Matthew 26:14-30, Maundy Thursday Service Combined with Trinity Church, April 13, 2006
Sermon by Rev. Mao Translated by Evelyn Lee
In our Lord’s Last Supper, although there were only thirteen persons, it revealed many episodes of thought. These episodes are closely related to you and me, and to our church And to the kingdom of God.
When we think of Judas’ betrayal of our Lord, we become indignant, wefeel that he was heartless, conscienceless and unethical. He was not worthy to be our Lord’s disciple. But how many times in our lives, we did to our Lord just like the way Judas did.
This evening we gather here together, we are not to dwell on the betrayal of Judas. We are here to meditate and ponder before our Lord: we have been Christians for many years, what have we done for the Lord? We ask ourselves, have we ever betrayed our Lord?
In the life of a Christian, the most serious question we ask is “Do we live the image of Christ or of Judas?” This evening we focus on the Lord’s Last Supper 2000 years ago.
From the scripture reading of this evening, please use your most vivid imagination to imagine yourself involved on the Maundy Thursday 2000 years ago, where Jesus spent his last meal with his students. That was an extraordinary and special fellowship.
This evening I would like to share with you the seven episodes occurred during the Last Supper.
In the Last Supper, we see the most heartless and cruel betrayal.
During the peak of Jesus’ worldly mission, Jesus experienced the cruelty of being betrayed by his own student. The Bible said,” Then one of the Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot went to the Chief priest and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I Hand him to you?” (Matt 26:14-15) For thirty silver coins Judas sold Jesus out. According to theologian, William Barclay in “The Daily Bible”, he said the thirty silver coins at that time was worth sixty Hong Kong Yuan which is equivalent to U.S.currency of $7.50. The most dignified person was sold for the lowest price. This is the world’s worst trading business.
Many theologians had attempted to find out the reasons for this treason. The first reason may be: GREED. The second reason may be due to Judas’ ultimate disappointment and anger. He was hoping that Jesus would use his miraculous power to instigate a revolution and to overturn the Roman Empire jurisdiction over the Jews. But Jesus’ work was towards the way 0f the CROSS which was far from his expectation. In his ultra disappointment and anger, he sold Jesus out. The third reason may be to force Jesus o take a faster action, to drive the Roman jurisdiction out of the Israelite society. But he made a horrible big mistake which was an irreversible tragedy.
In the Israelite’s society, the Feast of the Passover was an important festival where they commemorated their deliverance out of Egypt toward freedom and out of slavery. They at the Passover, wrapped a towel around their waist while standing up they took their meal quietly, because once they finished the meal, they would start to walk their journey towards freedom and hope.
Nowadays when the Jews gather together for the FEAST of the Passover, they were not as serious. From the Last Supper picture, you can see they were leisurely relaxing and happy. They were either sitting down or lying down to celebrate the meaningful day of God’s deliverance and shared their historical story.
In the happy atmosphere, our Lord announced sad news. He said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” (V21)This Heartbroken announcement filled the air with tensions and odds. But our Lord had to announce at that moment because he did not have too much time left with the disciples. The moment to clarify things had finally come.
(3)The Last Supper was a most agonizing fellowship.
The Last Supper had last farewell gloominess in the first place, and then he announced that there were treasons among them. This added another layer of sadness. Just imagine, even the most delicious meal had lost all its taste; just imagine what a meal full of melancholy and grief!
The author of the gospel of John told us, “It was just before the Passover Feast; 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 this world, he now showed them, the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served and Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and begin to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. “No”, said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered,“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” This is how Maundy Thursday had come about. This is the reason why we gather here this evening. We are not going to wash feet for one another this evening, but I sincerely hope one day we will take off our shoes and wash our feet for one another.
I think the disciples felt something was in the air, other than the gloominess and the announcement of treason. Their master was going to wash their feet. This “Master and Servant reversed position” all pointed to an extraordinary meal.Therefore, the Last Supper was a meal full of sorrow and uneasiness. The Bible told us: “They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord.”
