No … not Monday Thursday – Maundy. It comes from the Latin phrase “Mandatum novum … “; meaning “a new covenant”. These were Jesus’ words in John13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another …”
On Maundy Thursday, Christians around the world celebrate the Lord’s Last Supper with his disciples before his death and resurrection. It was at the last supper that Jesus instituted the commemoration of this new covenant saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is a new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20).
When Jesus described the kingdom he brought, he described it as a covenant, not a contract – a covenant sealed in his own blood.
A contract is an agreement based on payment for services rendered. The nature of a contract is one of suspicion and mistrust. Each party in a contract looks for failures in the other party in order to absolve them of their contractual responsibility and commitment.
A covenant, on the other hand, is not like that. A covenant is sealed intent – regardless of performance. This is the nature of the kingdom Jesus brought. By shedding his blood on the cross he gave his life as a ransom for many, absorbed all the punishment and wrath for the sins of His people and forever reconciled them to God. Sealed in a new covenant, not a contract.
I rejoice on Maundy Thursday – rejoice because my salvation, my peace with a Holy God has been forever secured by my Saviour Jesus. My relationship with God is not secured by the constancy of my feeble will, but by the faithfulness of Jesus; who made “by His one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the world.” (Book of Common Prayer).
My response on Maundy Thursday is to accept my guilt, acknowledge the feeble nature of my will in faithfully following Jesus, and then admire God’s grace. The same God who sent Jesus, a strong Saviour, able to save sinners – even the worst.
Repent. Believe. Rejoice in the new covenant.
