Holy Thursday: Jesus Poured Out

 “Jesus poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sins of many, and made intersession for the transgression.” Isa: 53:12

Holy Thursday, along with Good Friday and Easter form a part of the Holy Week season known as the Triduum, which means the three days.

The Triduum focuses our hearts and minds upon the outward manifestation of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in a way which we can almost understand what Jesus, through his incarnation, death and glorious resurrection has wrought on our behalf’s.

St. John and the other writers of the Gospels tells us that after Jesus’ entrance into the Holy city and his indictment of the religious establishment at the Temple of God and spending the week, which we now commemorate as Holy Week, teaching the people, that he gathered together in a rented upper room of a house, possibly owned by the family of the young Disciple John Mark. This Upper Room which has been referred to by some as the Cenacle, or Cenaculum which is from the Latin meaning “I Dine” or eating place. This room has been historically called by Christians the Upper Room.

The Cenacle, the Upper Room, is also thought to be the very same location where after the Ascension of Jesus into the Heavens that the one hundred and twenty Disciples gathered together and where the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them all and manifested the reality of the living Jesus to them and in them, empowering the Disciples to go forth and to proclaim the Gospel to all Jerusalem and to the ends of the Earth.

The Last Supper-First Supper

Jesus and his Disciples came together for his Last Supper before his arrest, trial and crucifixion and then his resurrection. This was in keeping of the Passover, which was enjoined upon the people of Israel under the Old Covenant.

 It was this very supper, which Jesus himself shared with his closest disciples. This Passover which would be, not only his last supper before his death, which began as the commemoration of the pouring forth of the blood of the Paschal Lambs resulting in the national liberation of the people of Israel  from Egypt with them, but would also become, through the transformational work of Jesus, the very last Passover Supper of the Old Covenant itself.

Through Jesus, this Old Covenant sacrament became the first Lord's Supper of the New Covenant which looks to, not the pouring out of the life’s blood of Paschal Lambs but rather to the very pouring out of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

It is simultaneously the Last Supper of the Old Covenant and the First Supper of the New Covenant

“this is the my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” Matt:26:28

The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, the Communion, the Eucharist which Christians celebrate, is that supper given to us and that is empowered and given its transformational properties through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Poured Out

Jesus tells us, through the page of the Scriptures, that his very own life is “poured out” for us, in this, he is echoing the Prophet Isaiah who, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration foresaw this “pouring out” of Jesus’ life.

“he poured out his life unto death” Isa: 53:12a

The Prophet continues to tell us the divine reason that Jesus' has “poured out his life”. “For he bore the sins of many, and made intersession for the transgression.” Isa: 53:12b

This “pouring out” was to show us that our sins have been fully and completely dealt with in and through the person of Jesus.

The Eternal Son of God, the Second person of the Holy Trinity, in and by his incarnation, fully God, yet fully human has poured himself out for us.

This “pouring out” of the life of the humanity Jesus has been hinted at in many places found throughout the Scriptural record. 

We see this even as the Patriarch Jacob “poured out” anointing oil and a drink offering upon his pillow stone after seeing the vision of angelic messengers descending and ascending the ladder between Heaven and Earth, erecting the stone as a pillar to stand as a memorial of the Lord’s divine work, calling it “Bethel”, where he said “Because God has spoken to me”. Gen: 35:14-15

We see this “pouring out” in the consecration of the Priesthood of Israel with anointing oil “poured out” upon them to set them apart for the service of the Lord, this was especially true for the High Priest.Ex:29:7 and Lev:8:12

David who was called to be King, rose to be anointed by the Prophet Samuel by having anointed oil “poured” upon him to consecrate him as the chosen King of Israel. 1Sam: 16:13-15

David gives us a prophetic glimpse into this “pouring out” of the life of Jesus through one of his Messianic Psalms. David gives utterance to the experience of Jesus’ Passion upon cross seven hundred years before it became a reality in the stream of human history.

“I am poured out like water” Ps: 22:14

All these “pouring out” in the pages of the Scriptures witness to us that the promised Messiah, was to be “poured out”, that is, his life would be given for us bring us to be able to experience the forgiveness and sanctification and even participation in and with our Lord Jesus. 

