Headed to Easter - Thursday

Headed to Easter – Thursday

It was already a muggy morning.  The three disciples were now standing in front of and knocking on a strange door.  The man opened, cautiously.

“Yes, gentlemen?  And how can I help you?”

They were taken aback.  And then they got their bearings and pressed on.

“The Teacher said to tell you, ‘His time is near; He will keep the Passover at your house with all of us disciples.’  Thirteen in all.”

And that was that.  Just like the donkey that was offered on Sunday, the room was available on Thursday.  And the disciples set about preparing the room.  They had to set the table, light the fireplace, fetch water and all of the foods, and especially the wine, that would be prepared and consumed later that night, for this evening was to be His Last Supper.

We don’t know what happened between securing the room and preparing the Passover meal.  Perhaps it was a day of rest for The Christ.

We do know about the Last Supper.  We celebrate it often in our churches.  It is the partaking of the body of Christ as represented in the bread (His body) and the wine (His blood).

The significant phrase, I think, is “Drink from it, all of you; for this represents my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” 

And afterwards, they headed to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Judas is anxious.  His time to earn his keep, so to speak, is at hand.  They head up the path to a small camping area and Jesus instructs all of them to sit and stay behind.  He took Peter and two others on a little farther.  After a short hike, he leaves Peter and the other two behind and walks a bit further.

It had been a long and tiring day and night.  They had worked hard on the Passover meal and they were beat.  He wanted them to watch and pray.  They were willing, but their heavy eyelids had a mind of their own.

After pouring out his heart to God, Jesus came back and found Peter and his friends fast asleep.  This happened three times, and after the third trip back, he roused them from their sleep. 

“You’re still asleep I see.  Look at the hour.  The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise up, it is time to go and meet my betrayer.”

As he spoke these words, Judas met them on the trail and a mob was with him.  They were carrying swords and clubs.

The crowd froze.  They didn’t know what to do. 

Judas froze.  He knew, but had a moment of regret.

As the jingle of silver sounded from his moneybag, he knew what had to come next.  And he played his part.

He tried to make his words sound friendly, off-handed in some way. 

“Rabbi.  Greetings.”

And Judas reached for Jesus and kissed him.

And they led Christ away and put him in prison. 

Before prison, they mocked, beat him, spit on him, and just generally made sport of him for a while, until they tired of it all. And with the slam of the prison door, Thursday ends.

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