From Tom Fisher - The Gospel I Preached

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Jesus did everything for us. He took our sins upon Himself.

"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. " John 1:29

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

Christ rose from the dead for our benefit. He destroyed our death.

And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.

12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust. Isaiah 25:6-12

Christ rose from the dead to be our high priest for ever:

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110:1-4

Hebrews 7:19-28

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Christ promises to raise us from the dead on the last day.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:38-40

In Christ,

Tom Fisher

Maundy Thursday -- Below - Is the Complete Service, with Liturgy, Sermon, and Hymns with Wording

 

Tom Fisher's lambs

Maundy Thursday -- Link Below - Is the Complete Service, with Liturgy, Sermon, and Hymns with Wording,

Maundy Thursday 2026,

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Maundy Thursday 2026.

yt

Bethany Lutheran Church

Maundy Thursday Holy Communion

Central Savings Time

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.

 Norma A. Boeckler 466

The Hymn #322             And Wilt Thou Pardon Lord?  Over 1200 years ago.

The Confession of Sins

The Absolution

The Introit p. 16

The Gloria Patri

The Kyrie p. 17

The Gloria in Excelsis

The Salutation and Collect p. 19

The Epistle and Gradual

The Gospel

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!

Praise be to Thee, O Christ!

The Nicene Creed p. 22

The Sermon Hymn #371      Jesus Thy Blood           Zinzendorf
        

Maundy Thursday

Communion Hymn #311 Jesus Christ Our Blessed Savior - Huss was burned 

at the stake for opposing the pope.

The Preface p. 24

The Sanctus p. 26

The Lord's Prayer p. 27

The Words of Institution

The Agnus Dei p. 28

The Nunc Dimittis p. 29

The Benediction p. 31

The Hymn #657             Beautiful Savior

1 Corinthians 11

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

John 13

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 KJV John 13:34f A new commandment (mandatus, maundy) I give to you. That you love one another, as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if you have love, one to another.

Maundy Thursday

The title of the special service is typical of British quirks. Bethlehem was a hospital that was especially

noisy, and the name was distorted into Bedlam. That was a term used in my grade school classes when we got too noisy. Maundy is mysterious because it began with the Latin - mandatus - a commandment.

We are not a loving nation, or a loving culture. The Roman Empire was no better. The real story would not be fitting for a home or for anyone. We are similar now. Just as paganism dominated Rome, so paganism dominates America and the West. Jesus was commissioning His tiny group of disciples to go out among the Jewish and the pagan opponents, seemingly a hopeless task. Yes we can see that unbelievers were converted by the Gospel of Jesus and by His disciples after the Ascension. 

The overwhelming population was Jewish, so there was a great knowledge (and opposition) among the Jews and an intolerance from the Romans. As Luther said, "Rome loved every religion except the One True God." (paraphrase) The temple for all religions was built for all religions except Christianity and that temple is strong and impressive to this day (The Pantheon), 27 BC

Giving the overwhelming number of those outside the Christian Faith, the disciples needed to observe the commandment of Jesus - love one another as I have loved you. Otherwise they would tear that small group of people apart and destructive. That did happen among various groups that took on their own agenda. As revealed in the early New Testament Greek manuscripts, the fakes were overwhelmed by careful copying. The apostates of today jump on the very few early mistakes and make those errors  a shrine for their future destruction of Christianity. 

However, the attacks on the Biblical text prove what Jesus said - "Heaven and earth will pass away,  but My Word will never pass away." Matthew 24:35 The True Vine (John 15) will always be fruitful, by remaining with the Good Shepherd.

What Jesus taught and practiced was the opposite of -

1. The Stinkeye.
2. Shunning.
3. Boycotting (invented by Boycott himself).
4. Rejecting.

We should always remember why the sinners clustered around Jesus and rejoiced to sit with Him for supper when the works-righteous were disgusted and appalled. He began with faith in Him and love for the rejected, dismissed, ignored, and hated. We cannot fix the world but we can follow the Christ-like attitude of Luther - to aim at helping rather than hurting. 

Thomas Stefan is doing well, very strong.

Doc Lito is watching over his extended family in Australia.

Maunday Thursday Will Be Celebrated Tomorrow - More Information Tomorrow.

 

Tom Fisher - On Maundy Thursday

 

Tom Fisher
to me

Dear Pastor Jackson,

Maunday Thursday is a precious day for me to ponder.  It is the night when my Savior was betrayed to bear all my sins in His body on the tree of the cross.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls  I Peter 2:24,25

Ponder the inestimable love of Christ for you a sinner. Ponder how He yearns to bear all your sins to deliver you from your sins, your death, hell, and Satan.

"But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!  Luke 12:50

Ponder the love Christ has for you a sinner on the very night He was betrayed.

"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end." John 13:1

Ponder the words Jesus says to you on the night before He was betrayed:

26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Matthew 26:26-30

Here Jesus gives you His body in, with, and under the bread and His true blood in with and under the wine. Luther said that he was certain Christ gives us His natural physical body under the bread in a way we cannot comprehend.  So believe these clear words of Christ: "This is my body given for you. This is my blood of the new testament shed for you for the remission of sins.". Your faith does not care that these words are impossible. Faith rejects reasoning and holds on to these clear words of Christ. In contrast the Baptist, Calvinists, Methodists, Christian Reformed, Church of Christ, Menonites, Amish, Presbyterians, and other protestants cling to their reasoning and unbelief and reject the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion.  By doing this they have fallen from grace and consistently reject the forgiveness of their sins in Holy Communion, The Office of the Keys, and Holy Baptism. They also reject the efficacy of the Word. They all trust in their own invented works and worthiness. 

Luther urges us to ponder that little word 'testament' in Holy Communion:

"That little word 'testament' is a short summary of all God's wonder and grace fulfilled in Christ." (Martin Luther, LW, vol. 35, pg. 84)

Luther urges us to examine our hearts as we go to Holy Communion:

"So in this matter, you must above all else take heed to your heart, that you believe the words of Christ, and admit their truth, when He says to you and to all, "This is my blood, a new testament by which I bequeath to you forgiveness of all sins and eternal life." (Martin Luther, LW, Vol. 35, pg. 88)

Holy Communion is Christ's last will and testament to us sinners, bequeathing to us forgiveness of all sins and eternal life. Hebrews 9 confirms that Christ is our testator:

 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Hebrews 9:11-17

In contrast, the Calvinists, Baptist, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Methodist, Christian Reformed and other protestants love the word ' covenant' and hate the word 'testament'.  They all trust the endeavors of their will power. A covenant requires the works and endeavors of the will. A testament rejects the endeavors of our will and clings to Christ alone.  All of the corrupt modern Bibles change Christ's last will and testament into an EMPTY Calvinist covenant.

As we prepare to receive Holy Communion on Maunday Thursday let us ponder what truly makes us worthy:

Who then, receives the Sacrament worthily? Answer:

Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a fine outward training; but he is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, Given and shed for you for the remission sins. But he that does not believe these words, or doubts, is unworthy and unprepared; for the words "for you" require all hearts to believe. (Martin Luther's Small Catechism pamphlet, CPH, pg. 15)

Ponder the inestimable love Chist has for you as He willingly bears all your sin, death, and hell in the Garden of Gethsemane:

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:39-44

Ponder God your Heavenly Father's inestimable love for you when He laid all your sins on Jesus His only begotten Son:

 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:4-12

Christ is your good shepherd:

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one. John 10:27-30

In Christ,

Tom Fisher