Jesus Poured

St. John, in his Gospel account, now brings to us a view of our Lord Jesus acting out his being “poured out” for us and to us. There in the Cenaculum  , that Upper Room, after the sharing of the transformed and elevated sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus arises , and removing his outer garment, symbolizing the temporary  setting aside of the radiant glory of his eternal deity, yet still retaining his full undiminished divinity through the incarnation. Jesus , the Son of God humble himself and taking on the posture of a household servant, symbolized by a towel , takes a foot washing basin and “poured water” into it and then proceeds to wash the Disciples’ feet .This is demonstrating to each and all of us why Jesus’ is “poured out” .

“(Jesus) got up from supper, and laid aside his garments; and taking a towel, he wrapped it around himself. Then Jesus poured water into the basin, and began to wash the Disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded” Jhn: 13:4-5

What our Lord has done is far more than may at first appear. Jesus is not just modeling a way of life, that of being a servant to others, which in truth he is doing, but rather, Jesus is showing the means by which this way of life is entered in upon.

Those Disciples in that Upper Room would not have fully understand their Lord’s actions. Jesus then proceeds to explain what he has done for them and to them and each and all of us.

“he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you” (10)

Jesus now asked the Disciples, and all of us a monumental question to-which we all need the answer, that is , the answer as to why Jesus has removed his outer garments and "poured" the water and took the servants towel and washed them.

“Do you know what I have I have done to you?” (12c)

Jesus now elaborates.

“If I then, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example that you should do as I did to you. Truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one sent greater than the one who sent him. I you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (14-17)  

What is Jesus showing us? Jesus is telling us that he himself would through his own would being “poured out” through the Passion of the cross, as David had wrote in Psalm :22 “I am poured out like water” unto death, that is , Jesus would die through the Passion of the cross to manifest the washing away of humanities sins, making us clean completely, forgiven. This is the heart of that New Covenant which our Lord has made for us, of which the sacrament of the Communion speaks to us regarding This Forgiveness was demonstrated through Jesus’ divesting himself of the glory, that is the removal of his outer garments, and becoming as servant even to the point of being “wrapped” in burial shroud of death, as the towel “wrapped” about his waist.

When we come to see, that is “know these things”, that Jesus has “poured out” his own perfect holy life, for us, we are then are called and anointed as a Priesthood and sent forth to proclaim this message to the world around us, that they too, as St. Paul speaking of the Church, wrote that it is through the “washing of the word” they can experience this forgiven and be washed clean through Jesus' "pouring out" his own life for us all.

“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, through the promise of free justification and sanctification in Christ, received……walk in love, as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us” Eph:5:26   

What we are being told is,  that Jesus “poured out” his life like water so that we might be experience the completed work of salvation that he has accomplished for us, and that we in turn proclaim that message to any around us. When others hear that message and believe it, they then are to be transformed.

Jesus Still Poured Out

Those Disciples who gathered in that the Cenaculum, the Upper Room, were then given an even greater experience of the Lord Jesus’ holy life being “poured out” to them. This “pouring out” on the Day of Pentecost empowered them, and all believers to go forth as we are sent.

This “pouring out” was shown as the Holy Spirit, the Third person of the Trinity, manifest himself in the very Upper Room where they gathered, the very same place where Jesus “poured water” and washed their feet after he had instituted the Communion of the New Covenant.

St. Luke in his account, records the words of St. Peter in his reference to the Prophet Joel, explaining to the multitude of Jews from around the Roman Empire what was taking place that day on streets of the Holy City.

“And it will be in the last days; God says I will pour out my Spirit upon you all, and your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams; even on my bound slaves, both men and woman, I will in those days pour out my Spirit “Acts: 2:17-19

In the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus has and is still “pouring out” his life to us and in us; as Jesus had told the Disciples only hours before his arrest and crucifixion and he being “poured out like water” in the Passion of the cross, that he would himself, come to  them, and to we all, in through the agency of the Holy Spirit speaking of his “pouring out” to them shortly after he “poured water” into the basin.

“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” Jhn: 14:18.

Jesus has and is still “poured out” to each and all of us to sanctify us and send us forth into the world around and proclaim to each and all, that Jesus has poured out his life for, to and in us and even now “pours” himself into our very being so that we might have eternal fellowship with our God, the Holy Trinity. 

