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Thursday,
March 29, 2018

Man of Sorrows

"Man of Sorrows"

Message summary: This Maundy Thursday we especially remember and commemorate what God has done for us in demonstrating the full extent of His love in His death on the Cross of Calvary.

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"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not" (Isaiah 53:3). "Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love" (John 13:1).

Man of Sorrows
Man of Sorrows, Lamb of God
By His own betrayed
The sin of men and wrath of God
Has been on Jesus laid


FootwashingToday is Maundy Thursday, also referred to as Holy Thursday. It is the day when Jesus gathered with His disciples in the Upper Room for the Last Supper. This is also the setting where Jesus, in the role of a servant, washed the disciples' feet and warned them of what was about to happen. A simple explanation of the word, "Maundy" is that it is a derivative from the Latin "mandatum" or mandate or command ("A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you").

Jesus showed "the full extent of His love" through serving the disciples. His servant's heart was visible as He washed their feet (John 13:12-17). Churches of various backgrounds continue to practice this act of servanthood since Jesus told the disciples, "Now that I, Your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet" (John 13:14).


When we gather around the Lord's Table
to partake of Communion we obey His command from the night He was betrayed. This observance was directed by God to be a memorial as a lasting ordinance of our redemption and, believers in the last 2000 years, continue to obey these solemn words of our Lord, "Do this in remembrance of Me". The apostle Paul instructs the church, "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26).

The first text is from Isaiah 53, often considered the greatest Messianic prophecy in the Bible. It describes the forthcoming Messiah as a "Man of sorrows" surely focusing on His deepest season of suffering which begins just after His Last Supper through His arrest, trial, sufferings and the Cross.

John 13:1A tiny phrase from the second daily text is a great blessing. Jesus Christ demonstrated "the full extent of His love." The Amplified Bible further elaborates on this portion: "And as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree."

The IVP commentary expounds on this passage: "Love is the laying down of one's life, and therefore to love completely means to love to the end of one's life. The love that has been evident throughout continues right up to the end. At the end, in the crucifixion, we will see the ultimate revelation of that love, that is, its full extent."

This Maundy Thursday we especially remember and commemorate what God has done for us in demonstrating the full extent of His love in His death on the Cross of Calvary:

Christ carrying Cross We remember His supreme sacrifice for us, as "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We remember His great love for us, as "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
We remember His redemption plan for us, as He "gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:14).
We remember His grace-filled provision for us, as "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).

Now my debt is paid
It is paid in full
By the precious blood
That my Jesus spilled

Now the curse of sin has no hold on me
Whom the Son sets free, oh is free indeed!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. You willingly became the sacrificial Lamb whose substitutionary death freed me from the heavy shackles of sin, degradation, and eternal damnation. We think of You, Jesus, the Man of Sorrows. I thank you for showing the world the full extent of Your love. My response to Your act of mercy and grace toward me is that I place my faith in You and recognize that Your love; so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Amen.



Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Man Of Sorrows"  Video  Joelle Perez, David Quimba, Mark Rasmussen (Note: The lyrics used in today's message are from a newer song similar to an old hymn with the same title.) Here are some more of the thoughtful verses.

Silent as He stood accused
Beaten, mocked, and scorned
Bowing to the Father's will
He took a crown of thorns


Oh that rugged cross, my salvation
Where Your love poured out over me
Now my soul cries out "Hallelujah!"
Praise and honour unto Thee


Sent of heaven, God's own Son
To purchase and redeem
And reconcile the very ones
Who nailed Him to that tree

Oh that rugged cross, my salvation
Where Your love poured out over me
Now my soul cries out "Hallelujah!"
Praise and honour unto Thee

See, the stone is rolled away
Behold the empty tomb
Hallelujah, God be praised
He's risen from the grave!

"Man Of Sorrows"  Video  Blue Rock Mennonite Youth  (This is the hymn written by Phillip P. Bliss and the hymn many older believers will be more familiar with). Interestingly one comment points out that this church, (Blue Rock Mennonite Church) is here in Lancaster County. However I can't confirm it's the same church these Blue Rock Youth are from.

"Man of Sorrows/What a Savior"  Video  Kara Young and Maggie Boswell We so appreciate seeing young people singing these old hymns.



(This week is known by many as Passion Week or Holy Week which covers the events in Christ's life from the Triumphal Entry to His resurrection. We will leave the following materials up throughout the week.)

Major Events of the Passion Week

The 4 gospels cover the life of Christ, a period of about 33 years. Most of this material deals with the 3˝ year period of His ministry. However an astounding 30 of the 89 accumulative chapters in the gospels deal with the period from Christ's triumphal entry through His resurrection and post-resurrection appearances. Mathematically this means that approximately 33% of the written material in the gospels deals with a mere .05% period of His life! In the providence of God we have a much greater proportion of material dealing with God's greatest act of mercy in providing our redemption.

Here's an interesting chart from a Study Bible that may be helpful as you study the Bible this week. It sure helps me to have a sense of when the events took place and is inspiring to read these Scriptures in the daily sequence leading up to Easter.

Sunday      
  • Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19
Monday      
  • Jesus Clears the Temple: Mt. 21:12,13; Mk. 11:15-17; Lk. 19:45,46
Tuesday/Wednesday                   
  • Jesus' authority challenged in the temple: Mt. 21:23-27; Mk. 11:27-33; Lk. 20:1-8
  • Jesus teaches stories and confronts the Jewish leaders: Mt. 21:28-23:36; Mk. 12:1-40; Lk. 20:9-47   
  • Greeks ask to see Jesus: Jn. 12:20-26
  • The Olivet Discourse: Mt. 24; Mk. 13; Lk. 21:5-38
  • Judas agrees to betray Jesus: Mt. 26:14-16; Mk. 14:10,11; Lk. 22:3-6
Thursday
  • The Last Supper:  Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:14-20
  • Jesus speaks to the disciples in the upper room:  Jn 13-17
  • Jesus struggles in Garden of Gethsemane: Mt. 26:36-46; Mk. 14:32-42; Lk. 22:39-46; Jn. 18:1
  • Jesus is betrayed and arrested: Mt. 26:47-56; Mk. 14:43-52; Lk. 22:47-53; Jn. 18:2-12
Friday
  • Jesus is tried by Jewish and Roman authorities and disowned by Peter: Mt 26:57-27:2, 11-31; Mk 14:53-15:20; Lk 22:54-23:25; Jn 18:13-19:16
  • Jesus is crucified and buried: Mt 27:31-56; Mk 15:20-41; Lk 23:26-49; Jn 19:17-30
Sunday
  • The glorious resurrection: Mt. 28:1-10; Mk 16:1-11; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-18
(This material is developed from an outline in the Life Application Bible)

"It's Still The Cross!"

(A selection of Scripture verses focusing on the Cross for personal, family or congregational reading.)

Worship leader: Here they crucified Him, and with Him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. John 19:18

Congregation: This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. Acts 2:23

Worship leader:  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Congregation: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

Worship leader: By abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.  He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  Ephesians 2:15-17

Congregation: He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name.  Philippians 2:7-9  

Worship leader: For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Colossians 1:19,20 

Congregation: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13,14

All: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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