A sermon on Revelation 21:1-8

Receiving this Sacrament Worthily 1 Corinthians 11:27–28 What do you think it means to receive Holy Communion in an “unworthy manner”? What do you think it means for a person to “examine himself” before receiving the Lord’s Supper? What might be some consequences of receiving this Sacrament unworthily? 1 Corinthians 11:29–31 Luther’s Roman Catholic Context “At that time we tortured ourselves to be so perfectly pure that God could not find the least blemish in us. For this reason we became so timid that we were all instantly thrown into fear and said to ourselves, ‘Alas! We are unworthy!’” It’s from this context that we come to our last section of the Small Catechism. Who receives this sacrament worthily? Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe. How is our Small Catechism’s definition of worthiness different than the Roman Catholic one? Worthy by Faith “Because he [Jesus] promises forgiveness of sin, it cannot be received except by faith. This faith he himself demands when he says, ‘Given… and shed for you,’ as if he said, ‘For this reason I give it, and ask you to eat and drink it, that you may claim it as yours and enjoy it.’ Whoever now accepts these words and believes that what they declare is true has forgiveness. But whoever does not believe has nothing…” LC V:34-35 “The treasure… is opened and placed at everyone’s door, yes, upon his table. But it is necessary that you claim it and confidently view it as the words tell you. This this is the entire Christian preparation for receiving the Sacrament worthily.” LC V 35, 36 Given that our worthiness for receiving Holy Communion is by faith, what would faithless, and therefore unworthy, reception be? In short, who should not be given this Sacrament? 1) Those who are not Christian or who are not baptized. 2) Those who are openly ungodly and unrepentant, living contrary to God’s Word. 3) Those who are unforgiving, refusing to be reconciled with their neighbors. Concerning number two, Luther writes, “Those who are lewd and morally loose must be told to stay away. They are not prepared to receive forgiveness of sin, since they do not desire it and do not wish to be godly.” -LC V:58 That last part is crucial. It’s not the presence of sin that drives us away from the Sacrament, but the callous, unrestrained, and unrepentant cherishing of it. Practically speaking, why would I go to the Sacrament for forgiveness if I’m not really seeking it? “Others, who are not such callous and wicked people, and who desire to be godly, must not absent themselves [from Communion]. This is true even though otherwise they are feeble and full of infirmities.” -LC V:59 A Sacrament for the Weak “We go because we are poor, miserable people. We go exactly because we are unworthy.” LC V:61 “Certainly you will find that you are full of envy, inclined to all kinds of villainy, to greed and the like. You fear death, you sense your unbelief. This is certainly lack enough. Then say: The sacrament is not given to those who are sick as a poison but as a remedy.” -AE 51:192 “See to it, then, that you seek the sacrament for your betterment when you find yourself in an hour of peril of life, when the flesh drives you, the world entices you, and Satan assails you.” -Ibid 192 “The need [which drives us to the sacrament] is that sin, devil, and death are always present. The benefit is that we receive forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit.” Ibid 192 “Because of your distress this command, invitation, and promise are given… If therefore, you are heavy laden and feel your weakness, then go joyfully to this Sacrament and receive refreshment, comfort, and strength.” -LC V:72 If you don’t “feel” your need, “At least believe the Scriptures. They will not lie to you, and they know your flesh better than you yourself… It is a sign that there is a leprous flesh in us that can’t feel anything… [therefore] the less you feel your sins and infirmities, the more reason you have to go the Sacrament to seek help and remedy.” -LC V:76, 77, 78 Food for Thought: Examination means to (a) become aware and repent of your sins, (b) believe Jesus’ forgiveness offered in the Sacrament, and (c) desire to amend your sinful life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians find spending some time on Saturday examining themselves in preparation for Holy Communion is helpful. Using Scriptures like the Ten Commandments and focusing on God’s promises in Scripture, they examine their lives. One author writes that this practice of preparation, “enables us to take an honest inventory of our lives and makes us even more eager to meet our loving, forgiving Savior at His Table.”

An overview of our Worship in light of Revelation

What is the benefit of this eating and drinking? These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. -SC VI The Benefits of Holy Communion A. “The forgiveness of sins, which Christ won when he suffered in His body and the cross and shed his blood to redeems us, is now promised in his body and blood given to us to eat and to drink.” Expl. 331 Matthew 26:28 “for the forgiveness of sins.” “For this reason we go to the Sacrament: there we receive such a treasure by and in which we gain forgiveness of sins. ‘Why so?’ ‘Because the words stand here and give us this. Therefore, Christ asks me to eat and drink, so that this treasure may be my own…’” -LC V:22 “Although the work is done and the forgiveness of sins is secured by the cross, it cannot come to us in any other way than the Word… Now the entire Gospel… the forgiveness of sins, and so on—are embodied by the Word in this Sacrament and presented to us.” LC V:31, 32 How might you sum up the above to someone who is curious about joining the Lutheran Church? B. “Where sin is forgiven, there is life with God now and salvation everlasting.” Expl. 332 “Here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips of Christ forgiveness of sin. It contains and brings with it God’s grace and the Spirit with all his gifts, protection, shelter, and power against death and the devil and all misfortune.” LC V:40 How might knowing this enrich your experience at Communion this morning? C. “As Christ gives us victory over sin and Satan in the Sacrament, he strengthens us for new life in him.” Expl. 333 Romans 8:10 “if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” “The new life must be guided so that it continually increases and progresses. But I must suffer much opposition. For the devil is such a furious enemy. When he sees that we oppose him and attack the old man, and that he cannot topple us over by force, he prowls and moves about on all side (1 Peter 5:8). He tries every trick and does not stop until he finally wears us out, so that we either renounce our faith or throw up our hands and put up our feet, becoming indifferent or impatient. Now to this purpose the comfort of the Sacrament is given when the heart feels that the burden is becoming too heavy, so that it may gain here new power and refreshment.” -LC V:25-27 How can bodily eating do such great things? Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.” “It is the Word, I say, that makes and sets this Sacrament apart. So it is not mere bread and wine, but is, and is called, Christ’s body and Blood.” -LC V:10 How might you sum up this part of the Small Catechism? We eat and drink by faith that Jesus’ words do and give what they say. “Whoever believes the words has what they declare and bring… Because he offers and promises forgiveness of sin, it cannot be received except by faith. This faith he himself demands in the Word when he says, “given… and shed for you,” as if he said, “For this reason I give it, and ask you to eat and drink it, that you may claim it as yours and enjoy it.’ Whoever now accepts these words and believes that what they declare is true has forgiveness.” LC V:33-35 Food for Thought Putting these two parts of the Small Catechism together, how could they encourage you to come to Sunday worship when you’re just not “feeling it”—when you’re tired, busy, discouraged, have an overgrown lawn, etc.? How could you use this knowledge to minister to someone who is becoming disconnected from weekly worship? “The Sacrament is given as a daily pasture and sustenance, that faith may refresh and strengthen itself so that it will not fall back in such a battle, but become stronger and stronger.” -LC V 24 “If you could see how many knives, darts, and arrows are every moment aimed at you, you would be glad to come to the Sacrament as often as possible. But there is one reason why we walk about so securely and carelessly, except that we neither think nor believe that we are in the flesh and in this wicked world or in the devil’s kingdom.” LC V:82 “He who is above says: If you want to be a Christian, if you want to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life, then come here! There stands your God; he offers you his body and blood, broken and shed for you. If you want to despise God and neglect the forgiveness of sins, then stay away. So I do not compel you, but Christ pleads with you lovingly. If you despise this, then you see to it! We are saying what your God is offering you.” AE 51:191

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