The message we are consecrated to and sent forth to proclaim is, that Jesus’ is “poured out like water” that we might experience the forgiveness to each and all who will but freely be receive it.

Benediction: May we each and all experience our Lord Jesus’ “poured out” life and be forever transformed, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

The Season of Lent: The Good Shepherd

 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” John: 10:11

In the very early Church, Easter was not thought of as simply one day on which the resurrection of Jesus is to be observed but rather, the early Church saw Easter as a season of fifty days which began with the glorious resurrection and culminates with the manifesting of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost which is found in the Book of Acts:2

The Jubilee Year

This was in part because the early Christians wanted to emphasis that our lives were to be lived out in light of the resurrection of the humanity of Jesus and that the number fifty was drawn from and chosen from the Old Covenant Jubilee Year which restored all things back to the way that the Lord God had always intended for the people of Israel. Lev: 25:11-13

 This Jubilee Year occurred every fifty years, so the number fifty was chosen to demonstrate that living in light of the incarnation and glorified Jesus was what the Lord God has always intended for his human children. This means that, when we come to hear the Gospel about Jesus and believe it and come to see that Jesus is the Son of God and embrace that truth we enter into what the Jubilee Year which was  only hinted at , which is, life lived in and with the incarnate risen Christ. This is the way it was always intended to be.

Fifty was also the number of days between the resurrection on Easter and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost which ushered in the time when believers would be guided and led by the Holy Spirit, which is the way God has always intended us to live.

The thought of Jesus as the Good Shepherd was a common and reoccurring theme in the Primitive Apostolic Church. Christ, as the Good Shepherd drew on the cultural idea and inspired mythology (the hearth stories passed down about God’s dealing with Israel and preserved in the Holy Word of God) found in Israel that of one who would arise from the House of David, like a shepherd, oversee each and all of their lives and give them the blessings which God had long promised.

This Good Shepherd of Israel found within Psalm:23 was easily seen as embodied in the person of Jesus by the primitive Church, through Jesus’ life death and resurrection.

The early Disciples of the Church witnessed firsthand Jesus’ out flowing love and care for those around him in the same way as would a shepherd would who have been given charge over a flock of sheep.

They saw Jesus moving among the people as would a shepherd would have caring for their needs and giving each and all the care and even comfort which was needed.

The Good Shepherd

Jesus himself, tells us that he, and he alone, is the fulfillment of not only the Good Shepherd of Israel, but that he himself is the means through which anyone would be admitted into his flock and come under his gracious care.

  “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture.” Jhn: 10:7b-10

Our Lord then tells us that no other person can fulfill this Shepherd’s role in our live but himself, nothing or anyone else can bring to us what only Jesus can, anything else will, in the end do harm to our lives.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (10)

Lay Down His Life

Jesus contrast himself with any other who would present themselves to us as potential shepherd(s) over our lives. Jesus tells us that he has demonstrated his commitment to any who would but freely accept him as the Shepherd of their lives and thereby gain access to his flock.

Jesus’ commitment is demonstrated to us through his willingness to lay his life down his life for the flock, even unto death, all so that they might live.

 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (11)

Jesus tells us that any who look to another as their shepherd, one who would be a “hired hand” of their lives will find themselves abandoned by the “hired hand” when the wolves of life surround them and prey upon them.

 “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep”. (12-13)

Jesus speaking of the evidence of his Shepard’s commitment to and for his flock tells us that this willingness to lay down his life was not in any way forced upon him out of some judicial need or power that could force him to die, but rather, was out of a choice born of his perfect love for God and all humanity.

 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep” (14-15)

This willingness and choice to lay down his life in death would be on display as our Lord went to cross to die; all so that we might see God’s salvation and gracious love for us and his commitment to be our Shepherd who is willing to lay down his very own life.

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Rm: 4:25

Jesus as our Good Shepherd has demonstrated to us all his willingness to confront the wolves who would prey upon his flock, laying down his own life for us, interposing himself between us and any wolves who would stock us, even the greatest of all wolves; sin and death itself which no “hired hand” could defeat.

Jesus defeated the twin wolves of sin and death, by defeating both of them, taking on our own sin and died himself. As St. Paul wrote.

