Dec. 17, 2023

“Given and Shed For You”

A Sermon on the Benefit of the Sacrament of the Altar

    There is great benefit in the Sacrament of the Altar (Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, the Eucharist, etc.). This benefit does not come from us or anything that we do, but it comes entirely from God Himself and from what He has done. In the Sacrament of the Altar, we join together in an intimately divine fellowship with God and with one another to partake of His True body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. This is promise that we receive from God—promise that was not only spoken by Christ at the Last Supper (Matt. 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, & 1 Cor. 11), but was also fulfilled by Christ in and through His death on the cross (Matt. 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19). God’s promise in the Sacrament of the Altar is a promise of sacrifice. Where God once demanded animal sacrifice from His people during the times of Moses and Aaron (Exodus), we now have been incorporated into a New Covenant with Him through the sacrificial death of Christ (Hebrews 9:11-22). And, just like Confession and Absolution, we hear in the Sacrament time and time again those powerful words of Christ: “Given…and shed…for you!” Those words connect Christ’s universal sacrifice for the sins of all people to YOU!

Questions:

1.    In what way do we benefit from the Sacrament of the Altar? What is given to us by God?

2.    Why are Jesus’ words, “blood of the new covenant/testament”, so significant?

3.    How does this benefit shape our daily Christian walk of faith?