From Matthew 26:26-29
If you attend worship in a Lutheran context, these words are probably familiar to you. They are spoken before the celebration of communion. We call them the Words of Institution traditionally. It is in these words the Christ institutes the sacrament (a gift commanded by God with a physical component and associated with a promise of grace).
There are a couple of things in these sentences that are worth some special attention. First, Jesus says “this is my body” and “this is my blood of the covenant.” As far as we know, Jesus is speaking in a straightforward way here. We believe that when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper today, Jesus’ body and blood is really present in the bread and wine. It’s not a symbol. It’s not a metaphor. It’s not just about remembering. We don’t know how it works, but we believe that He is really there. That means we need to approach the meal with respect, because we are approaching Jesus. He also uses the word covenant. This is a powerful word that refers to this new relationship we have with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Each time we go to the Lord’s Supper, we are celebrating and taking part in this agreement where all of our sins, shortcomings, mistakes, and imperfections are put on Him and we put on His righteousness. These words institute a incredible gift that has been handed down through generations of Christians, generations all bound by the love and forgiveness found in Jesus.
Focus on God
We are reminded in these verses that God graciously enters into this new covenant with us.
Function in Our Lives
We are encouraged to take the Lord’s Supper seriously.
Topics to Pray About:
- Thank God for the gift of His sacrament.
- Confess to God times where you don’t seek Communion as faithfully as you should.
- Ask God to lead you to receive His gifts again and again.
In His Service,
J. LeBorious