Jesus celebrates the Passover, institutes the Lord’s Supper, gives final instructions to his disciples, and makes preparations for his death. There is quite a bit to read tonight, so we’ve broken the reading into categories with corresponding discussion and questions. Use as little or as much as is appropriate for your family, and enjoy your time together with the Lord!
Thursday Reading
- Preparing for Passover
- Matthew 26:17-19
- Jesus’s Predictions During & After the Passover Meal
- Predicting his betrayal: Matthew 26:20-25
- Predicting his death: Matthew 26:26-29
- Predicting the disciple’s abandonment & Peter’s denial: Matthew 26:30-35
- Jesus Teaches the Disciples to (really) Love One Another
- by serving them — John 13:1-17
- by giving a new command — John 13:34-35
- Jesus Prays at Gethsemane
- Matthew 26:36-46
- Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested
- Matthew 26:47-56
Thursday Discussion
- Preparing for Passover
- Jesus tells the disciples, “My time is at hand,” while directing them to prepare the Passover. Just as the Jewish people are preparing to remember the faithfulness of the Lord in delivering them from slavery in Egypt, Jesus is preparing for the ultimate demonstration of God’s faithfulness in delivering his people from slavery to sin and death. This moment has been brewing in Scripture since the Garden of Eden—God’s promise in Genesis 3:15 will soon be fulfilled!
- Jesus’ Predictions During & After the Passover Meal
- Over the past few days, we have seen Jesus teach with authority and wisdom in the temple. He shows the same authority here by predicting his betrayal, death, and the disciple’s abandonment. Though he will soon face unimaginable difficulty, he knows he will not even have the support of his closest disciples—he must trust his father alone.
- Jesus Teaches the Disciples to (really) Love One Another
- Paul teaches that Jesus “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). In John 13 we see Jesus the humble servant, stooping low to wash the feet of his disciples, an unthinkable act according to cultural norms of the day. Jesus was not just thumbing his nose at tradition, however—he was teaching the disciples about the true nature of love: sacrifice.
- Jesus follows his sacrificial act with a new command for the disciples: love one another the same way I (Jesus) have loved you. It is not just that we receive and enjoy the sacrificial love of God; we are also to show that same sacrificial love to others! This, according to Jesus, is how people will know if you are really one of his followers.
- Jesus Prays at Gethsemane
- His predictions about the disciples have come true—they can’t even stay with him to pray, succumbing to sleep instead. Alone now with his father, Jesus pours out his heart…if there is any other way to accomplish salvation, let it be done that way…but more than that, Jesus asks that the Father’s will be accomplished through him. Jesus knew that sin always resulted in death, and he knew that only his death—the death of a sinless sacrifice—could bring lost people back to God once and for all (1 Peter 3:18).
- Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested
- Finally, the moment has arrived. Judas’ plot to betray Jesus comes to fruition. Even so, Jesus reassures both his disciples and the crowd that everything is happening exactly according to the Scriptures. Though the religious leaders sought to catch Jesus in a trap, they have only succeeded in advancing the redemptive plans of a God who is set on rescuing his children.
Thursday Questions
- Preparing for Passover
- The Passover was a celebration of God’s faithfulness, a reminder to the people that God would keep his promises. How is Jesus’ death the ultimate example of a promise kept?
- Jesus’ Predictions During & After the Passover Meal
- Have you ever been let down or disappointed by a friend? How did that make you feel? How does it make you feel to know that Jesus went through the same thing with his disciples?
- Jesus Teaches the Disciples to (really) Love One Another
- Jesus is a lot of things…King, Lord, Savior…why is it so important that he is also a servant? How has Jesus served you? How can you serve and love someone else, just like Jesus served and loved you?
- Jesus Prays at Gethsemane
- Jesus’ prayer at one of the most important (and difficult) moments in his life was this: not my will but your will be done. What are your prayers at the most important and difficult moments in your life? How can Jesus’ example of complete trust in God help you trust God also?
- Jesus is Betrayed and Arrested
- The religious leaders hated Jesus and thought they were finally going to put a stop to him…but they were totally wrong! How does it make you feel to know that nothing the whole world can stop what God wants to do in your life?
Additional Resources
- The Final Days of Jesus: Thursday (video) — https://vimeo.com/89420081
- Holy Week Timeline Visualization Chart — http://tiny.cc/9uabay
May God bless you as you walk with him today!
Calvary Discipleship Team
