Maundy Thursday Joplin Missouri — “This is My body, given for you.” — Luke 22:19
Join us for this Maundy Thursday Joplin Missouri Divine Service at Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS, where we gathered on April 2, 2026 to commemorate the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ. Preached by Rev. Christopher Ramstad.
Maundy Thursday Joplin Missouri: The Night Our Lord Gave Us His Body and Blood
Maundy Thursday (from the Latin mandatum, “commandment”) is one of the most sacred evenings in the Christian church year. On this night, we remember three defining acts of our Lord Jesus Christ in the upper room: He washed His disciples’ feet in humility and service, He instituted the Holy Supper of His body and blood under bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, and He gave the new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).
At Immanuel Lutheran Church, Maundy Thursday is observed with reverence and joy. Communicant members receive the Lord’s Supper — the true body and blood of Jesus Christ — in, with, and under the bread and wine, just as He promised and gave it on the night He was betrayed. This is not merely a memorial; it is a real gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation proclaimed and delivered in a tangible way.
Service Details — Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2026
Date: Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Preacher: Rev. Christopher Ramstad
Liturgy: Divine Service with Holy Communion (LSB)
Church: Immanuel Lutheran Church LCMS, Joplin, Missouri
Scripture Readings for Maundy Thursday
Old Testament — Exodus 12:1–14: The LORD commands Israel to observe the Passover — the lamb slain, its blood applied to the doorposts, protecting God’s people from judgment. This Passover foreshadows the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, whose blood covers all who trust in Him.
Epistle — 1 Corinthians 11:23–32: St. Paul hands on the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper as he received them from the Lord Himself. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” The Sacrament is the repeated proclamation of Christ’s sacrifice for us.
Holy Gospel — Luke 22:7–20: Jesus sends His disciples to prepare the Passover. In the upper room, He takes bread and wine and gives His body and blood to the disciples — the first celebration of the Lord’s Supper — and instructs them to “do this in remembrance of Me.”
Lutheran Teaching on the Lord’s Supper
As a confessional LCMS Lutheran congregation, Immanuel affirms the real presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper (the sacramental union). We receive not merely bread and wine, but the very body and blood of Jesus Christ, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins — exactly as He promised in His words of institution. This gift is given to all who receive it, whether they fully understand it or not, because it rests on Christ’s word and promise, not our understanding.
About Immanuel Lutheran Church — Joplin, Missouri
Immanuel Lutheran Church is a confessional congregation of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) in Joplin, Missouri. We worship in the historic Lutheran liturgy using the Lutheran Service Book, proclaiming the unchanging Good News of Jesus Christ through Word and Sacrament every week.
Whether you are a lifelong Lutheran, new to Joplin, or simply searching for a church that faithfully teaches Law and Gospel — you are welcome here. Come worship, receive the Sacraments, and hear the Word of God proclaimed clearly and without compromise.
Worship times: Sundays at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM | Sunday School & Bible Classes at 9:20 AM
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