Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Deuteronomy 26:5-11
Matthew 26:26-29

We are in Week Two in our series about the roots of our faith. Last week, Beth got us started with a look at what we, as Lutherans, believe about baptism: how in the water and the words of baptism, we become God's children-we become part of God's family forever!

Today, we going to spend some time on one of the most wonderful gifts we have been given as people of faith-the very presence of God in your life, given in a specific, tangible way in the Gift of Holy Communion... It's something we don't talk about very often in an intentional way, but this morning, as we continue the conversation about what we believe, we have a perfect opportunity to do so.

It is fascinating and disturbing how over the years there has been such conflict over this gift of God. Back during the reformation, people were actually willing to fight and die over their understanding of how communion worked, over the words used, and their meaning. Today, Christians are still divided about their understanding of this Sacrament. I get asked all the time whether or not people should commune in churches other than ours. And I always respond the same way: listen to the invitation. If the pastor makes it clear that communion is only for members of that church or denomination, than it is impolite to take communion, but if it is an open invitation (regardless of the denomination), like we do here, by all means, receive the wonderful gift of God present there.

"This is my body that is for you-or broken for you-do this in remembrance of me... This cup is the new covenant in my blood. DO this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me..."

These are the words of Jesus given to us by St. Paul in 1^st Corinthians 11. Just think-this meal-this bread and wine are things Christians have been sharing, using virtually the same words for as long as there have been Christians on this planet! But people have argued about where the emphasis belongs in these words... "This IS my body....this cup is the new covenant IN MY BLOOD... Do the bread and the wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus, and if that's true, why do they still look, smell and taste like bread and wine...And one answer was that the bread and the wine assumed the internal structure of body and blood while retaining the outward form. Not magic, mind you, but a bit of logic developed by Aristotle (which we gave up hundreds of years ago...) It's called "transubstantiation," and this has led to all sorts of interesting practices over the years...

Did you know the custom of placing the wafer in the mouth came from horrified priests who discovered that their formerly pagan parishioners were palming the bread, and taking it home and setting up shrines in their homes for "good luck?" It was, after all, the actual body of Christ, so its presence in the home had to be good... So the clergy began literally parking the wafer in the mouth-and watching...Or, that it was lay people who refused to take the cup, after developing a deep fear that if any were to dribble down their face that they would be guilty of profaning the blood of Christ... And so after several hundred years of the custom taking hold, the Catholic Church gave in- and said if you're taking the body, obviously there's blood in there somewhere...

Another answer to the question was that, "Of course, it's not the body and blood of Jesus, that's ridiculous, and besides, Jesus is at the right hand of God, and can't be in two places at once... Focus on the "remembrance" words: do this in remembrance of me...Not on the death and resurrection of Jesus, but on the Last Supper, as a remembrance of what Jesus was to do for us...

But I had a Baptist friend of mine say to me at a worship service, "To focus on the death of Jesus, only to remember and to not celebrate makes no sense to me-there's no thanksgiving, it's only a ritual, and I can't see God there..."

Brother Martin Luther said, "Let's read the text and see what it says..." And he argued, and as a church we believe and teach that the Bible says: use both bread and wine, and so we do.

We also believe that Jesus is (and I quote Luther here) "in the bread and the wine, with the bread and the wine and under the bread and wine," which is to say we believe that Jesus IS in the bread and wine- he is present with us in ways he normally is not. He said, This IS my Body, This IS my Blood! But we do not focus on the HOW of it. Ask me, and I will tell you without hesitation: Yes, I believe Jesus is present, but how is a mystery, one I embrace- I don't HAVE to understand it! Who of us does, really?

I know that Jesus is present because he said he is, and I know from scripture, from faithful witnesses and from my own life, that when Jesus makes a promise, he keeps it!

Then Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me..."

"Do this..." When Jesus tells us to DO something, it makes sense to do it. He doesn't say, "You might try this..." So it is something for all Christians. And then he says, "in remembrance of me..."But this is much more than simple remembering-it means becoming a part of the story...

This is something we learn from our Jewish brothers and sisters. Have you ever participated in a Jewish Passover Seder-they tell the story of how God set the Children of Israel free from bondage-from slavery in Egypt, and in the telling, it becomes much more than an ancient story: our Jewish brothers and sisters take their place in the story-it becomes their story-their family story...

