Maundy Thursday

Happy Maundy Thursday

Foot washing
I've conducted a couple of foot washings- one on the Indian Reservation in New town, ND. I've also had my feet washed... very humbling all around.

Maundy Thursday. What does Maundy mean? Do you know? Does it matter?
I looked it up in Websters 1913 Dictionary online:

Maun´dy

n.	1.	The sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
	2.	The ceremony of washing the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday.
	3.	The alms distributed in connection with this ceremony or on Maundy Thursday.

American College Dictionary further supplied this information:
1. The ceremony of washing the feet of the poor, es. commemorating Jesus' washing of
His disciples' feet on Maundy Thursday. (See John 13: 5, 14, 34)
Latin mandatum a command, mandate

Interesting. A command or mandate. Let's look at the passage:

John 13:3 (Amp) [That] Jesus, knowing (fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was [now] returning to God,
Joh 13:4 Got up from supper, took off His garments, and taking a [servant's] towel, He fastened it around His waist.
Joh 13:5 Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the [servant's] towel with which He was girded.
Joh 13:6 When He came to Simon Peter, [Peter] said to Him, Lord, are my feet to be washed by You? [Is it for You to wash my feet?]
Joh 13:7 Jesus said to him, You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later on.
Joh 13:8 Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with (in) Me [you have no share in companionship with Me].
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, [wash] not only my feet, but my hands and my head too!
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean all over. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you.
Joh 13:11 For He knew who was going to betray Him; that was the reason He said, Not all of you are clean.
Joh 13:12 So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another's feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him.
Joh 13:17 If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them].

Now here is the command:
Joh 13:34 I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].

Jesus did not draw back from lovingly washing Judas' feet, even though He knew that Judas was about to betray him. He did not withhold himself, even from Judas! Do we then have the right to withhold ourselves from those who wound or offend us?

Joh 13:29 (CEV) But because Judas was in charge of the money, some of them thought that Jesus had told him to buy something they needed for the festival. Others thought that Jesus had told him to give some money to the poor.

Now why would they think that, unless it had been either the custom of the day to give to the poor during this time, or else it was simply they knew Jesus' heart? He had great compassion on the masses and fed them more than once. He made a strong point of pointing out the widow who threw in all that she had.

At Easter we concentrate on trying to get people to church, trying to get sinners to get saved, and counting our personal blessings of how He saved us.

This year why don't we do something different? Why don't we wash our brother's and sister's feet? Maybe it won't actually include water- maybe it will be clean their house, or bake them bread, show them tangible love...you get the idea? And why don't we give something to the truly poor. Go find a homeless person and buy them a meal on Easter? Or the day after? And show them it is because of Easter, because Jesus cares. You could also send 30 pieces of silver to a mission outreach overseas. 30 quarters is $7.50. But to a starving pastor it is several meals for he and his family! Or 7 1/2 days of schooling w/ meals for a child. I challenge you to do something different this Easter. Don't just talk about Christ's love for sinners. SHOW His Love for mankind.
Selah.
Happy Maundy Thursday.