Facing Denial

Maundy Thursday
March 28, 2013
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

“Facing the Cross: Facing Denial”

As the introductory paragraph in this evening’s worship bulletin states: “With nightfall our Lenten observance comes to an end, and we gather with Christians around the world to celebrate the Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection.” Tonight we enter into the highpoint of our Christian faith, what is called the Triduum, or “Three Days” of Maundy Thursday-Good Friday-Easter Vigil and Easter Day. Each service flows seamlessly into the next and together they form a single unit of devotion and praise to our Savior Jesus Christ. On this Thursday evening of Holy Week, we begin this portion of our Lenten journey that began on Ash Wednesday. We come to this day called Maundy Thursday, that word “Maundy” coming from the Latin, novum mandatum, the new command of Jesus given to his disciples on this night that they should love one another just as he himself has loved them.

There are three distinct themes that we find in the Scripture lessons for this evening: Passover, Lord’s Supper, and footwashing. From the Old Testament lesson (Exodus 12:1-14), we learn of the institution of the Passover meal and the blood of the sacrificial lamb that was painted on the doorposts of the houses of God’s people in Egypt. Through the blood of that lamb, the angel of death passed over them, striking down the first-born of the Egyptians and sparing the first-born of the Hebrews. Through this, God’s people were set free from slavery in Egypt. From the Epistle lesson (1 Corinthians 11:23-32), we learn of Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper on the night when he was betrayed, and those familiar words which are spoken whenever this holy meal is celebrated, even as we will do here this evening. Paul here reminds us to examine ourselves, and so eat of this bread and drink of this cup in a worthy manner as we come to receive the true Body and true Blood of Christ who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Truly, Jesus is that new Passover Lamb whose blood delivers us from slavery to sin and death. From the Gospel lesson (John 13:1-17, 31b-35), we learn of Jesus’ washing the disciples feet, something that is unique to John’s Gospel. John does not record Jesus’ last supper with his disciples in that upper room in which he institutes the Lord’s Supper; rather, it is the washing of the disciples feet that occurs and the new command that Jesus gives to love one another, just as he as loved us.

In both the Epistle and Gospel lessons for this evening, we hear of betrayal: “… the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24), and “During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him… (John 13:2). The very name of Judas is synonymous with betrayal, but what we do not hear about in the Scripture lessons is denial. And yet, before the night was out all of the disciples down to a man would out-and-out deny Jesus in both word and deed. That is what is before us this evening: facing denial. As we face the cross, we must also face our own denial of Jesus. That is the theme for the message on this Maundy Thursday. May the Lord’s rich and abundant blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

It’s easy to see how the disciples denied Jesus: turning tail and abandoning their Teacher and Master when he was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:43-50). Even more graphic is Peter’s denial of Jesus. When confronted whether or not he was with Jesus, Peter makes a desperate attempt to convince the bystanders that he really had nothing to do with Jesus. Peter invokes a curse on himself and denies knowing Jesus not once or twice, but three times (Mark 14:66-72). Luke’s Gospel alone records that after this, Jesus turned and looked at Peter, calling to Peter’s remembrance how the Lord Jesus had told him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. And remembering, Peter goes out and weeps bitterly (Luke 22:54-62).

All of the disciples had to face their own denial of Christ, and so must we, if we are to be disciples of Christ. In truth, our denial of Jesus probably looks an awful lot like that of those first disciples: when the going gets tough, we get going. When the pressure is on, we cave in in order not to stand out from the crowd. We, too, are afraid of standing up for Jesus if there is risk involved: the hostile stare or angry response, the derogatory comment and potential rejection by others. The world has changed little since our Lord walked the earth. His followers – you and I among them – are prone to denying the very One who suffered and died in our behalf. As one of our hymns for Holy Week puts it:

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?

Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.

‘Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;

I crucified thee (Lutheran Book of Worship #123, stanza 2).

It is awesome and amazing to me that Jesus, knowing the fickle and feeble nature of his disciples, shared with them the first Lord’s Supper in that Passover meal on the night of his betrayal. Jesus excludes none of them, not Peter who would vehemently deny him later that night; not even Judas, who would betray him for thirty pieces of silver. All receive the gift of Jesus himself at the table. Here is hope for us today. Here is mercy and grace to help in time of need for disciples who ever have or ever will deny Jesus through what we say or do, through what we fail to say or do. Here at Jesus’ table this night that same Savior who was betrayed, who was crucified, died, and was buried, who is now risen from the dead, comes to us. As at that first Lord’s Supper, Jesus invites all who are weak in faith to come and be strengthened through his very Body and Blood under the bread and wine. Jesus invites all who like Peter have wept bitter tears of remorse to come and receive full pardon and remission of sins. Jesus invites all who trust in him to come and receive what he alone can give: forgiveness, life, and salvation. Come, for all things are now ready. Amen.