a sense to remember God’s great and saving acts. And then Jesus did something extraordinary.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” He did this for a group of people who, from the beginning of their time together, mostly didn’t understand what he was doing and where they were going.
Then, scripture tells us, Jesus took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the [new] covenant…” Again, Jesus has taken this night of remembering, and after passing around the wine, says, “This is my blood.” Jesus tells his friends, his life will be poured out, in much the same way as the life of the Passover lamb.
At the same time, Jesus interprets the bread and wine of that meal in a way that forms the heart of our identity. That is what we are here to remember that in Jesus, God’s love is poured out, like a never-ending cup of wine and in Jesus, God’s presence comes to us, our daily bread, bread for the journey.
Jesus knew the loneliness of dying alone which very much speak to our current situation with the pandemic. So we thank God that His grace is unlimited and His compassion is for all His people.
Jesus commanded his disciples to love and serve one another. Especially in these unprecedented times, many people have been experiencing people loving and serving one another. May we continue to do these wonderful acts of kindness responsibly during this time and long after this lockdown ends. We will get through this time.
Prayer
Hear us God our Heavenly Father as we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. We remember your Son our Lord and Saviour this Maundy Thursday, who was teaching, leading and supporting his Disciples, all while he was going on his own troubling journey to carry out his duty and fulfil his work for our sake.
Even on his final days he was still teaching the Disciples the important lessons and showing them, how they were going to have to continue with his work. He washed the feet of his disciples to show them how the master can wash the feet of his servant, and master and servant are the same in the eyes of the Lord and wants us to be servants to one another.
Jesus also broke bread and shared in the peace with his friends. Showing mercy and compassion even to those who he knew were going to let him down through their human weaknesses.
Help us in these present times to show that same mercy and compassion to our neighbours. Encourage us to remind each other to keep ourselves safe at home, and to pray for each other. We pray for families who have lost loved ones or are living and seeing people suffering through having the illness. We pray for all those people in jobs which need to continue in the face of the illness. We pray for all those people who are feeling isolated and separated from the rest of the world. We hope they can feel comfort and peace through having your presence in their lives.
Please help us to be merciful and forgiving and look past hurts and mistakes and make peace with our family, friends and neighbours. Where there has been misunderstanding and conflict, help us to overcome the disagreements and live in peace again. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen
You can tune in tomorrow for our Good Friday service, Holy Saturday service and our Easter Sunday service will be streamed live from our church website/church facebook.
