A Word from Mark 14

Today is Thursday of Holy Week—or Maundy Thursday. And outside of Good Friday and the crucifixion itself, I can’t think of any other day that captures the meaning of Jesus’ sacrificial death like this day does.

For Jesus and his disciples, this was the day of Passover. On this day, God would lead His people out of bondage. And He would do that by asking them to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb; so that when He brought judgment on the powers-that-be, the blood would be a sign, and He would “pass over” them, so they could be spared from death. (See Exodus 12:1-13)

Years later, when Jesus and his disciples shared the Passover, Jesus made it clear that he was about to become the ultimate sacrificial lamb. He reinterpreted the Passover meal, declaring that the bread was his body, and the wine was his blood; and that through his death, a new covenant would be established, in which our sins would be forgiven. (See Matthew 26:26-29)

As they ate, Jesus gave them a new command. [And in fact, the word “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday comes from a Latin word that means “command.”) And the command was this: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.” (See John 13:34)

So it’s all there: God’s grace that saves us from death…the sacrifice of Jesus, which provides that salvation…and the command of Jesus, which shapes us in his image. And here’s where today’s word comes in. Because Mark’s gospel says that all this was possible because Jesus sent his disciples into Jerusalem to find a certain man. And when they found him, Jesus said, “He will show you a large room, furnished and ready.” (Mark 14:15)

You see, for all this to happen, there had to be “a place prepared.” And I wonder if our hearts can be “a place prepared” today. May we be ready: to remember…to love as we’ve been loved…and to follow Jesus all the way to the cross, so that we can also follow him into resurrection life. Amen.