Maundy Thursday

April 14th, 2022

The Lord's Supper is surely what it is when it is the Lord's doing. He has done Calvary. 'The passion of Christ occurred but once on the cross. But whom would it benefit if it were not distributed, applied and put to us?' If you want your sins forgiven you do not go to Calvary, but to the Lord's Supper. At Calvary it was achieved but not given out. Here it is not achieved but it is given you. As the Small Catechism confesses, the two chief things are the bodily eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ and the words for you. Into mouth and into faith; unfaith can repudiate the gift, but it cannot make the Lord's words untrue. It can profane his body and blood to mortal consequence. – Dr. Norman Nagel

Opening Hymn	#642 – O Living Bread from Heaven

Corporate Confession & Absolution	Pg. 290

The Introit	Ps. 116:1–4; antiphon: Ps. 116:5

Gracious is the Lord, and | righteous;*

our God is | merciful.

I love the Lord, because | he has heard*

my voice and my pleas for | mercy.

Because he inclined his | ear to me,*

therefore I will call on him as long | as I live.

The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid | hold on me;*

I suffered distress and | anguish.

Then I called on the name | of the Lord:*

"O Lord, I pray, deliv- | er my soul!"

Gracious is the Lord, and | righteous;*

our God is | merciful.

Collect of the Day

O Lord, in this wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body and blood that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Passion Reading

Hymn of the Day	#617 – O Lord, We Praise Thee

The Sermon	I AM the Bread of Life

John 6:35-59 (esp. v. 35)

Apostle's Creed	Back Cover of Hymnal

Offering and Prayers

Service of the Sacrament	Pg. 194

Distribution Hymns	#636 – Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness

Closing Hymn	#445 - When You Woke That Thursday Morning

Stripping of the Altar (Evening Service Only)	Psalm 8

Immediately after the Post Communion Prayer and after the candles have been extinguished, the communion vessels are reverently removed, and the altar is stripped in preparation for the solemn services of Good Friday. While this is done, the congregation will read responsively Psalm 8. All leave the church silently.

Our Practice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper which we celebrate today "is appropriately called the Food of the Soul since it nourishes and strengthens the new man" (Luther). Scripture teaches and we Lutheran Christians believe that:

the very Body and Blood of Jesus are truly present in and with the bread and wine.

all who partake of this Sacrament there receive Christ's very Body and Blood (1 Cor. 11:24-26).

we are to come to the Lord's table prepared: a man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup (1 Cor. 11:28).

one who eats and drinks this Holy Food while denying Christ's Real Presence and the benefits of blessings of the Sacrament eats and drinks judgement upon himself (1 Cor. 11:29).

the common reception of this Holy food is also a declaration of doctrinal oneness (Acts 2:42).

Accordingly, St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield exercises the most loving, biblical and spiritual practice of Closed communion, communing only those of our fellowship. The intent of this practice is not to offend, but to honor and obey the Word of Christ. We, therefore, ask those who are not communicant members in good standing of St. Matthew to please speak with our pastor prior to partaking of the Lord's Supper. Guests who are communicant members of another Missouri Synod congregation and who have previously spoken to our pastor need only sign the Record of Fellowship. Children and individuals not partaking of the Lord's Supper are invited to come forward during the distribution to receive a spoken blessing. Please keep your hands beneath the communion rail to indicate you will not be receiving the sacrament. All participants of the Lord's Supper are encouraged to review "Christian Questions with Their Answers" from Luther's Small Catechism found on page 329 of your hymnal.

For those who have not espoused the doctrine of the Lutheran Church and wish to receive the body and blood of Jesus as He reveals Himself to us in this Blesses Sacrament, inform our pastor of your desire, and he will assist you.

We trust that all will understand and respect this belief and practice. Although we cannot offer a general invitation to the Lord's Supper, we invite you to join us in fervent prayer that God will exert His might to bring all churches into blessed unity of doctrine and practice.

The Distribution & Reception

Before partaking of the Lord's Supper, we ask that you read the above statement of our practice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Communicants come forward by the center aisle and return by the side aisles.

Non-communicants and children are invited to come forward for a blessing, please keep palms down to indicate you will not be receiving the sacrament.

Communicants who prefer the individual cup, please wait for the elder administering the Chalice or common cup to direct you to partake of the wine.

The center individual cups are filled with non-alcoholic wine if you so desire.

Communicants who prefer the Chalice, or common cup, please tip the bast of the chalice to assist the elder.