Maundy Thursday

 Maundy Thursday – April 17, 2025

Psalm 67; Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Corinthians 11:20-32

St. John 13:1-15, 34-35

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Paul writes of the Sacrament of the Altar, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.”[1] The Sacrament we celebrate this evening is the same Sacrament St. Paul delivered to the Corinthians. More importantly, it is the same Sacrament Christ gave to His gathered disciples on the night on which He was betrayed. We participate in that same Supper, namely the very Body and Blood of Christ, given for you for the forgiveness of sins.

What you receive is the same Body and Blood of Christ that hung on the cross and rose from the grave three days later. So much is it the same, that it is not my reciting the Words of Christ that makes it the Sacrament. Rather, the speaking of the Verba marks these elements, this bread and wine, as participating in the very Words Christ spoke that first Maundy Thursday. These elements participate in the miracle of Christ Supper and thus are the Body and Blood of Christ, made so by His very words.

This Sacrament was given for us to “do this” often, namely eat and drink His Body and Blood, in remembrance of Him. The words, “in remembrance” mean to call to mind not only what the Sacrament is and what benefits it bestows, and those are chiefly what it refers to, but also the sacrifice made by Christ, through which we are saved. To receive the Sacrament in remembrance of Him is to remember Christ’s perfect life and death and to know that you are receiving the fruits of His righteousness in this very supper. You receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. None of these belong to you by right. They are not rewards for your work, knowledge, or personal righteousness. The Supper belongs to Christ and He has graciously called you to His table to receive everything that rightly belongs to Him. It is His forgiveness, life, and salvation that you receive.

And as this Supper rightly belongs to Him, it is the great gathering of the Body of Christ around His Holy Supper. It is a divine family meal, shared by those of the same faith, in a shared confession of Christ’s holy name.

Who, then, should receive the Sacrament? Simply, one who is worthy and well prepared. To be worthy to receive the Sacrament is to have faith in these words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

As for preparation, St. Paul says, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” To be prepared to receive the Sacrament requires examination. This examination is best done according to the Small Catechism, under the section called, “Christian Questions with Their Answers.” In summary, this examination has four chief parts. First, it requires that you know that you are a sinner. This is necessary since the Sacrament offers the forgiveness of sins. If you have no sin, then you have no need of the Sacrament. If you think you have no sin, you deceive yourself, and again, you have no need of the Sacrament. Knowledge and awareness of your sin also makes you aware of your need for salvation, your need for a Savior.

The second part of this examination is to see if you are sorry for your sins. This is called “contrition.” One can be aware of his sin but not sorry, not sorrowful, over it. Such pride has no place in the Christian, nor does such a prideful man have a share in Christ’s Body. Rather, to know your sin and be sorry for it is to desire to be free from it, to be turned away from it, to be relieved of it.

The third part of this examination concerns faith. If sorrow over sin is the first part of repentance, the second part is faith, trust that Christ has and will forgive your sin. Trusting that Christ can, does, and will forgive your sins is nothing more than trusting that the words of Christ are true. “Given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.” Christ has said it, and this I believe.

The final part of examination is the intention, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to resist the devil and walk in newness of life. This is the fruit of repentance. A Christian who receives the forgiveness of sins has received a new heart, and sincerely intends to strive against the temptations of the devil and walk in the light of Christ.

Such preparation requires at lease some intellectual ability. It requires the ability to speak or communicate an awareness of what is happening in the Sacrament. This is especially important for the relationship between the communicant and the Celebrant, the Pastor who is distributing the Lord’s Supper. He, as the steward of the mysteries of God, is responsible for distributing the Holy Communion according to Christ’s institution and command. And since St. Paul warns against receiving the Sacrament unworthily, it is necessary that the Pastor do everything he can to assure that those who receive it from him, receive it to their benefit and not to their judgment.

This means the Pastor must be able to discern that the communicant can and has examined himself. It means the Pastor must have the sense that this person knows he is a sinner, is sorry for his sins, has faith that Christ has forgiven his sins, and intends to bear fruit according to this faith. That requires communication and examination on the part of the Pastor.