 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rm: 5:8

Jesus died for us, and even in the violent nature of that death of the cross he died perfectly for us as we could never do our selves. Have you ever considered that Jesus died perfectly?

To Take It Up

But, this perfect of death, the laying down his own life, is and was not the end, as Jesus’ death was within his own authority and approval which was given him by the Father, so did Jesus have the authority to take up his life, and our lives, again and dispelling the very wolf of death itself.

Jesus was in death no longer than he willed to be there. Death could not hold him. He came forth in the glorious resurrection.

Jesus addresses his own power over death and his resurrection.

“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” Jhn: 10:17-8

Jesus has come forth from the grave to be a living Good Shepherd who is there to watch over his very own flock. Jesus is not just Good Shepherd who once lived and died, but rather one who lives and is there even now to watch over and guilds our lives and keep us safe from the wolves which will assault us, attempting to drag us away from his care.

One Flock

Jesus, as the Good Shepherd is not just the Good Shepherd of Israel, but for all peoples who will but receive him when they hear the message of salvation found within the Gospel presentation, they will hear his voice and recognize it and come into his flock and be under his care.

“I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (16)

The Season of Easter speaks to us about our Lord Jesus, who has shown to us his commitment for us all, his flock, by facing the wolves of sin and death laying down his very own life, and now having taken his life up again through his glorious  resurrection. Jesus is there, ever present, to be the Good Shepherd over each and all who will but enter into his flock, being one flock under his loving care.

This is the way our God has always intended it to be.

Benediction: May we each and all give glory to our Good Shepherd Jesus who is ever present to care for and guild us as his flock, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

Palm-Passion Sunday: A New Heart

“The crowds going ahead of him and those following him, shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” Matt:21:9

Palm Sunday or as is it is often called “Palm-Passion Sunday” is the last Sunday of the Lenten Season. The name “Palm-Passion” marries the entrance of Jesus into the Hoy city and at the adulation of the assembled multitude and then later that very week that same crowds demand to have Jesus crucified. This observance unites the Season of Lent and Holy Week leading up to the Crucifixion event celebrated on Good Friday and the Resurrection event celebrated on Easter Sunday.

When Jesus made his entrance in to the Holy City of Jerusalem, sometimes called the “Triumphant Entry”.  A rather large crowd had gathered in jubilant expectation at Jesus’ coming, the crowd was so large that St. John recorded that the Pharisees resentfully remarked that “the world is gone after him”.

On the Road to Jerusalem

The Passover Pilgrims which had come to Jerusalem for the Spring Holy Day season had heard that Jesus was on the way and would make an appearance. Word had been spreading about Jesus for years now, his power and his words, and of recent Jesus was said to have raised a man, Lazarus of Bethany, from the dead. It was their hope that the King of Israel, the Messiah was now come.

The throng lined the roadway which lead from the village of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives near the Holy City waiting in expectation for Jesus’ coming. 

“When they approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives” Matt: 21:1a

 Jesus had sent two disciples to find a donkey and a colt which they brought to their Master. After mounting the donkey, an action which had great significance in the  culture of the day, for in Israel, the Kings rode donkey not horses an action which the assembled crowed would have understood. 

“go into the village opposite you, and immediately find a donkey tied there and a colt with her, untie them and bring them to me”(2a)

By doing this , Jesus fulfills the prophetic word given through the Prophet Zechariah

“Behold your King comes to you, gentle and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden” (5)

Jesus sets off upon the road to Jerusalem riding upon the donkey. The jubilant multitude spread their garments and palm branches on the road before him as Jesus came. Waving their arms holding palm branches in the air crying out in joy, giving their adulation and adoration to Jesus at his coming.

“Most of the crowd spread their garments in the road .others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road” (8)

Hosanna

As Jesus proceeded to the gate of the  Holy City, the cry of “Hosanna!”, which literally means “save us now” or “save now”, is lifted up into the air by the collective voice of those assembled as they walk before him.

“The crowds going ahead of him and those following him, shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (9)

The people now believe that their time has come in the person of Jesus, it was their expectation that the prophecies in the scared writing were about to be fulfilled and that they, individually and collectively, would share in them. All of this they would gladly receive from Jesus. They believed that from this moment forward they would receive only blessings from their King.

