CHRISTIAN QUESTIONS
For those preparing to receive the Lord’s Supper
1. Do You believe that you are a sinner?
Yes, I believe that I am a sinner.
2. How do you know this?
I know this from the Ten Commandments, which I have not kept.
3. Are you sorry for your sins?
Yes, I am sorry that I have sinned against God.
4. What have you deserved from God because of your sins?
I deserve His wrath and displeasure, temporal death, and eternal damnation.
5. Do you hope to be saved?
Yes, such is my hope.
6. In whom, then, do you trust?
I trust in my dear Lord Jesus Christ.
7. Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, true God and man.
8. How many Gods are there?
There is only one God; but there are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
9. What has Christ done for you that you trust in him?
He died for me and shed His blood for me on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.
10 Did the Father also die for you?
He did not; for the Father is God only, the Holy Spirit likewise. But the Son is true God and true man. He died for me and shed His blood for me.
11 How do you know this?
I know this from the holy Gospel and from the words of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
12 Which are those words?
The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, gave it to His disciples and said, “Take eat. This is My body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
13 Do you believe, then, that the true body and blood of Christ are in the Sacrament?
Yes, I believe it.
14 What moves you to believe this?
I am moved to believe this by the words of Christ, “Take, and eat. This is My body….Drink from it, all of you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood.”
15 What does Christ want you to do when you eat His body and drink his blood in the Lord’s Supper?
Christ wants me to remember and proclaim His death and the pouring out of His blood as He taught me: “Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
16 Why does Christ want you to remember and proclaim His death?
He wants me to do this so that: (1) I learn to believe that no creature could make satisfaction for my sins, but only Christ, who is true God and man could and did do that; (2) I learn to look with terror upon my sins and regard them as great indeed; (3) I find joy and comfort in Christ alone and believe that I have salvation through faith in Him.
17 What moved Him to die and make a complete payment for your sins?
He was moved to do this by the great love for His Father and for me and other sinners, as the Scriptures teach (John 14:31; Romans 5:8; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2).
18 Finally, why do you desire to receive Holy Communion?
I desire to do this so that I learn to believe that Christ out of great love died for my sins and that I also learn of Him to love God and my neighbor.
19 What admonishes and moves you to receive Holy Communion frequently?
The command and the promise of Christ my Lord admonishes and moves me. Also, the burden of sin which lies heavy upon me causes me to feel a hunger and thirst for Holy Communion.
20 But what can a person do if he is not aware of the burden of sin and does not feel hunger and thirst for Holy Communion?
To such a person no better advice can be given than that, in the first place, he put his hand into his bosom and feel whether he still has flesh and blood, and that he by all means believes what the Scriptures say about this (Galatians 5:17,19-21; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 7:18). Secondly, that he look around to see whether he is still in the world and keep in mind that there will be no lack of sin and trouble, as the Scriptures say (John 15:18-25; Matthew 24:9-13; Acts 14:22). Thirdly, he will certainly have the devil also about him, who with his lying and murdering, day and night, will let him have no peace, as the Scriptures picture him (John 8:44; I Peter 5 8; Eph 6:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:26).
21 What can you do if you are sick and are unable to come to Holy Communion?
Then I can send for my pastor to pray with me and to give me Holy Communion privately.
22 When is the proper time to do this?
The time to do this is not only when death is at hand, but earlier before all physical and mental power is gone.
23 Why would you want to do this?
I would want to do this to receive the assurance through Holy Communion that my sins are forgiven and that salvation is mine.
Silent Prayer For Worship Preparation
Time spent in review of the “Christian Questions” to better understand and prepare for the reception of the Lord’s Supper
If time is available, spending time in reading “The Lord’s Supper” excerpted from the Large Catechism
(If time isn’t available…..please take the supplemental flyer home and read it.)
Pre-Service Music
We Ask Our Lord To Bless This Service
The Introduction and Invitation to Worship
The Invocation
We begin this evening, in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Opening Prayer
Pastor Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father provided us with a Passover Lamb to save us from eternal death when He sent You into our world and sacrificed You on the cross for our sins. Work true
repentance in our hearts, causing us to make sincere confession of our sins and to believe with joyful trust that He has forgiven us for Your sake. May Your body and blood, given and shed for our sins and imparted to us here this evening, in, with, and under the bread and wine that we will also be receiving, cheer our hearts, and strengthen our will to live godly lives to the glory of Your holy name. We ask this in Your holy name, for You live and rule with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
Opening Hymn Hymn 136 “Twas on that Dark, that Doleful Night”
1 ‘Twas on that dark, that doleful night When pow’rs of earth and hell arose
Against the Son, our God’s delight, And friends betrayed him to his foes.