(4)The fourth episode in the Last Supper: The last Chance of Reminding Vs. 21b, 23, 25
During the Last Supper, our Lord gave Judas three hints and implications. These three hints gave forth three reminding. The author of John told us, “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.” (John 13:2) Therefore, Jesus had tried to hold him back three times. He solemnly reminded him three times. The first time, Jesus said, “One of you will betray me.” (v.21b) this reminder gave a strong impact and tension among the students. It was almost unbelievable! The second time during the meal, the Lord said, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.” This clearly told them that the betrayer was among them.
The third time, Judas the one who would betray him said, “Surely not I, Rabbi” Jesus directly answered him, “Yes, it is you” (V25) the sad part was that Judas knew he was going to betray our Lord, yet he was still full of pretence, “Surely not I, Rabbi!” in a innocent way. Jesus said, “Yes, it is you.” Judas did not turn back his head, he did not admit his fault, and he did not repent either. Disappointingly Jesus said, “But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (V24)
(5) The fifth episode, The Last Supper- The weakest side of human nature.
We see the darkest, the ugliest and the weakest side of human nature. Because after Judas and the Chief priest had settled on the price, V16 “From then on, Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” This is the most absurd and ridiculous thing that ever been told. The Bible told us that from then on, Judas was looking for opportunity to hand Jesus over to the Chief priest. This tells us that Judas as playing with our Lord’s life. He made a horrible mistake one after another.
(6) The sixth episode. The Last Supper—The Deepest and Hurtful Wound.
In The Last Supper, three types of people got hurt: First, the eleven disciples got hurt. They took time to organize the gathering, but overnight everything changed. The togetherness for three years and the harmony of love was destroyed. The fellowship was hurt. This gives us a strong warning to our church today. If some one betrays our Lord, he or she betrays the harmony of fellowship. Second, Jesus was hurt. Jesus represents an innocent person. That night, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat, this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” This was a farewell night with a sad and touching to the heart speech, not only he said it, he immerged his own life in it. THIRD, Judas himself was hurt. The Bible told us, Judas died of a horrible death, he hanged himself.
The Bible said, “With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field, there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.” He had betrayed the Lord, betrayed the love of the fellowship, and he betrayed himself. His name as a disciple was forever erased and eliminated for all generations! If anyone else was hurt, I think our heavenly Father was hurt too.
(7)In The Last Supper we see the greatest, surpassing LOVE and MERCY.
Although from the Last Supper, we see many sad events; we see the weakest part of human nature; we see the agony of Jesus being betrayed; we see the strong tension among the students; we also see the greatest, surpassing LOVE and MERCY. This love and mercy has turned the CRISIS around. WITH LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, AND EVEN WITH HIS OWN LIFE, HE MADE UP FOR ALL THAT WAS BETRAYED.
The Bible said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This is UNIVERSAL LOVE. The Bible also said, “It was just before the Passover Feast, 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 15:13) This is UNENDING LOVE.
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This is SACRIFICING LOVE. Finally Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This is FORGIVING LOVE.
Jesus in his LAST SUPPER and the following day, he reveals four kinds of love:
UNIVERSAL LOVE, UNENDING LOVE, SACRIFICING LOVE AND FORGIVING LOVE. THIS IS ALSO THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN THE FULLEST DIMENSIONS OF LENGTH, WIDTH, HEIGHT AND DEPTH FOR THIS WORLD.
The Last Supper is a betrayal: a betrayal of relationship; a betrayal of this life and the everlasting life.
The Last Supper is an announcement, a heart broken announcement; a farewell announcement.
The Last Supper is a reminder, a last chance reminder, a waking up call reminder.
The Last supper is a healing, a healing for the innocents; a healing for the harm to oneself; to other people and to the whole fellowship.
The Last Supper reveals Christ’s UNIVERSAL LOVE
UNENDING LOVE
SACRIFICING LOVE AND
FORGIVING LOVE.
Rev. Szuhsing Mao 卯思興牧師 
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