This week in our study of the Lutheran Worship Service, we will continue in the Liturgy of the Meal with the Eucharistic Prayer. The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is one of the two sacraments celebrated by the Lutheran Church. You get bonus points if you can name the other one (Hint: It involves you getting wet). By our definition, a sacrament is an act that is commanded by Christ, uses a material or earthly element, and through connection with the Word is the bearer of God’s promise. We all understand the “earthly elements” of this sacrament which are the bread and the wine, but when we look at the Eucharistic prayer offered by the Pastor each Sunday, we see Christ’s command and the connection with the Word that make the sacrament a “bearer of God’s promise.” In the Eucharistic Prayer we hear the words of Jesus himself at the Last Supper which was the initiation of Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat: this is my body”. The he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26: 26-28) For your reference, the story of the Last Supper is also told in Luke 22: 14-20 and Mark 14: 22-26. In the Bible verse included in the Eucharistic Prayer, we hear Christ’s commands for us; “Take and Eat”, “Drink”, and in Luke 22: 19, “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is God’s promise to us. That Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins and we celebrate that sacrifice every Sunday according to Christ’s own command. There is much more that I could say regarding God’s promise of everlasting life and the forgiveness of sins, but I will circle back to that after next week’s installment. If you want to read ahead, please see the Bread of Life Discourse in John 6: 22-59
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 04:59:12 +0000
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