That's the meaning of that word "remember" that Paul uses. When we participate in Holy Communion, we receive- and participate in the story of Jesus and the disciples on that night so long ago, when for the last time, Jesus shared the Passover with his closest friends.

We remember-and participate in that meal-we remember his arrest, and the disciples running away, and denying they knew him... We remember the travesty of a trial he experienced-his cruel crucifixion on a Roman Cross. We remember- and we participate in that Easter joy when God raised Jesus from the dead... It is ours-yours and mine! It belongs to us as family.

When Jesus says, "given for you," he means, GIVEN FOR YOU! When he says, "Shed for you," he means, SHED FOR YOU-FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! And what do you-what do I receive?

Forgiveness for our sins. Every one if us needs a fresh start, and when you receive communion, that forgiveness is offered in a real, tangible way-you taste it...you take it into yourself!

From time to time, I will have someone who feels like they have done something particularly awful, and they think they shouldn't take communion. "I'm not worthy of such a gift..." is what I'll hear. And my answer to them- and to you, is always the same: You're not worthy- none of us is! But that's not the point- you're given the gift in spite of your unworthiness- and in Jesus, God loves you anyway!

I understand that there are some of you who cannot have even the slightest taste of wine- but one of the things I value about the use of wine is its harshness-it burns-it's real-and it reminds me both of the nature of my sins-how I have hurt the people around me and my God-and the price paid for my forgiveness... Perhaps those of you unable to use the wine can see the same values in its absence!

No matter what you have done or not done is forgiven by our Lord-for you to receive the gift is to ask for and receive the forgiveness you need for a brand new start!

Strength-food for the journey. Human beings cannot live without food and drink. Christians believe that we cannot live-live the abundant life that Jesus offers without His gift of himself-his body and blood in the bread and wine. Jesus comes with you, building you up, giving you the strength you need to take your forgiveness into our world. You receive the strength necessary to commit to growing as a disciple. You receive the strength you need to show Jesus' love in the world by the way you live-serving those in need, being a voice for those who have none-serving as Jesus' hands and feet as he has called us to do, whether by a simple act of kindness to a neighbor, or building a house with Habitat, or traveling across the world to share his love.For you to receive the gift is to ask for and receive the strength to commit to growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ!

You receive peace. We live in a troubled world. There is war, poverty, and injustice. There are so many things that happen that are out of our control-what is happening in the financial markets is a perfect example. People made decisions that are impacting you and me and we have nothing to say about it...What's more, we live troubled lives- illness, separation, alienation from people we care about, we hurt each other, we know we hurt each other and we do it anyway.

But when you receive communion, you are reminded that Jesus is here-with you for you-better yet, he is here in this community (that's a part of the word communion- we share him together! You can't have communion by yourself!)

Jesus promised us, "My peace I leave with you, such as the world cannot give to you. Set your troubled hearts at rest and banish your fears..." We are reminded what really matters in this world!

Years ago, I visited a man in the hospital who was dying. The family had asked that I bring communion, and I did. He had not had the strength to speak for much of the day, but he received the bread and wine, and then after the blessing: "The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace," with a loud, strong and confident voice, he said "AMEN!" He died soon after, peacefully, gently, with his family gathered around him.

I have been in nursing homes or hospitals throughout my years as a pastor, and people who were confused, or no longer speaking, or hours from death, recognized the words, "This is my body, this is my blood," and received the bread and the wine, they knew and I knew Jesus was in the room with us.

For you to receive the gift is for you to know that Jesus is here with us-and he will go with you. He will give you his peace because he loves you, and he always will!

Come forward and receive this wonderful gift! When we teach our children about receiving communion, we encourage them to cross their hands in the sign of the cross for the bread-it means you receive, not take... and the cross reminds us all of what Jesus has done for us!

If you have been receiving communion on a regular basis-some of us for as long as we remember-we know the welcome presence of Jesus waiting for us.If you have been away for a while, I say-actually, far better than that, Jesus says, "Welcome home! I'm glad you're here-this feast has been prepared for you, and everything I have is yours!"

Come and receive the bread and the wine. Jesus' body and blood-given and shed for you-for you-and join with us as we grow as faithful disciples-forgiven, strengthened, knowing peace, so that we can serve our world, in the Name of our Savior Jesus... Amen