2 Before the mournful scene began, He took the bread and blessed and broke.
What love through all his actions ran! What wondrous words of grace he spoke!
3 “This is my body, slain for sin; Receive and eat the living food.”
Then took the cup and blessed the wine: “‘Tis the new cov’nant in my blood.”
4 “Do this,” he said, “till time shall end, In mem’ry of your dying friend;
Meet at my table and record The love of your departed Lord.”
5 Jesus, your feast we celebrate; We show your death; we sing your name
Till you return and we shall eat The marriage supper of the Lamb.
We Join in Confession of Our Sins
Pastor Heavenly Father, our lives are before You as an open book. You have created us. You graciously preserve us each day. And You have adopted us as Your children, and permit us to call You “Our Father” by virtue of the merits of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Still, we confess that we have repeatedly sinned against You in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.
Congregation Lord, have mercy upon us!
Pastor Lord Jesus Christ, it was our sin and guilt that directly resulted in Your innocent suffering and death. You lovingly and willingly humbled Yourself and became obedient unto death on the cross for our sakes, so that we might be forgiven and made heirs of everlasting life in heaven through faith in You. Yet, we must confess to You that we daily sin against You in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.
Congregation Lord, have mercy upon us!
Pastor Divine Holy Spirit, You have called us through Holy Baptism, You feed us spiritually through the Word and the Lord’s Supper, and You have set us apart to be Your holy temple. But in spite of these many mercies, we confess to You that we repeatedly sin against You in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.
Congregation O Triune God, + the One and Only God, + the true and ever-living God of grace and comfort, + we confess to You that consciously and unconsciously, + we continue to sin against You +
in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. + Yet we pray to You + Lord, have mercy upon us, for Jesus’ Sake.
The Absolution
“Find comfort for your souls, then, in these words of our Lord: “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will purify us from all unrighteousness, because we have One Who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” And now, upon this, your voluntary confession, I, because of my office as a called servant of God’s Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And, in the place of, and according to the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. May the peace of God be with you. Amen.
We Share and Receive
Instruction from God’s Word
The Psalm For Maundy Thursday Psalm 116
P: I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.
C: Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
P: The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
C: Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, save me!”
P: The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
C: The Lord protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me.
P: Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
C: For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
P: I believed; therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” And in my dismay I said, “All men are liars.”
C: How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?
P: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
C: I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.
P: I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord.
C: I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the Lord—in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
After which the Congregation may be seated for
The Epistle Lesson for Maundy Thursday I Corinthians 11:23-32
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way, after the meal, He also took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new testament in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Lord’s body and blood. 28 Instead, let a person examine himself and after doing so, let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For if anyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way because he does not recognize the Lord’s body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 Because of this, many among you are weak and sick, and quite a few have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not be undergoing judgment. 32 However, when we undergo judgment, we are being disciplined by the Lord so that we may not be condemned with the world.
The Gospel Lesson for Maundy Thursday Mark 14:12-26
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13 He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and there a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house that the Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
16 His disciples left and went into the city and found things just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 When it was evening, He arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “Amen I tell you: One of you will betray Me, one who is eating with Me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and said to him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the Twelve, one who is dipping bread with Me in the dish. 21 Indeed, the Son of Man is going to go just as it has been written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread. When He had blessed it, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “Take it. This is My body.” 23 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them. They all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is My blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many. 25 Amen I tell you: I will certainly not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 After they sang a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Public Confession of our Beliefs
Regarding the Sacrament of the Altar
The First Part of the Lord’s Supper The Institution
of Holy Communion
Pastor What is the Sacrament of Holy Communion?
Congregation It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, + together with the bread and wine, + instituted by Christ + for us Christians to eat and to drink.
Pastor Where is this written?