What about those whose faith is weak or who are struggling with their faith? Should they commune? By all means! The True Body and Blood of Christ strengthens you in body and soul to life everlasting. If a Christian’s faith is weak, if he has been assaulted by the cares of this world or the temptations of the devil, there is nothing he needs more than the assurance of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation found in the Holy Supper. He needs to be fed on the medicine of immortality that he might go on in the strength of this holy food.

We each ought to be concerned with receiving the Sacrament worthily. The First Letter to the Corinthians makes it clear that to receive it unworthily and unprepared is to eat and drink to your own judgment. The Lord’s Supper is the medicine of immortality, but use any medicine incorrectly and it will harm you. Failure to consider the right use of the Sacrament runs the danger of receiving it to your temporal and eternal harm.

Who, then, should not receive the Sacrament of the Altar? First, those who are not Christians or are not baptized should not receive the Sacrament. They have no knowledge of sin according to the Word of God and do not trust in Christ for Salvation. If they are converts to Christianity who haven’t yet been baptized, they first need to receive the new birth of water and the Holy Spirit. Then, they may join in the glorious feast of Christ.

Second, those who cannot examine themselves should not receive the Sacrament. This includes infants, who have not yet obtained the intellectual ability to examine themselves. It also includes those with significantly progressed forms of dementia or alzheimer’s, who have lost the intellectual ability to examine themselves. Similarly, those who are unconscious should not commune. Finally, the uninstructed fit into this category. The uninstructed are not lacking in skill but are lacking in knowledge. They must first be shown from God’s Word what sin is, how to find sin within themselves, who Christ is, what He has done, and receive instruction in what it means to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

Third, those who are openly unrepentant, living contrary to God’s Word, should not commune. These are those Christians who are aware of their sins but are not contrite over them or do not want to amend their life so as to flee from sin. This, by the way, includes sins against the Third Commandment. The one who was baptized and confirmed in a Lutheran Church but hasn’t come to the Divine Service since the Sunday after confirmation should not commune. He habitually lives contrary to God’s command to be in Church, to gather with the saints, to commune often, that is frequently.

In the preface to the Small Catechism, Dr. Luther says that someone who does not seek Holy Communion at least four times a year is not a Christian, and he is being generous. God commands frequent attendance to keep the Sabbath day holy. Attending once or twice a year, let alone a few times in a decade, does not mean you are a Christian. Such a one should not commune until he has received fresh instruction, examined himself and been examined such that he can make the bold confession, “I am a sinner for whom Christ died, and my soul needs the Sacrament that I might obtain the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.”

Fourth, Christians who are themselves unforgiving and refuse to be reconciled with their neighbors also ought not commune. Christ says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”[2] To withhold forgiveness and refuse reconciliation is to slap Christ in the face. It is to say that your judgment is greater than God’s. He gave His life for you, to forgive your sins, yet you would refuse to forgive someone for their slight against you. Like the servant who begged for forgiveness from his master but refused to forgive the debt of another servant and was thrown into prison, the outcome for refusing to forgive is the same.

Finally, those of a different confession are not to commune together. Holy Communion is not just an individual act between you and God. It is a public expression of unity with those who kneel at the rail with you. It is a statement that you share the doctrine that is preached from this pulpit and distributed from this altar. It is a meal shared by a family, it is not for strangers off the street, foreigners to the family.

There are real distinctions between denominations. Any church body that ordains women does not believe the Scriptures to be without error. Any church who believes the Sacrament of the Altar is a symbol of Christ’s Body has a false understanding of who Christ is. A Church who gives any man other than Christ the authority to determine what sin is or who receives salvation does not believe what the Bible says concerning the forgiveness of sins and our justification before God. These are real, core differences that we should not overlook. There are certainly Christians in all Christian denominations but there is no unity. To commune together would be to confess a lie, a unity that doesn’t exist.

