Holy Thursday Devotion - Mark Beebe

Holy Thursday Devotion - Mark Beebe

From the temple as a boy – calmly telling frantic parents, “I’m in my dad’s house and this is where I’m supposed to be” – to raising Lazarus while “experiencing full-blown grief,” you’ll hear how giving himself away was “literally his nature.” Mark keeps things relatable and even a bit playful, inviting you to picture Jesus as a kid kicking a football in the street, or Lazarus stumbling out of the tomb “looking like a mummy.” At the same time, he links each scene to the heart of recovery: a love that shows up, gives, and keeps giving, even when others misunderstand or reject it.

How do people find hope in the darkest times? This Holy Thursday message from Recovery at Cokesbury centres on one simple theme: Jesus constantly gives himself away, and that changes how you see love, sacrifice, and recovery. Mark Beebe walks through scenes from Jesus’ life, showing how he always seemed to know where he was headed and what his purpose was.

All of this leads to Holy Thursday, where Jesus gives himself away yet again through bread and cup, offering “a new promise of what life is going to be like from here on out.” The episode closes with a direct challenge: “Are you willing to receive the gift of everything Jesus is bringing to you?” For anyone in recovery who wonders if they’re really loved, Mark’s assurance is clear: “You’re never going to be more loved than you are right now.” If you’re craving a fresh look at grace, communion, and sacrifice through a recovery lens, this message might be exactly what your heart’s been waiting for.

He talks through the feeding on the beach as “a pre-communion meal,” the uncomfortable intimacy of the foot washing (“the average Christian is going to lose their mind”), and the Palm Sunday parade where cheers and hatred stood side by side.