Why Christians Need a Maundy Thursday Faith Long after Easter

Have you considered walking away from the church due to disillusionment or pain? Many have gone through the phenomenon known as “dechurching.” If the answer is yes, then even after Easter, Maundy Thursday has a message for you.

The word “Maundy” derives from the Latin word mandatum, which means “mandate” or “command.” On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gave his disciples a final commandment before he was betrayed, arrested, and condemned to suffer on the cross. Jesus instructed, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Any commandment of Jesus is not to be taken lightly. Still, certainly the last one that he gave holds special significance. Show this love to himself, he shared a symbolic meal with his disciples and washed their feet. He shared a Passover meal, signifying Jesus’ role as the final Passover Lamb. It is also called the Last Supper and lays the biblical precedent for the sacrament of communion.

While a lot happened on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter typically get the most attention. To be sure, both days are essential. Good Friday is good because Jesus took our place. His one sacrifice on the cross was powerful enough to reconcile humanity back to God because of who Jesus is, and it’s a gift that we benefit from when we believe. Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death, a triumph that becomes our own when we also believe. So through belief, we are forgiven and receive enduring hope and salvation through what transpired these days. Here are five reasons why the message of Maundy Thursday is important and especially worth honoring in the wake of Easter. In fact, it’s precisely what the church needs right now.

Click Here to Read the 5 Reasons at Crosswalk.com