To a lesser degree, it is also important to remember that even within the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod, a visitor to a church does not have an inherent right to commune. When you visit another congregation, you are a guest in their house. It is your responsibility to contact the Pastor ahead of time so that he knows to expect you. On the morning of, it is your responsibility to arrive early, introduce yourself, and ask permission to commune. It is fitting and proper for a guest to ask to participate in the family meal. And if the pastor, for whatever reason, asks you not to commune that day, you should not take offense. Your soul will not be harmed by not receiving the sacrament for that one day. You will still participate in the service. You will hear the Word of God by which man is saved. Your sins will be forgiven.

Regarding those who should not commune, the goal is always to move toward being able to commune. For the unbeliever, that they would be brought to faith in Christ, moved by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to receive Christ as the only way to salvation. For the unrepentant and the unforgiving, that they would be shown the depth of their sin, moved by the Holy Spirit to confess that sin for what it is and return to the sheepfold of faith, sincerely fleeing from sin and clinging to Christ. For the uninstructed, that they would be instructed in the faith, taught the Word of God so that they might examine themselves and be found worthy and prepared to receive the Holy Communion. And finally, for those of a different confession, that they would see the errors taught in their denomination and brought to a right understanding of the Word of God, made to see the pure truth of God’s Word. The Church regularly prays for an end to all schisms. Christ has one Body and it is the sincere desire of all Christians that the Body of Christ would be united in a true confession of His Word.

The meal we share this evening is the Lord’s Supper. It is His meal where He is both host and food. We dine together, being united in one confession of Christ’s Holy Word. In this divine meal, we receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation because in this meal, we receive Christ, Himself. He gives His Body and Blood that we would be united with Him in body and soul.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 1 Corinthians 11:23.

[2] St. Matthew 6:14-15.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday – March 28, 2024

Psalm 67; Exodus 24:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:20-32

St. John 13:1-15, 34-35

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, “Take, eat; This is My Body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also, He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them saying, “Drink of it, all of you; This Cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

With these sacred words, Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Altar. Everything we need to know about the Sacrament is found in these Words of our Lord, namely, what the Sacrament is, what its benefits are, and who is to receive it.

What is the Sacrament of the Altar? “It is the true body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, in and under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.”[1]This simple answer is entirely derived from the Word of our Lord when He instituted the Supper. Plain, physical elements are combined with God’s Word and become a Sacrament, a gift of God to man. It is the Word of God which elevates these physical elements to become a Sacrament. Without the Word of God, they are nothing more than bread or wine that you might enjoy with a meal at home. With the Word of God, they become the true body and blood of Jesus Christ.

However, in this Sacramental Union, the physical elements of bread and wine are not lost. Christ joins His Holy Body and Precious Blood to the physical elements of bread and wine through His Word. The result is His Body in, with, and under the bread; His Blood in, with, and under the wine. In the Holy Supper, you therefore receive four things: Body, bread, Blood, and wine.

Since it is God’s Word which effects this Sacramental Union, you can be certain that what you receive at this altar is the Body and Blood of Jesus. His presence in the Sacrament does not depend upon your faith or the faith of the man administering the Sacrament. “The Word by which it was constituted a Sacrament is not rendered false because of an individual’s unworthiness or unbelief. Christ does not say, ‘If you believe or if you are worthy, you have my body and blood,’ but rather, ‘Take, eat and drink, this is my body and blood.’”[2]

Our Lord also commands that we “do this.” In the first place, He is referring to “take, eat and drink.” This is what we are to do with His Supper. The command to “do this” also refers to the administration of His Supper. We are to administer the Supper in the same way that Christ did. We are to take bread, give thanks for it, break it, and give it to His people to eat. We are to take wine in a cup, give thanks, and give it to His people to drink.

This is why pastors recite the Word of Institution, the Verba, at every celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It is not a magical formula that changes the substance of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood. If that were the case, then a single misspoken syllable would give reason for doubt. Rather, pastors recite the Verba according to Christ’s own words, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Reciting the Verba is how the elements are blessed and it marks them as partaking of the very blessing Christ gave on the night when He was betrayed. It is as though I am saying, “These elements gathered here are what Jesus was referring to on the night when He was betrayed. Christ, who is not bound by time, has marked this very bread and this very cup to be His Body and Blood, as His own words and promises declare.”

