Maundy Thursday

A repost of last year's reflections on Maundy Thursday.  They still hold true:

Jesus on Thursday: In the world you will have trouble, but take heart because I've overcome the world (John 16.33). That's a perfect picture of the coming Easter weekend.

No one claims the first half of that promise:  in the world you WILL have trouble.  That's not framed, not on anyone's fridge, not on a coffee cup or Bible cover or any of the other inane things most Christian bookstores sell.  We love the back half.  It's the front half we have problems with.

But Jesus not only spoke it - He modeled it.  Thursday night into Friday is bloody and brutal.  Friday is death and darkness and separation and wrath.  Saturday is doubt and questioning and silence.  But take heart, because He overcame the world on Sunday.  

Prediction on the front end so we'll know He's faithful to His promise on the back end.  That's (part of) what Maundy Thursday means to me.