Weekly Communion: the Gift That Keeps on Giving

By Taylor Schmidt

The pastor anxiously watched as the small congregation gathered into the fellowship hall and took their seats. Greeting the people, he slowly began his exhortation. “So,” he spoke, “I will now open the floor to you all. What are your concerns regarding every Sunday communion?” Immediately, an opinionated man shot his hand into the air. The young pastor gestured toward him, encouraging him to speak. “First and foremost, if we participate in communion every Sunday, it will no longer be special. It will lose all meaning.”

Christians today are easily mislead into forgetting what a gift we have been given in the Supper of Christ’s Body and Blood. The devil has already worked his lies into congregations that believe the bread and wine represent the Body and Blood of Christ when Christ clearly states, “This is my body…this is my blood.” Satan doesn’t stop there. He tries his lies in the hearts and minds of the those who do confess the Lord’s Supper rightly. Instead of telling them it represents Christ’s Body and Blood, the devil is telling believers they don’t need to receive it often, that it’s not that big of a deal, not that important a gift, often using the argument above, ironically. In many Lutheran Churches, pastors are attempting to bring back the weekly (or even more often!) gift of Christ’s Body and Blood. We shouldn’t object but rejoice! Here’s why:

According to Luther’s Small Catechism, the Sacrament of the Altar “is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink.” If Christ Himself instituted such a wonderful gift as His own body and His own blood, shouldn’t all run towards it and not away from it? His words, “This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me,” mean we should receive it as often as possible! It is special in and of itself. Jesus does not lie to us or deceive us. Satan creates doubt. He is the liar. “Did God actually say that you are to receive His Body and Blood as often as possible?” The devil puts this into your minds! Don’t you see? He knows what is in the Sacrament! He knows what you receive. Satan sees the gift—Christ’s Body and Blood given for you to forgive you all your sins! He sees God’s Word attached to the bread and the wine, and he tells you to run away from it! He wants you to stay away from this gracious gift because he wants you to die. Christ says, “Yes, receive this often.” It’s no surprise that the devil is telling us “no.”

Luther states in his Large Catechism, “Nevertheless, it must be known that people who deprive themselves of and withdraw from the Sacrament for such a long time are not to be considered Christians.” Don’t you see this is what Satan wants? He will try everything to keep you from being a Christian. Right before He was betrayed into the hands of men, Jesus instituted this Supper for His disciples. It was His last will and testament to them before His death. Christ said to them, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me,” and “Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” This wasn’t going to be a one time thing. Christ instructed his Apostles to administer this Sacrament to all His disciples forevermore until He comes again. Why would we avoid this meal for which we all have such a great need?

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The meal is vital because we need forgiveness. We are dirty and corrupt. Grace upon grace and forgiveness upon forgiveness—that describes the Divine Service as a whole! We are forgiven when we are baptized and daily remember our baptism. We are forgiven during Confession and Absolution. We are forgiven when we receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our act of showing up does not forgive us. It is the Word that forgives us! The Word given with water; the Word spoken by the pastor; the Word that delivers Christ’s Body and Blood. None of us can say we are righteous of our own accord. We need Christ. We need His Body and His Blood! We sin day after day… How can we ever think we don’t need to receive this gift? If we truly understood our corruption… if we really knew the wrath we deserve from God, we would be begging for this gift every single day. We don’t go to the Sacrament because we are worthy. We go because we are rotten. We go because Christ will cleanse us. We go because of His Word. As sick sinners, the true Physician gives us the bread of immortality. Many people take their medication every single day, and they wouldn’t dare forget to take it! It should be no different when it comes to the life-giving Sacrament of Body and Blood. Luther tells us in his Large Catechism, “We must never think of the Sacrament as something harmful from which we had better flee, but as a pure, wholesome, comforting remedy that grants salvation and comfort,” and “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.” Run to the foot of the cross. If you do this, you will know that the Lord’s Supper doesn’t lose its meaning. It doesn’t stop being special. When we see our need and what it is Jesus gives in His Supper, we will want to receive it all the more as the no-strings-attached gift it is.

Taylor Schmidt is a high school senior. She is planning to attend Concordia University Wisconsin in the fall to study Elementary Education. If you have any questions or comments, you can email her at taylor.schmidt13@yahoo.com. For more of her thoughts check out fitlutherangal.blogspot.com.