What, then, is the benefit of the Lord’s Supper? “In the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given” to you.[3] We go to the Sacrament to receive the forgiveness of sins and where the forgiveness of sins is found, there also is life and salvation. The whole council of God, the entirety of the Scriptures could be used to point to this truth, that life is in the blood, that by the Wounds of Jesus’ own body you are set free, etc., but for this evening, you need only to trust in the Words of Jesus. He has said, “Take, eat and drink, for the forgiveness of sins.” That is enough to be confident of what benefit you receive in the Lord’s Supper.

Put in another light, if the Sacrament gives the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, then it is also the weapon against sin, death, and the devil. In the Large Catechism, Dr. Luther says it this way,

Therefore, it is appropriately called food of the soul, for it nourishes and strengthens the new creature. For in the first instance, we are born anew through baptism. However, our human flesh and blood, as I have said, have not lost their old skin. There are so many hindrances and attacks of the devil and the world that we often grow weary and faint and at times even stumble. Therefore the Lord’s Supper is give as a daily food and sustenance so that our faith may be refreshed and strengthened and that it may not succumb in the struggle but become stronger and stronger. For the new life should be one that continually develops and progresses. But it has to suffer a great deal of opposition. The devil is a furious enemy; when he sees that we resist him and attack the old creature, and when he cannot rout us by force, he sneaks and skulks about at every turn, trying all kinds of tricks, and does not stop until he has finally worn us out so that we either renounce our faith or lose heart and become indifferent or impatient. For times like these, when our heart feels too sorely pressed, this comfort of the Lord’s Supper is given to bring us new strength and refreshment.[4]

Knowing what the Sacrament is and when benefit it provides, we must necessarily ask, who is to receive it. “He is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, ‘Given and shed for you for the remission of sins.’”[5] The fundamental requirement for receiving the Sacrament, according to Jesus, is faith.

Now, we need to expand our understanding a little, also according to the Words of Jesus. This faith must be in Jesus and in what He has given and shed for you, that is, this faith must be in the death and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. That also means that you must believe that you are a sinner. Believing you are a sinner means that you believe there is nothing you can do to save yourself. You are a sinner who is in need of a Savior. Who is that Savior? Jesus Christ. What did He do for you? He died for your sins. Where do you receive that forgiveness? In His Word and Sacraments, which are His Word combined with physical elements—water, bread, and wine. This is what it is to have faith in these words, ‘Given and shed for you, for the remission of sins.’

This ought to be enough for our entire understanding of the Sacrament of the Altar—what it is, what benefits it gives, and who should receive it—but the Old Adam clinging to our flesh is an expert at deceiving us. He and his father the devil, would either have us fling the Sacrament to all open mouths, knowing them all to be sinners, or restrict the Sacrament according to manmade laws, ceremonies, or customs, until no one receives it. For this reason, we will need to turn to another passage of Scripture.

St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”[6]

 One must examine himself in order to receive Holy Communion. Since ancient times, this examination has involved knowing the fundamental texts of the Christian faith as a way of expressing the faith within. These fundamental texts are the 10 Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer. They summarize the content of Holy Scripture while fulfilling the words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

In the shorter preface to his Large Catechism, Martin Luther says, “For the common people we are satisfied if they know the three ‘parts’…These are the most necessary parts of Christian teaching that one should first learn to repeat word for word…Now, when these three parts are understood, a person must also know what to say about our Sacraments, which Christ Himself instituted: Baptism and the holy body and blood of Christ.”^[7]

All Christians, no matter how long since you first received the Sacrament of the Altar or if you have yet to receive it for the first time, must examine himself before communing. The standard of knowing the primary texts of the catechism and being able to define the Sacraments and what you receive applies to all Christians.

