Holy Thursday Sermon

 

Holy Thursday

April 2, 2026

²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11).

 Tonight we hear Jesus Christ’s words. By solemnly repeating them, we administer and receive what Christ did with His first disciples.

We believe that what we do here and at this altar is not our own doing, not our cleverly invented worship, but it is Christ’s doing, Christ’s institution, Christ’s mandate. It is because of His words, we get what He gives, His body and His blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

Christ words were spoken on the night when He was betrayed. They are still in effect and effective for us today.  The word of the Lord endures forever. He said in the beginning, Let there be light, and there was light, and still today, the sun shines, the candles burn and the light shows our way.  In the beginning the Lord said to Adam and Eve and all creatures, be fruitful and multiply and that saying holds true, enduring for each generation, and we, in our generation are the product of that life-creating word.

“Do this. . . often” Jesus said. “in remembrance of me.”

Christians desire to obey Christ’s words and even more than obedience to the law and mandate, Christians are happy to take up the gracious invitation to take and eat His body and to take and drink His blood. It is a healthy sign of faith when you want to have what the Lord gives – His body, His blood, His forgiveness, life and salvation.

But now wait a moment! St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about Lord’s the Supper and how they are to participate in it. And he says that some are unworthy to have the Lord’s Supper. He says, “²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.“ That should have given them all some pause. Paul had just told them what Jesus said, “This is my body. This is my blood. And then He says, participating, taking, eating and drinking in an unworthy manner is being guilty concerning this body and blood. So He says,  ^“Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

It’s good to know and review this, so that we are confident with the way our church manages and cares about the sacrament. We are careful with it and reverent, because it is our dear Lord’s body and blood. There are many protestant churches that think communion is just a symbol, a reenactment or an object lesson, but refuse to take seriously Jesus’ words that it’s His body and blood and it forgives sins. These churches don’t need to be careful and reverent, because they are just eating bread and drinking a little grape juice.

We regularly remember what the New Testament says about the Lord’s Supper so that each one of us can be confident that we are ready and well prepared to administer and receive this holy, precious sacrament.

Examine yourself. Here’s how:

Am I a sinner? Let the 10 Commandments instruct you in this. Even St. Paul says, I did not know sin, except through the law. I would not have known coveting if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” This is why we have a period of instruction before confirmation and first communion.

Ask, am I ready to do better? What should I be working on to do better? Ask yourself this, “Can I be proven to be a non-Christian or a false believer? Does my life, my walk, my talk, my character, give some good reason to some that I am about to eat and drink from the Lord in an unworthy manner and will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord?”

Then one more thing that we take seriously when it comes to rightly and worthily receiving communion. Honestly consider this, do I have something against someone. Does someone have something against me. Do I have something I need to return or repay. Are there some grievances that need to be addressed. Who do I need to be reconciled with before I can pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Jesus said, “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

If you’ve got some conflicts, anger, resentment, hurt feelings make it a priority to get those addressed. The church, the elders, the pastor are here to help and mediate.

Jesus Christ clearly instituted this sacrament for sinners, for those who need forgiven, who need help reconciling with others, for those who continually fail and sin daily. So He patiently calls you to repent, recognize your need, and then come to Him for aid and salvation.

So examine yourself as to what you believe. Do you believe what the Lord says, “this is for you”, This is “for forgiveness.” This is the Lamb of God, pure and perfect whose blood was shed for you. More completely than all the sacrificed Passover lambs. Do you believe that His is yours and for you?

God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. Amen.