The Palm

They were glad to receive Jesus as their King and sought so much from him. The people were there along the way waving the Palm branches giving him praise and adulation at what they had hoped to receive from Jesus, “Hosanna!” “Save us now”!

The people there were not looking to truly give praise to Jesus for who he is, but rather, for what he would and could do for them. 

They were glad to receive a King who served their needs and wants, they were moved by the spectacle of his entrance, the power that many of them had witnessed firsthand, they were moved by the great  crowd, and the singing; they held the Palms in their hands and waved them about; the kingdom was now. They shouted for joy the prophesied Messiah had come! The blessings were now theirs.

The Passion

What the crowds gave to Jesus that day was what we might call “Conditional Adulation”, this means, as long as Jesus gave them what they wanted, they would in-turn give him praise.

 This “Conditional Adulation” however would be very short lived. When Jesus came into the Holy City he did almost nothing that the people had hoped he would. Jesus did not ascend the throne in the manner in which they had hoped. He did not expel the Roman oppressors from their land. Jesus did not redistribute wealth and land or hand out titles to them. Jesus did the opposite in many respects. 

The people, then found themselves with profound disappointment in and with their Messiah. Jesus had not lived up to their expectations. Jesus had not given them what they wanted. Roman stilled ruled over them, in their minds nothing had changed.

Many from the joyous crowd who, had walked along with Jesus waving the Palms and singing and shouting upon his coming into their lives that day, were found among the mob who were persuaded by the religious establishment to turn on Jesus later that very same week and shouted for his crucifixion after Jesus’ arrest and hearing before the Roman Governor Pilate. Even when presented a choice between Jesus and the criminal Barabbas they chose the criminal.Matt:27:16-21

The mob cried out to Pilate “Crucify him” “Crucify him” (22 & 23)

St. Matthew tells us that this was not a small group who heeded the words of the religious establishment but many. “and all the people said” (25a).  This is how they chose to reacted when Jesus did not live up to their collective wants, they turned on the him and delivered him to his Passion.

When Jesus came to the Holy City that Sunday morning centuries ago, his entrance exposed in the Jewish people , and in all people,  a deep seated problem. They wanted only to have a Messiah who catered to their whims and desires and demands . They wanted to wave the Palm and when Jesus would not accommodate them they delivered him over his to the Passion of the cross.

The Crowd and Mob

Jesus knew that was the case far in advance of his coming. Jesus understood and still understands the fickle nature of the human hear, so conditional is our adulation.

When Jesus comes into our lives, we often receive him with great adulation, we cry out in praise and worship, we wave the Palm and shout “Hosanna!” we seek the greatest blessings which his Kingdom can bestow upon us, yet when the anticipated blessing are not disposed to us we find our natural inclination can be like the crowd of Jerusalem who praised Jesus Sunday yet cursed him Friday.

One moment we are in the crowd then we are in the mob! This is true because the crowd and mob reside in our hearts and Jesus exposed it within us.

For as the writer of the Hebrews Epistle wrote: “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edge sword, piercing both joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”Heb:4:11

Jesus is that living active word of God who understand the human heart.

Jesus’ coming into our lives exposes this weakness of the human heart, which is common among us all. Jesus’ entrance that revealed this duplicitous nature in us all and demonstrates the need for the Passion that followed.

A New Heart

Jesus came however to not just reveal our duplicitous natures, but through himself he might deliver us from them, setting us free with a new heart. The Prophet Ezekiel wrote about the work Christ which transforms, not just Israel, but all who will but freely receive it.

“I will give them an undivided heart and put my Spirit within them” Ezk: 11:19

This new “undivided heart” is that we might have a “sound mind” and be always focused and trusting of our Lord, his Spirit drives the vacillating “crowd and mob” from us, leaving us to be able to stand and praise our God in the Person of His Holy Son Jesus.

Palm-Passion Sunday, far from being a day of condemnation of human heart, it is a joyous celebration of the saving work of Jesus, through his Passion that we might rejoice and give praise to his name, that we might with one heart shout “Hosanna! Blessed is he comes in the name of the Lord”.

Benediction: May we each and all ever give praise and honor and shout “Hosanna” to our Lord Jesus , with Palm, because of his Passion, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”