Unfortunately, somewhere in history, admission to the Lord’s Supper became tied exclusively to the rite of confirmation, a rite that has no basis in the Scriptures and is itself strictly a man-made ceremony. The rite of confirmation then became associated with “graduating” from something. It was a sign you had accomplished learning a certain amount of information and then, sadly for many, you no longer needed to study God’s Word, the Catechism, or even attend the Divine Service.

One reason for this is that the examination which typically follows catechetical instruction has sometimes been understood as a one-time event. If someone can pass this test, then they are prepared to receive the Sacrament on a continual basis. Another reason is that the rite of confirmation became associated with a particular age, a transition into High School; almost a rite of passage into adulthood.

Scripture knows of no such singular examination, just as it knows nothing of confirmation. Every Christian is to examine himself each time he desires to receive the Sacrament. Again, Luther says, “It is the duty of every father of a family to question and examine his children and servants at least once a week and see what they know or are learning from the catechism.”^[8] Luther’s “Christian Questions and Their Answers,” found at the back of the small catechism, are a guide for all Christians to use in preparation to receive the Sacrament.

To this end, we ought to evaluate what it means to examine oneself before receiving Holy Communion. Should the youth be held to a higher standard than the rest of the congregation? That is, should a baptized child who can recite the basic texts, express a basic understanding of the Sacraments, and has been examined accordingly, be prevented from receiving the Sacrament of the Altar based on age? Or, should all members of the congregation be required to recite the entire catechism from memory, or at least undergo the thorough examination found at the end of most catechetical instruction each time they desire to commune?

The witness of Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions answer both questions negatively. St. Paul admonishes us to examine ourselves before receiving the Lord’s Supper. To examine oneself is to know the primary texts of the faith, to know what the Sacraments are, and to know what you receive in the Sacraments. Then, to him who is given much, much is expected.[9] That is, an adult ought to be able to show a more thorough understanding than a youth. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”[10]

Should a Christian find himself believing false doctrine or living in manifest sin, when he examines himself, he will find himself unworthy to receive the Sacrament. This Christian should repent and seek the counsel of his Pastor, who can help guide him back into the way of truth. Then, when such a one has a right understanding of the faith and can examine himself according to these texts of Scripture, he is truly worthy and prepared to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

Is faith an expression of academic knowledge? Is faith a physical ability, perhaps to speak something word-for-word? Neither, since the former excludes children, and the latter excludes the mentally and physically infirm. Faith is trust in Christ, trust in things unseen. The reason to require catechumens to recite memory work is that the servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries—that is to say, pastors—cannot peer into their hearts. It is necessary that catechumens of any age make a confession of their faith such that the pastor can, according to his office, admit them to the Supper without danger to their bodies and souls. This admission is according to faith in these words, “Given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.”

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Small Catechism VI 1; Large Catechism V 8.

[2] LC V 17-18.

[3] SC VI 2.

[4] LC V 23-27.

[5] SC VI 4.

[6] 1 Corinthians 11:27-32.

[7] “Short Preface of Dr. Martin Luther,” Large Catechism, 6, 15, 20.

[8] “Short Preface,” 4.

[9] St. Luke 12:48.

[10] Hebrews 5:13-14.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday – April 6, 2023

Psalm 67; Exodus 24:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:20-32

St. John 13:1-15, 34-35

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The high priest Aaron had at least four sons whose names are recorded. The first two, presumably the oldest, are Nadab and Abihu. In the Old Testament reading for tonight, we heard how Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel went with Moses up the Mountain of the Lord. This happens just after Moses had received the Ten Commandments and the other judgments of the Lord.

Remember, at the time that Moses ascended the mountain, God had strictly forbidden anyone but Moses from even touching the mountain, lest he should die. All of Israel needed to be cleansed and purified for three days and even then, only Moses ascended the mountain of the Lord.

