Prelude

Call to Worship:   

We have come to worship the Trinity,
One God, three persons,  beyond our understanding yet constantly revealing themselves to us.
We have come to worship an infinite being  who took on finite flesh: fully human and fully divine  a being who is love itself.
In Jesus God  who is almighty,  let go of power  to be in solidarity with outcasts and criminals. Who was betrayed and denied by his followers, and went to the cross loving them all, and loving us.   

Hymn: 229 Jesu, Jesu fill us with your love

Prayer of Approach 

Loving Jesus though you are God, with all the influence and status that the name implies, you refused to pull rank, and parade your power among us. 

Instead, you chose to step down into our experience, living among us, as one of us, with all the struggle and suffering that goes with being human. 

 More than that, you adopted the role of slave, washing feet, serving people of no reputation or social standing, and giving of yourself completely. 

 We thank you that you are the God who serves, and we can respond in no other way than to give ourselves to you in praise; tonight, tomorrow, at the Resurrection and for everyday of our lives.   

It is our life’s joy to praise you.  Amen. 

Call to Confession 

When we follow in the steps of Jesus, we say yes to bearing his cross— not because there is any kind of value in suffering, 

 not to prove our selflessness, nor because God wills it, 

 but because living as Jesus lived  makes the cross inevitable.   

Jesus went to the cross for us and for our salvation; let in gratitude make our confession before him, saying…. 

 

Prayer of Confession Unison
Jesus, when we side with you, we side with all who threaten the powers of evil.    When we refuse the call to see others’ struggles as our own,  we abandon our kin to shoulder their crosses alone.
Forgive us for our sins and give us the power to carry the cross that is set on our shoulders.  Amen 

Lament Unison:  We are all Betrayers 

Because we are all betrayers, taking silver and eating body and blood and asking is it I who is guilty and hearing him say yes.
We wait through these long days to come, to hear the news of grace reborn.  We wait until he will be there after the voice of morning to ask each again do you love me?
We pray we will  be ready to respond.   

Hymn: 234  Ah holy Jesus how hast thou offended

Scripture 

Psalm 116: 7-19 p 955
Luke 22: 1-13 p 1636
Luke 22: 24-34 p 1637 

Sermon  between betrayal and discipleship 

Tonight ,we look at the middle between betrayal and discipleship.   As we consider what these Scriptures have to say about betrayal, we can begin to see how it has many facets.   

The commentator Khun talks about encountering betrayal, denial and misunderstanding.  And it seems that not one person who joined Jesus at the Table that night has escaped the snare of betrayal.  When we cast our minds to the rest of the story, we see how each of them left the Table of Grace, to let Jesus down. 

Khun begins by describing the betrayal of Judas, which we of course expect.  He was a traitor to the cause.  He sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver.  He handed Jesus over to death with a kiss. 

But were these acts a part of his misunderstanding of the purpose of Jesus.  After all Judas Iscariot—Judas of the knives—came  into his position as a disciple with a reputation.  He had previously been a part of what we would now call a terrorist organization.  A group involved in skirmishes with the Romans, looking to start a revolution to take their land back.   

There have been commentators who speculated that perhaps Judas was frustrated at how slowly Jesus moved in starting the final push to regain the throne.  There have been some who speculated that he needed the money to supplement the treasury, and believed that when the Romans came Jesus, would lead the assault to regain the throne.  He was doing Jesus a favour, in other words.   

It seems that we can see in the ways that Khun continues to outline the betrayals of that night, is that misunderstanding is at the root of all of them. 

He next outlines the actions of Peter, whose misunderstanding in the purpose of Jesus led to Denial.  Jesus warns the disciples that Satan is coming for him; but that Satan is also coming for the disciples and that primarily Peter would betray Jesus by denying that he knows Jesus.  Not once; but three times he would deny knowing Jesus.   

