Maundy Thursday Meal & Holy Communion
Maundy Thursday is observed as the night before Jesus was crucified. It was two days before the Jewish Passover.
SHARE A MEAL(optional) / Share a meal together! If you’d like to, use the following as discussion starters… 1. Share something significant that has happened in the last month. 2. What has been happening in your prayer life? / Potluck is great. You can organize it using PerfectPotluck.com
PREPARATION
(to transition from the meal to
Holy Communion) / Listen to a worship song together.
…or…
Ask each group member to share one way they grew in their faith this year. It could be taking a step of faith or something that God taught them.
… or …
Prayers of spontaneous thanksgiving to God. / Feel free to choose one of the following
MAUNDY
THURSDAY
READING / Use the attached “Maundy Thursday Reading,” with 8 different readers.
**Please take as much time as necessary for everyone to answer the question, “How has God rescued you?” / “Maundy Thursday
Reading”
Bibles
HOLY
COMMUNION /
- Leader, pray in thanksgiving to Jesus, as you feel led, for His sacrificial death on the cross.
- Leader, explain to the group what to do, asking that you be served last. Leader goes first to show how to do it.
- Leader, go to one person and tell the person how he/she has been a blessing to you.
- Then say to that person: “The body and blood of Christ, given for you.”
- That person breaks off a piece of bread, dips it in the grape juice, and eats.
- That person takes the elements and goes to another person to do as the leader did.
- Continue the process until the leader has been served.
matzah &
grape juice
LISTENING & PRAYER / Listen to God for one another in groups of three’s. Invite God to speak encouragement to us. Say what you believe you hear from God.
Pray for one another.
SUPPLIES
- Potluck meal, if you choose to have a meal; organize it using PerfectPotluck.com
- “Maundy Thursday Reading” (attached); assign 8 readers in advance
- Bibles
- Consecrated matzah and grape juice
The group leader does not have to lead the meeting! If someone else would like to lead, great!
**Dispose of any unconsumed Matzah by putting it outside on the ground for the birds. Pour unconsumed grape juice onto the ground. Do not put any consecrated Matzah or grape juice in the trash or down the sink.
Maundy Thursday Reading
Everyone please read unhurriedly, and with expression.
Reader 1:Today we observe Maundy Thursday, which was the night before Jesus was crucified. Maundy Thursday was two days before the Jewish Passover.
Reader 2:Passover was instituted in the Old Testament. The people of Israel had been held captive for 400 years in Egypt, where they were slaves. Through Moses, God had sent 9 plagues to Egypt, in order to persuade the Egyptians to let the Israelites go free. But the Egyptians refused.
Reader 3:So God told Moses to prepare the Israelites for one last plague: God would kill all of the firstborn in Egypt, both people and livestock. But God would not harm the people and livestock of Israel. After that, Egypt would let the Israelites go free, as God had promised centuries before that time.
Reader 4: Let’s read about the Passover in Exodus 12:14-30. (Read the Bible passage aloud.)
Reader 5:After these events happened, Egypt freed the Israelites. This event is called the Exodus. “Exodus” means “a going out.”
Reader 6:Today the Exodus and Passover have profound meaning for both Jews and Christians. As Christians, we see Jesus as the sacrificial Passover lamb, who died on the cross for us, and rescued us from the eternal devastation of sin.
**Leader:How has God rescued you? (Invite everyone to answer.)
Reader 7:Two days before Passover, Jesus instituted Holy Communion. He thereby became the Passover Lamb who would take away the sins of the world.
Reader 8:Read Luke 22:7-23.
Small Group Guide
Share a meal together! If you’d like to, use the following as discussion starters… 1. Share something significant that has happened in the last month. 2. What has been happening in your prayer life?
Maundy Thursday Reading
Everyone please read unhurriedly, and with expression.
Reader 1:Today we observe Maundy Thursday, which was the night before Jesus was crucified. Maundy Thursday was two days before the Jewish Passover.
Reader 2:Passover was instituted in the Old Testament. The people of Israel had been held captive for 400 years in Egypt, where they were slaves. Through Moses, God had sent 9 plagues to Egypt, in order to persuade the Egyptians to let the Israelites go free. But the Egyptians refused.
Reader 3:So God told Moses to prepare the Israelites for one last plague: God would kill all of the firstborn in Egypt, both people and livestock. But God would not harm the people and livestock of Israel. After that, Egypt would let the Israelites go free, as God had promised centuries before that time.
Reader 4: Let’s read about the Passover in Exodus 12:14-30. (Read the Bible passage aloud.)
Reader 5:After these events happened, Egypt freed the Israelites. This event is called the Exodus. “Exodus” means “a going out.”
Reader 6:Today the Exodus and Passover have profound meaning for both Jews and Christians. As Christians, we see Jesus as the sacrificial Passover lamb, who died on the cross for us, and rescued us from the eternal devastation of sin.
Reader 7:Two days before Passover, Jesus instituted Holy Communion. He thereby became the Passover Lamb who would take away the sins of the world.
Reader 8:Read Luke 22:7-23.
**Share in communion together.
Look Forward
Then, close in prayer by listening to God for one another and sharing any
encouraging things you may hear.
Small Group Guide
Share a meal together! If you’d like to, use the following as discussion starters… 1. Share something significant that has happened in the last month. 2. What has been happening in your prayer life?
Maundy Thursday Reading
Everyone please read unhurriedly, and with expression.
Reader 1:Today we observe Maundy Thursday, which was the night before Jesus was crucified. Maundy Thursday was two days before the Jewish Passover.
Reader 2:Passover was instituted in the Old Testament. The people of Israel had been held captive for 400 years in Egypt, where they were slaves. Through Moses, God had sent 9 plagues to Egypt, in order to persuade the Egyptians to let the Israelites go free. But the Egyptians refused.
Reader 3:So God told Moses to prepare the Israelites for one last plague: God would kill all of the firstborn in Egypt, both people and livestock. But God would not harm the people and livestock of Israel. After that, Egypt would let the Israelites go free, as God had promised centuries before that time.
Reader 4: Let’s read about the Passover in Exodus 12:14-30. (Read the Bible passage aloud.)
Reader 5:After these events happened, Egypt freed the Israelites. This event is called the Exodus. “Exodus” means “a going out.”
Reader 6:Today the Exodus and Passover have profound meaning for both Jews and Christians. As Christians, we see Jesus as the sacrificial Passover lamb, who died on the cross for us, and rescued us from the eternal devastation of sin.
Reader 7:Two days before Passover, Jesus instituted Holy Communion. He thereby became the Passover Lamb who would take away the sins of the world.
Reader 8:Read Luke 22:7-23.
**Share in communion together.
Look Forward
Then, close in prayer by listening to God for one another and sharing any
encouraging things you may hear.