It seems that at some point, Moses came back down the mountain with a command to bring Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders part-way up the mountain to worship the Lord. At this time, all of Israel swore to uphold whatever laws God commanded. Sacrifices were made and as Moses sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the people, he proclaimed, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.”[1]

Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders went up the mountain and shared a meal with the Lord. God did not lay a hand on these children of Israel but dined with them. They saw God.[2]

After Moses returns to the top of the mountain; after the people cry out for Aaron to make them a god to worship; after Moses destroys the golden calf and makes the people drink it; after the Lord gives the Law to Moses a second time; the tabernacle is built and the priests are consecrated. Aaron and his sons are consecrated priests to serve in the House of the Lord.

For two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, this does not go well. Shortly after beginning their duties, Nadab and Abihu are said to each “take his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”[3]

Nadab and Abihu were supposed to make the incense offering. They were supposed to use the special incense, prepared by Moses according to the direction of God, and put it on fire taken from the altar of the tabernacle, whose fire is never to go out. Now, they either used incense not created according to the will of God or they placed the incense of God on coals of a fire not taken from the Lord’s altar. Either way, they offered to God a sacrifice He had not commanded. They offered to God something unworthy of Him. They offered to God the filth of this world.

To our ears, the penalty seems far greater than the transgression. They screwed up the offering and God kills them for it. He burns them alive. But if we take a step back, suddenly God’s actions make, at least a little, more sense. The second half of the Book of Exodus, the Books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy mostly contain the Law of Moses. God gave this Law to Moses to answer a particularly difficult question: How does a sinful people come to dwell with a holy God? Or in the reverse: How does a Holy God dwell among a sinful people?

The Law of Moses is terribly specific. Some is for the governing of Israel but most of it is to answer this question. God had given to the people of Israel the means for Him to dwell with them. He revealed the entirety of His Law so that God and man could dwell together. What’s more, a careful reading of the Law will bring about the same conclusion we find in the Psalter by David’s hand,

For You, [O Lord,] do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise.

Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;

Build the walls of Jerusalem.

Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,

With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;

Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.[4]

The blood of bulls and goats does not appease the wrath of God against man. Only the activity of God, doing good in His good pleasure among His people can soften the heart of man, turning it toward Himself. And then, only a broken and contrite heart is an appropriate sacrifice to God; a heart which knows its sin and grieves over the pain such sin causes the Lord. Such a sinner cries out to God for forgiveness and will not be put to shame.

Only then will God be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. It is not as though the sacrifices of bulls and goats, of incense and grain, are indifferent to God. He has commanded them to Moses and the children of Israel. But the blood of a bull sacrificed with the black heart content to live in sin is not acceptable to the Lord. It is not a sacrifice of righteousness.

Taking the whole witness of Scripture, we see that Nadab and Abihu got exactly what they deserved. Not only did they offer a sacrifice not commanded by God but they offered it in their sin. They offered it according to either their sloth, their idolatry, their greed, or their pride. Whatever their motivation, it was not to the glory of God. If their offering to the Lord was not to His glory, then it is sin and sin is destroyed in the presence of a holy God.

Which brings us to the Lord’s Supper. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders went part way up the mountain to dine with the Lord. They saw God and shared a meal with Him. Yet the majority of this company would soon worship a golden calf and then at least two would commit such grievous sin that God saw fit to destroy them with fire.

The Lord chose to eat a meal with sinners. He called them up the mountain to dine with Him, knowing they are sinners. So too, our Lord Jesus Christ, called His apostles to a meal, His last meal, knowing they are sinners. One would betray Him. One would deny Him. Three would sleep when He commands them to watch. All would scatter.

In the upper room, just as the upper reaches of Sinai, God dined with His people, Himself being the way for sinful man to dwell with a Holy God. Just as Moses sprinkled the people with the blood of the sacrifice and said, “This is the blood of the covenant,” Jesus raised a cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My Blood.”[5] The blood of the bull pointed forward to the Blood of the eternal sacrifice of the Son of God. Just as the Lord told Israel, “This shall be an everlasting covenant for you and for your children,” so Jesus has said, “Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”[6]

This glorious meal of the Body and Blood of Jesus is given to you for the forgiveness of your sins. It is given to you so that you would be made one with God and that God might dwell with you. It is the most precious substance on earth, more precious than gold or silver, than technology or politics. It is the Holy Body and Precious Blood of God that you might dwell with Him forever.

