The Sovereign Love of God

T he P assion of C hrist

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Maundy Thursday April 1, 2021

Holy Week recalls the events of our Lord’s suffering and death. We recall his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his giving of the commandments on Maundy Thursday, his crucifixion and burial on Good Friday, and the solemn vigil of Saturday night before Easter Sunday.

TODAY’S THEME Love One Another, John 13.1-17, 31b-35

Before the Feast of the Passover, being with his disciples in the Upper Room, our Lord knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father. During supper, he laid aside his outer garments, took a towel and tied it around his waist, poured water into a basin, and washed the disciples’ feet. In this grand act of humility, he demonstrated the kind of servanthood that should characterize the relationships among his disciples in the church. He also gave a new commandment of love to his disciples: that we love one another, as he had loved us.

Daily Devotional Guide

Preparing Our Hearts

Invocation: Our Prayer of Acclamation OHoly and ever-blessed Lord, teach us, we beseech Thee to love one another, to exercise forbearance and forgiveness toward our enemies, to recompense noman evil for evil, but to bemerciful even as Thou, our Father in heaven, art merciful; so that wemay continually followafter Thee in all our doings, and bemore andmore conformed to Thine image and likeness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~ New Church Book of Worship, A.D. 1876. (Fox, p. 105)