Passover - the ultimate expression of Servant Leadership

Today is "Holy Thursday," "Maundy Thursday," the night that Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples in the upper room. Are you familiar with the significance of this meal?

The original Passover meal happened when God delivered the Hebrews out of Egypt. You can find the account in Exodus chapter 12 verses 1-13. God instructs the Hebrews to sacrifice a lamb - one without defect - then put some of the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their home. That night, as God was fulfilling the final plague for the Egyptians, He would kill the first-born from each family and livestock. When He sees the blood on the doorposts, He will pass over their home and no destructive plague will touch that home and family.

This meal then became one of the annual feasts - The Passover Feast - that the Hebrews would celebrate. The meal that is eaten during the Passover is known as the Seder and is the re-telling of the time in Exodus when God delivered the Hebrews from slavery and bondage. On that Thursday evening 2000 years ago, Jesus also celebrated this feast with his disciples. 

This meal and time together had two significant parts:

1. The washing of feet - Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He was the Rabbi, not the servant, but by performing this lowly act of service, the Bible says in John 13:1 that Jesus "showed them the full extent of his love." By his example, Jesus demonstrated how Christians are to love one another through humble service.  Are you a Servant Leader? Are you willing to wash the dirty feet of another?
2. The meal itself - I suspect that night Jesus and His disciples enjoyed the full traditional Passover meal (Seder) but the two components on which we focus are the bread and wine. Both He blessed, then shared with His disciples with instruction. "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you." (Luke 22:19-20) I personally am always more introspective and moved by what He said when he shared the wine than the bread. It is such a clear expression of His sacrifice that would take place within a few hours.

This Passover Feast that Jesus celebrated with his disciples is very significant to us today.  He, Jesus, was the fulfillment of the Passover as He was now the lamb without defect, sacrificed, whose blood was placed on the doorposts of our lives for which God passes over us that we might not have eternal death and separation.