It’s Maundy Thursday (a term I first learned from an Air Force chaplain when I was 24 years old!), the day we remember when Jesus initiated the Lord’s Supper. Here’s Matthew’s version:

As they ate, Jesus took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples. He said to them, “This is my body. Eat it.” Then taking the cup of wine, he gave thanks to the Father, he entered into covenant with them, saying, “This is my blood. Each of you must drink it in fulfillment of the covenant. For this is the blood that seals the new covenant. It will be poured out for many for the complete forgiveness of sins. The next time we drink this, I will be with you and we will drink it together with a new understanding in the kingdom realm of my Father.” Then they sang a psalm and left for the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26.26 – 30, TPT)

And after sharing the solemn meal with the 11 remaining disciples, the men to whom he has committed his life and his strategy, Jesus says they will all run away. (Matthew 26.31 – 35) Which was important, actually. If they had stayed, the Romans could have killed them all. What do they care? But the disciples ran because they were weak as Jesus told Peter, James, and John in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Later, he came back to them and found them all sound asleep. He awakened Peter and said to him, “Do you lack the strength to stay awake with me for even just an hour? Keep alert and pray that you’ll be spared from this time of testing. You should have learned by now that your spirit is eager enough, but your humanity is weak.” (Matthew 26.40, 41, TPT)

So Jesus shared “the first communion” with men who would desert him in hours, and he gave what we call the Great Commission to doubters:

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples heard the wonderful news from the women and left for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. The moment they saw him, they worshiped him, but some still had lingering doubts. Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me. Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” Matthew 28.16 – 20, TPT, emphasis mine)

You don’t feel strong? You don’t think you have your act together? It’s OK. We’re in good company!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2.8, 9, ESV)