Maundy Thursday Service

April 9, 2020

Please have your Bible and a basin/bowl of water and towel ready for later in the evening
service. Because of the social distancing, some of you may be at home alone and cannot
readily wash another’s hands. Do not allow this to prevent you from asking God to develop in
you a servant’s heart to serve others as God and opportunity permits.

Opening Prayer
Almighty God, you search our hearts and you see every part of us. All our desires are known to
you, and from you no secrets are hidden. By the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, cleanse our
hearts so we may perfectly love you and glorify Your holy name. We pray through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Lesson
John 11:25-26; 45-53
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live,

even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe
this?”

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus
did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had
done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let
him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away
both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know

nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than
that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die

for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God,
to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

The Proclamation
Leader: Dearly loved brother and sisters, the Christian life is a life found in Christ Jesus,
redeemed from sin, and consecrated to God. We are those who have entered into life this life
and have been admitted into the new covenant of Jesus Christ. He is the Mediator of this
covenant. He sealed it with His own blood so it would last forever.
On our side of the covenant stands God, who promises to give us new life in Jesus Christ, the
author and perfecter of our faith. Every day God proves His goodness and grace to us, showing
us that His promise still stands firm.

On the other side, we stand as those who promise to no longer live life for ourselves but
instead to only live for Jesus Christ because He has loved us and given His life for us.

There are times in our lives when it is important for us o remember and reaffirm our promises
and vows. In the same way, we come today to renew our covenant with god. Many generations
have done this before us. Today we make the covenant our own, renewing with both joy and
sincerity the covenant that binds us all to God.

John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had
raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus
was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an
expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house
was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t

this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not
say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money
bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the

day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you,[c] but you will not always have
me.”

Confession
We are those who seek to live as true disciples of Jesus Christ, but we often fall short in sin. We
confess our sins and submit our hearts to your Holy Spirit so that wee do not deceive ourselves
and cut ourselves away from God.

Father God, you have made Jesus the Way of Life. We confess our slowness to grow in Him and
have been slow to fully follow Him. You have called us, but we have not listened as we should.
We have not been grateful for all You have done for us in this life. Forgive us our rebellion.

Forgive us for wasting time and misusing the gifts you have given us. Forgive us for making
excuses for the wrong things we have done and when we have willingly avoided responsibility.

Forgive us when we have been unwilling to overcome evil with good and that we have not been
ready to carry our cross. For give us that we have not allowed Your love to work through us to
help others and that we have not made their suffering our own. Forgive us for those times
when instead of working for unity we made it hard for others to live with us because of lack of
forgiveness, inconsiderate judgment and quick criticism. Forgive us for when we have not tried
to reconcile with others and when we have been slow to seek redemption.

God, Father of all mercy, is faithful to cleanse us from our sins and restore us to Christ’s image.
Praise and glory be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

John 12:23-33
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you,

unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies,
it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their
life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I
am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was

for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that
was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this

world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to
die.

Lamb of God

John 13:1-17
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave
this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to
the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of

Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his
power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal,
took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water
into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped
around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body

is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to
betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do
you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and
‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed
your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should
do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a
messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be
blessed if you do them.

Serve each other as You Wash One Another’s Hands

John 13:31-38
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in

him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the

Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one

another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before

the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

John 14:1-3
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house
has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a
place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with
me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us

Closing Prayer
Father God, You are the never changing. Your steadfast love and faithfulness are shown from
generation to generation. Your love for us compelled you to send your Son, Jesu Christ to the
cross. HE took our place, our shame and sin. He bore your wrath for us paying the full price
required for justice. He was more than an example or a great man . . . He was and is Son of God,
our Savior and Lord. He is the Lamb of God that truly takes away the sin of the world. He is, by
His blood, the New Covenant by which we are saved and justified in Your sight. Receive our
humble service, gratitude and love. Amen.

Thank you to: Evelyn, Noah and Ed Simanowski; Ruth Hedeen for sharing their talents!