Have you ever been overwhelmed by an overload of information in a short amount of time? I’ve felt that way at several different conferences and marriage retreats. I frantically took down a plethora of notes and wanted to put into practice all of it! It’s so difficult to remember and apply everything at once, but God has helped me layer in new practices. In fact, Joe and I enjoyed a night away by ourselves this week and had a chance to talk through some short and long-term goals. It was encouraging and refreshing!
As we
celebrate this Holy Thursday, it was a day filled with significant teachings
from Jesus. The disciples wouldn’t understand or remember all of it in the
short term, either. However, the Holy Spirit would help them understand,
remember and apply it all, bit by bit.
Did
you know John spent over ¼ of his Gospel (in John chapters 13-18) detailing all
Jesus taught his disciples that one night? Judas’s betrayal and Jesus’s
glorification were two of over a dozen significant events and teachings that
happened on “Holy” Thursday.
John
13:21-32 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and
testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going
to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of
them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom
Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon
Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have
dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping
the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As
soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So
Jesus told him, “What you are about to do,
do quickly.” 28 But
no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since
Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy
what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As
soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God
is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him God
will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
The disciples didn’t immediately understand
who would betray Jesus or that His death and resurrection were how He would be
glorified. Just like the disciples, God knows we won’t understand and apply
everything at once. He is available to help us understand, layer by layer!
What’s one thing you and I can meditate
on and layer in to our reverence for Jesus as we celebrate Holy Thursday, Good
Friday or Resurrection Sunday this week? I would like to try washing each other’s
feet with the kids tonight. I think they are old enough to understand some of
it’s significance. What about you?