The third part of betrayal that Khun outlines is neglect.  As we look at the unfolding of the events in the Garden of Gethsemane we see that neglect played out in lack of awareness.  More specifically when Jesus asks them to pray, as he pours out his agony before God, they fall asleep.  All of them fall asleep.  The disciples in the garden and Peter, James and John up on the hill.  They all fall asleep and abandon Jesus when he needs the support of his companions.   

The commentator Jones agrees that everyone at the Table with Jesus have betrayed him in one way or another. 

She notes that Jesus takes them all through the Passover meal, with its focus on the redemptive power of God; and, more importantly, the saving power of God.     

Taking the symbols of the Passover; the bread and the wine, Jesus uses them as a metaphor for his body broken and his blood poured out.  She writes that even as Jesus pours out his blood the disciples fail him. 

Judas leaves the Table  to set up turning Jesus over to the Roman authorities. 

Later, Peter will be sifted like wheat and found wanting as he will  deny knowing Jesus. 

Later, the other disciples argue once again about who will be the greatest among them when Jesus establishes his Kingdom.  

Those who will betray.   

Those who will deny.   

Those who will argue and maybe fight for an honoured  position.   

All of them show their misunderstanding of who Jesus is, and in that one act, they are dangerous to Jesus and themselves.   

Aligning with the enemy, leads to an armed encounter.   

Denying Jesus, means not accepting his authority and  takes the focus away from what Jesus is called to do.    

Seeking the first position can only lead to seeking and desiring even the highest position, the struggle for power is never content with the power it achieves.   

And if we include falling asleep on watch, that is a dereliction of duty with huge ramifications, because it allows the enemy in, 

So we see that all the disciples in one way or another betrayed Jesus, by what they did, and what they didn’t do.  Not one of them stayed loyal.   

So then how can Jesus still count them as disciples? 

In Jesus we see that counter-testimony that comes as he pours out the blood into the wine cup.  He treats them all with grace, even Judas whom he sends out to do what he must do.   

Even Peter, for whom the greatest reproach he has to give him is to look at him with sadness when the rooster crows.   

He reminds the disciples that it is not for him to select who will be the greatest among them. 

And even with that knowledge he still calls them disciples. 

In a few minutes all of us will gather around the Table of Grace.   

We bring with us the times we misunderstood Jesus.  The times we denied him.  The times we turned away from him.  The times when our own pride and arrogance desired for us to be more important than we think we are.  The times when each one of us failed in our calling as disciples. 

On the Table are the symbols of the  Passover elements, unleavened bread for the journey and wine which in the Passover meal stands for freedom, sanctification, affliction and praise.  On the Passover Table is a 5th piece of bread that is never used and reserved for the Messiah.  Jesus choses this piece of bread.  Likewise on the Passover Table there is also the Elijah cup.  This is the cup only the Messiah will drink from—and the cup that Jesus gives to everyone to drink from.   

This is where Jesus is feeding the disciples for the journey that they will take with him.  This is where he prepares them to be able to drink from the same cup from which  he must drink.  His actions are filled with grace and love for each one of them, even as he knows that they will, each of them, betray him that night in their own way. 

When we come to the Table Jesus already knows how we have betrayed him.  But he also knows our hearts.  And he forgives us.  

Then as we pray over these elements they will be changed as we utter the words of Jesus, to the broken body and the blood outpoured. 

We will remember that the bread and wine are meant to be healing and forgiveness.  Healing and forgiveness realigns us with the true nature of Jesus.  Healing and forgiveness makes it possible for all of us to be the disciples that Jesus seeks. 

For those disciples, that journey from betrayer to disciple happened right there at the Table.  Even as they left the Table to betray him, that act of grace  made them disciples who would journey with Jesus to the cross, and disciples who would greet him with joy after the Resurrection, and disciples who would establish his Church on earth.   

Grace and forgiveness makes discipleship possible for all of us.  And Jesus has already done all the work.   