If it is so precious, why then would we ever deny it to someone? Why keep it from young children or from those who are not members of our congregation or church body? St. Paul says, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.”[7] If the Lord showed Himself to take the offering of incense in the tabernacle seriously enough to slay Nadab and Abihu, what might He do to those receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in an unworthy manner? What does it mean to receive it in an unworthy manner?

The simple answer is faith. To be worthy to receive the Eucharist is to have faith in these words, “given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.” But even an ape could be taught to recite these words. Faith is the certainty of something you cannot see.[8] Faith knows this is more than bread and wine, but it is the very Body and Blood of Christ, who died on the cross to satisfy the wrath of God. Faith knows this is not a symbol, nor strictly a matter of personal confession. St. Paul says, “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,” you make a public proclamation that you believe the same Jesus who died on the cross of Calvary is giving you His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

Such a public proclamation can never be made in isolation. It is never just a statement of what you as an individual believes. Being a public proclamation, it is a statement of what the whole Christian Church believes. Sadly, there are divisions within God’s church. There are some who hold to unbiblical doctrines about the Lord’s Supper, about His death, about His nature. If you are communing at this altar, you are making a public proclamation that what is taught from this pulpit, what is confessed in this congregation, is the truth of Scripture.

And if you believe what is taught from this pulpit and confessed in this congregation but call yourself a member of the Methodist church, or a Baptist church, then your public confession is confused. You are saying one thing and believing something different. Scripture calls this hypocrisy. In this case, come speak to me and we can work toward bringing you into our congregation.

The same goes the other way. If you are a member of this congregation, believe what is preached from this pulpit and confess what we as a congregation believe, then you cannot commune at the Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, or Presbyterian church. To do so would be to commit hypocrisy in the other direction. You would be publicly saying you believe and confess what we believe and confess, but sharing in the table fellowship of those who believe differently.

What then of children? When St. Paul says, “Let a person examine himself,” what does he mean?[9] Does he mean every child must pass a written exam? Does he mean once you’ve graduated from confirmation class, your examination is complete? By no means! He means, let every man, woman, and child examine his conscience every time he desired to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Every time you desire to come into the presence of the Holy Body and Precious Blood of Jesus, you are to examine your conscience and find out if you are clinging to the profane fires of your sins rather than seeking the forgiveness of the filthy sins which cling to your flesh.

And so, if a child of seven knows the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, knows what Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are, can confess she is a sinner who needs forgiveness, and that Jesus is the only source of that forgiveness, who is to say that she cannot commune? If all of that is true, St. Paul says she can commune.

Who makes the judgment based on her confession, if the child in question can accurately examine herself? “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”[10] In other words, consider your pastor as the servant of Christ and the steward of the Holy Sacraments. It is the solemn duty of the Office of the Holy Ministry to administer the Sacraments of God rightly. If they are mishandled; used wantonly; used for the glory of man; then the man in that office has a far worse fate than that of Nadab and Abihu to look forward to. If, however, he treats the mysteries of God as the Holy Things they are, then by his hand is distributed the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

So then, as we enter into these most holy three days, let us do so with broken and contrite hearts. Let us enter into the Triduum examining our consciences, to see if we are clinging to our sin or if sin is clinging to us. Then, having faith that the Blood of Jesus was shed to fulfill all righteousness and has been given to you for the forgiveness of sins, let us come together as one in the Body of Christ and dine together on this mountain with our God.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Exodus 24:8.

[2] Exodus 24:11.

[3] Leviticus 10:1-2.

[4] Psalm 51:16-19.

[5] 1 Corinthians 11:25.

[6] 1 Corinthians 11:25.

[7] 1 Corinthians 11:26-27.

[8] Hebrews 11:1.

[9] 1 Corinthians 11:28.

[10] 1 Corinthians 4:1.