Congregation The Holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Apostle Paul tell us: + The Lord Jesus Christ, +
On the night He was betrayed + took bread; + and when He had given thanks, + He broke it, + gave it to His disciples and said: + “Take and eat. + This is My body, which is given for You; + do this in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way, + after supper He took the cup, + gave thanks, + gave it to them and said: + “Drink from it, all of you. + This cup is the new covenant in My blood, + which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. + Do this, whenever you drink it, + in remembrance of Me.”
The Hymn Response “An Awesome Mystery Is Here”
An Awesome mystery is here To challenge faith and waken fear:
The Savior comes in food divine, Concealed in earthly bread and wine.
In consecrated wine and bread No eye perceives the myst’ry dread;
But Jesus’ words are strong and clear:
“My body and My blood are here.”
The Second Part of the Lord’s Supper The Blessings
of Holy Communion
Pastor What blessing do we receive through this eating and
drinking?
Congregation That is shown us by these words, + “Given and poured out for you + for the forgiveness of sins.”
Pastor Through these words we receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation in this Sacrament.
Congregation For where there is forgiveness of sins, + there is also life and salvation.
The Hymn Response “Here O My Lord, I See You Face to Face”
Hymn 315 verse 4
Mine is the sin but Yours the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt but Yours the cleaning blood.
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace.
Your blood, Your righteousness, O Lord, my God.
The Third Part of the Lord’s Supper The Power
of Holy Communion
Pastor How can eating and drinking do such great things?
Congregation It is certainly not the eating and drinking that does such things, + but the words, “Given and poured out for you + for the forgiveness of sins.”
Pastor These words are the main thing in this sacrament, along with the eating and drinking.
Congregation And whoever believes these words has what they plainly say, + the forgiveness of sins.
The Hymn Response “Your Table I Approach“ Melody of CW 555
Your Table I approach, Dear Savior, hear my prayer.
O let no unrepented sin, prove hurtful to me there.
Lord, I confess my sin, and mourn their wretched bands.
A contrite heart is sure to find, Forgiveness at Your hands.
The Fourth Part of the Lord’s Supper The Reception
of Holy Communion
Pastor Who, then, is properly prepared to receive this sacrament?
Congregation Fasting and other outward preparations may serve a good purpose, + but he is properly prepared who
believes these words, + “Given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.” + But whoever does not believe these words + or doubts them + is not prepared, + because the words “for you” + require nothing but hearts that believe.
Hymn Response Hymn 312 “Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared” verses 1 & 6
1 Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared This feast for our salvation;
It is your body and your blood, And at your invitation
As weary souls, with sin oppressed, We come to you for needed rest,
For comfort, and for pardon.
6 Lord, I believe what you have said; Help me when doubts assail me.
Remember that I am but dust, And let my faith not fail me.
Your supper in this vale of tears Refreshes me and stills my fears
And is my priceless treasure.
After which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED as
We Meditate Upon God’s Word
The Sermon Text Jeremiah 31:31-34
31 Yes, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers, when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of Mine, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My law in their minds, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. 34 No longer will each one teach his neighbor, or each one teach his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord, for I will forgive their guilt, and I will remember their sins no more.
THE NEW COVENANT
1. For Less-Than-Faithful People 2. To Enable Them To Be Faithful Again
after which the Congregation will remain seated as
We Bring Our Offerings to the LORD
Offerings will be received this morning through offering plates passed among those who have gathered here for worship.
However, for those viewing this service online, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address
(415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can also donate on our website: www.gracelutherannwa.com
Maundy Thursday-Responsive Prayer
Lord God, heavenly Father, Author of the everlasting covenant and Giver of the cup of salvation,
C: We gather in Your courts to offer You our sacrifice of
thanksgiving.
For fulfilling Your promise to establish a new covenant through the blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ,
C: We give You humble and hearty thanks.
As our Lord Jesus Christ gave thanks to You when He broke the bread, as He gave thanks to You when He took the cup,
C: We also give You thanks.
Precious Savior, both Priest and offering, awe and wonder fill our hearts as we partake of Your body, broken for us, and Your blood, shed for us.
C: We praise You, bless You, and adore You, Lord Jesus Christ.
In our poverty of righteousness, we have nothing to offer. Without Your tremendous sacrifice, we would still be in our sins,
But through Your sacrament of the New Testament, we are assured that our iniquities are forgiven and our sins are no longer remembered.