All we need to do is to leave the Table to follow him and learn from him.    Amen 

 

  Hymn:  221 O dearest Lord

The Offering
Doxology  830

Prayer 

You have called us to see everyone in the love of Jesus.  You place people in our road who are in desperate need of your good news,
Help us to be your hands and feet in this world, so that all whom we encounter will know your love.
Accept now the love we bring, in our lives and service and through these offerings.  Bless all that we bring and give it to those who need your love and mercy.  Amen 

Prayers of Intercession 

Gracious God, As those who strive to follow Jesus in our living
and to trust your power in our dying, we gather to reflect upon the life that ended on a cross. 

We recognize in ourselves the strengths and weaknesses of Jesus’ disciples:  although they loved him, they disappointed and failed him.  We are like them.  We understand the ways our behaviours can look like betrayal and denial.   

We are like the disciples, those imperfect friends at this last meal
Jesus washed their feet in service, and then extended the bread and cup to each.
We are humbled, honored and inspired by the deep love Christ extended to the world, and we take seriously the calling to be the body of Christ today. 

We raise our prayers to you for those who are ill and recovering.  We pray for those who have no place to place their heads tonight.  We pray for those who search for food.  We pray for those who seek for justice.   Grant us the vision to see the world as you see it,
with love and compassion for each creature and all of your creation.  Grant us the will to labour for all those who are in need.  Show us your calling, and guide us in fulfilling your will. 

In Jesus name we pray.  Amen 

 

Invitation to the Table 

The Last Supper shows us who is welcome at Christ’s table:  people who sometimes trust, and sometimes question, who are sometimes fearful, sometimes bold.  

Those who are welcome include liars and backsliders, doubters and deniers, and those who still struggle to get free of what the world calls power, but commit to revolution of grace and mercy anyway. 

 Impulsive people. Imperfect people. People who mess up over and over—but try again, and again, and again. 

 In short: each and every one of us. 

 So let us believe that we are  welcome here:  

Jesus wants you at his table, exactly as you are. 

You are invited in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to come to the Table and celebrate the grace that calls you, and makes you whole.  

 

Hymn:  524 We come as guests invited

We come as guests invited

We come as guests invited when Jesus bids us dine​
his friends on earth united to share the bread and wine​
the bread of life is broken the wine is freely poured​
for us in solemn token of Christ our dying Lord

we eat and drink receiving from Christ the grace we need​
and in our hearts believing on him by faith we feed​
with wonder and thanksgiving for love that knows no end​
we find in Jesus living our ever present friend

one bread is ours for sharing one single fruitful vine​
our fellowship declaring renewed in bread and wine​
renewed, sustained, and given by token, sign and word​
the pledge and seal of heaven, the love of Christ our Lord

The Apostle’s Creed​

I believe in God, the Father almighty creator of heaven and earth​

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary,​
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried: he descended to the dead On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church​
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,​
the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen

The Lord be with you​
And also with you​
Lift up your hearts​
We lift them up to the Lord​
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God​
It is right to give God thanks and praise….

Through Your love, he healed the sick, he welcomed the outcast, he challenged those in power, and the structures that kept them there. ​

And he called us back to Your love.​

 …..Therefore we join with the whole creation to lift our hearts in joyful praise​

Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might​
heaven and earth are full of your glory,​
Hosanna in the highest​

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord​
Hosanna in the highest

Teach us to love one another as Christ has loved us, so that everyone will know that we are his disciples ​

…proclaiming the mystery of faith in word and deed​

Christ has died,​
Christ is risen,​
Christ will come again.

Sharing the Bread and the Wine

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread,

and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,

“Take, eat; this is my body given for you;

do this in remembrance of me.”                                                                                     (Break a piece of bread or small loaf and eat.)

 

After supper he took the cup,

and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying,

“Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins;

do this, as often as you drink of it, in remembrance of me.”                     (Elevate the cup and drink.)

Prayer after Communion

Holy God, on this night Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment:

to love one another as he loved them.

Write this commandment on our hearts,

and strengthen us in service, in unity and in love for Christ’s sake. Amen.

Hymn #230 Go to Dark Gethsemane

 

Depart in Silence