Maundy Thursday
Mark 4:35-41 Jesus’ Words are Powerful
Who is this Jesus? Who can do such a thing? Who can change the forces of nature with a single word? Imagine the disciples. They were experienced fisherman. Certainly they had experienced fierce storms in the past. However, this one was so furious that they thought they would certainly drown. And yet, what needless fear; what little faith in Jesus.
With a little word Jesus controls the uncontrollable. His word saves from certain death; makes fear unnecessary; makes the impossible possible. His word changes everything.
And so, when life’s problems loom large, when the path of life looks impassable, when things happen that you can’t understand, when your eyes see nothing more than a mere morsel of bread, only a mere swallow of wine, when impossibility is all you see… look at whose words these are.
Look to Jesus, whose words make all the difference. Look to Jesus, whose words far surpass our limited reason. Look to Jesus whose words say, “This is my body, this is my blood for you, for your forgiveness.” Whose word has such power? Whose words can give so much? Jesus’ mighty words. Just look at that calm sea.
Matthew 8:5-13 Jesus’ Words are Worthy of Trust
If Jesus’ words are so powerful to calm a fierce storm then we can certainly trust them.
Whom did this centurion trust? He knew how it worked. He was a commander. All he had to do was say the word and it would be taken care of. If his words, mere human words, had that authority, how much more authority does the words of the ruler of all things, Jesus, have! He knew that all he needed was Jesus’ word and his request would be granted. Jesus’ words were worth every bit of his trust.
But is it a gamble? I mean can we trust anyone? We’ve failed to keep our word; we’ve been let down by others. Talk is cheap. We hear things like, “I’ve discovered this great investment scheme to make thousands, trust me!” “Trust me, you’ll be just fine.” Who really means what they say anymore? How can we be sure Jesus meant it when He said, “This is my body, this is my blood, this gives you forgiveness of sins”? Why put much stake in these words?
Why? Because these are Jesus’ words, God’s words. If Jesus’ words have the power to calm a storm and to heal someone from a distance, then His words are worth every bit of our trust. Jesus means it when He says, “This is my body, this is my blood, this gives you forgiveness.” You can be confident that Jesus’ words accomplish absolutely whatever He wants them to. Just look at that centurion’s healed servant!
Matthew 26:26-30 Jesus’ Words are Glorious!
He had nothing in this world. No estate. No investments. No inheritance. He’s about to leave His disciples and what will He leave them when He goes? What could He possibly give them to replace His physical presence? And what about us, His followers in the year 2010, what has He left us?
Although He “owned” nothing, He leaves us something far better than we can ever imagine! He leaves us Himself! He gives us Himself in the Lord’s Supper! He gives us Himself not only to remind us of His suffering and death for us, but to actually give and seal to us the forgiveness of all of our sins! He actually gives us in His Supper the forgiveness of all of our sins, a new life, and the assurance of an eternity in heaven with Him!
How can we be sure this is true? His words say so. His words which are so powerful that they can calm a furious storm say so. His words which are so trustworthy they can heal from far away by just saying the word say so. His words which are so loving that they give us our very Lord and the very forgiveness we need say so!
Yes, Jesus “owned” nothing, but He gave us everything! In the Lord’s Supper He feeds us with Himself giving and confirming in us a status of “not guilty” before His throne. His words say so. And His words are glorious!