P: O Holy Spirit, dwell within us as we remember our Lord’s death in this sacrament. Enter our hearts to strengthen our faith and fill us with gratitude for Your great mercy.
C: Move us to encourage one another to love and to do good works.
P: Hear us, Lord, as we also bring You our private petitions and praises.
Silent prayer
P: As our Lord served His disciples by washing their feet, so may we also humbly serve one another in true Christian love, humility, and service.
Help us every day to live our lives as sacrifices of thanksgiving to Him Who first loved us and best…..and in Whose name we join in praying.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Prepare to Receive the Lord’s Supper
The Final Prayer of Preparation
Pastor Lord Jesus Christ, You left us a Holy Supper in memory of Your suffering. Help us now to receive Your body and blood with thanksgiving, that this heavenly food may strengthen us to lead a godly life now and hereafter. We come to You with believing hearts, for You live and rule with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Congregation
Grant that we worthily receive Your Supper, Lord, our Savior,
And, truly grieving o’er our sins, May prove by our behavior
That we are thankful for Your grace And day by day may run our race,
In holiness increasing. Hymn 312, v 7
The Sacrament of the Altar
Consecration of the Elements – Pastor
after which the Congregation may be seated
The Distribution of the Elements
TO OUR GUESTS: We ask that only “Confirmed, Communicant” individuals who are in full doctrinal
fellowship with us……as members of this congregation, of one of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod congregations, or from a congregation of our sister-Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod….come forward to receive the Lord’s Supper at this time.
To us the Lord’s Supper is both an expression of our common faith in
Christ (a “vertical fellowship” with Christ…which we share with all our fellow worshipers this evening), and also a public expression of our complete doctrinal agreement as a congregation (as I Corinthians 1:10 and 10:17 requires of us; a “horizontal fellowship” of full Biblical unity with each other).
Accordingly, we are not, in any way, judging your Christian faith by respectfully asking you not to join us in the Lord’s Supper this evening. Rather, we pray that our Scripture-based practice of “Close Communion” will encourage all those Christians who are not presently in full fellowship with us to seriously examine the teachings and practices of their church in order to determine if those teachings and practices are really in full agreement with God’s Word. It is our earnest desire that you might become familiar with and accept the Scripture-dependant doctrines of our congregation, so that you might one day join with us at the Lord’s altar in this public expression of full unity of doctrine and practice. Until then, please know that we are most grateful for your participation as a fellow Christian in this worship service, and that we appreciate your patience and understanding of our Communion practice. Thank You, and may God bless you.
Distribution Hymn Hymn 135 “The Death of Jesus Christ, Our Lord”
1 The death of Jesus Christ, our Lord, We celebrate with one accord;
It is our comfort in distress, Our heart’s sweet joy and happiness.
2 He blotted out with his own blood The judgment that against us stood;
He full atonement for us made, And all our debt he fully paid.
3 That this forever true shall be He gives a solemn guarantee;
In this his holy supper here We taste his love, so sweet, so near.
4 His word proclaims and we believe That in this supper we receive
His very body, as he said, His very blood for sinners shed.
5 A precious food is this indeed – It never fails us in our need —
A heav’nly manna for our soul Until we safely reach our goal.
6 Oh, blest is each believing guest Who in this promise finds his rest,
For Jesus will in love abide With those who do in him confide.
7 The guest that comes with true intent To turn to God and to repent,
To live for Christ, to die to sin, Will thus a holy life begin.
8 They who his word do not believe This food unworthily receive,
Salvation here will never find – May we this warning keep in mind!
9 Help us sincerely to believe That we may worthily receive
Your supper and in you find rest. Amen! They who believe are blest.
Following the distribution, the Congregation will rise for the closing prayer
We Leave With the Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Prayer
Pastor We give You thanks, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this saving gift. We pray that through Your mercy You would strengthen us in our faith in You and in sincere love for one another. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, Who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Congregation Amen.
For Your consoling Supper, Lord, Be praised throughout all ages!
Preserve it, for in every place The world against it rages.
Grant that this Sacrament may be A blessed comfort unto me
When living and when dying. Amen. Hymn 312, v 8
The Benediction
Pastor Receive now, with believing hearts, the benediction of your Lord.
The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
And the LORD look upon you with favor, and grant you His peace.
Congregation Amen.
Silent Prayer, Announcements
Post-service Music