Let
your FAITH lead you to the Lord's table...
We've provided you with
a few questions & answers to guide you to a better understanding about the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
- What
is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper?
- Why
should I know about this sacrament?
- What
is the origin of this sacrament?
- Why
is the significance of this sacrament?
- Who
may receive Holy Communion?
- How
is the Lord's Supper celebrated?
- What
common elements take on a special meaning during the Lord's Supper?
- How
does this joyful celebration affect our daily lives?
- May children partake of the Lord's Supper?
This
sacrament instituted by Jesus, is: a reminder of
the last meal shared by Jesus and the disciples before Jesus died, a
memorial of Jesus' death on the cross so that we might have eternal
life, and a physical means of experiencing God's grace
through which the gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation come to us.
*It's
also called "Holy Communion," the "Sacrament of the Altar"
and the "Holy Eucharist."
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Knowing
about this sacrament can enrich our lives by strengthening our participation
in the life and work of the church. The Sacrament of the Lord's
Supper is a gift from God, given not only for our personal benefit, but also
for the benefit of others. The sacrament is a source of strength that
enables us better to serve God and others.
Knowing
about this sacrament can enrich our lives by renewing our sense of security in
a rapidly changing and uncertain world. The sacraments, which
form the roots of our faith, provide us with a tangible means of understanding
God's gift to us. Participation in the sacraments helps us to live more
confidently.
Knowing
about this sacrament can enrich our lives by making us more aware that we need
the spiritual nourishment that this sacrament provides. Baptism
makes us children of God. Receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
helps us to nourish and strengthen that relationship.
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The
Old Testament
tells of the first Passover meal, shared on the night before Moses led the
Israelites out of Egypt and the bonds of slavery. God instructed the
Israelites through Moses, to mark their door frames with the blood of a
slaughtered lamb. The angel of death would then pass over these homes while claiming the lives of all firstborn Egyptian children.
God instructed the Israelites through Moses, to gather to eat their last meal in
Egypt. They shared roasted lamb (symbolizing sacrifice), unleavened bread
(representing the haste of flight) and bitter herbs (recalling the suffering of
slavery).
"This
day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a
festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a
perpetual ordinance." Exodus 12:14
The
New Testament describes another Passover meal. On the night before the crucifixion,
Jesus gathered with the twelve disciples to celebrate the Passover.
Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at this meal. Jesus
blessed and broke bread and said: "Take, eat; this is my body"
(Matthew 26:26). Jesus also gave them a cup of wine, saying "Drink
of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:27-28). Jesus
chose to become the Passover (Paschal) lamb. Jesus' blood marked the
wooden cross on which he was crucified. Once more, the angel of death
passed over. This time, eternal life was made possible as Jesus had
promised earlier.
"I
am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this
bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the
world is my flesh." John 6:51
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The
Lord's Supper is one of two sacraments celebrated by Lutherans. The
Sacrament of Baptism initiates our life in Christ. The Sacrament of the
Lord's Supper sustains that life.
 When
we partake of this sacrament we: follow Jesus'
command as
recorded in the New Testament, receive
God's gifts through Jesus' sacrifice,
the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life in union with God
is given to the church community, celebrate
our joy on this solemn occasion
through the continuing presence of Christ in our lives and God's concern for
people on Earth, strengthen
our fellowship
through the act of sharing with others the gifts Jesus so willingly gave us,
offer God praise and thanks through words and song, and remain
close to God through continually nourishing and strengthening our relationship with God.
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Those
who have faith.
Trust in God's promise to forgive our sins through Jesus Christ is the most
important requirement for receiving the Lord's Supper. Faith comes
through the BELIEF
Jesus died to make payment for our sins and BAPTISM
which marks our birth into a spiritual life. The Sacrament of Baptism is
the first time we receive the gifts of life, salvation and the forgiveness of
sins. Since this sacrament is given only once, it is important that we
continue to be strengthened in our relationship with God by joining in the
Eucharistic meal.
Communicants
may include:
all confirmed members of the Lutheran church who meet the guidelines for
admission to communion, baptized children, in some congregations, who
understand the meaning of the sacrament, and other baptized Christians who
believe that the Crucified Lord is present in this sacrament.
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The confession of
sins normally
precedes receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. This confession
may be PUBLIC--the
congregation acknowledges its sinfulness and the pastor grants forgiveness
after the prayer of confession has been offered during the liturgy or PRIVATE--a
more personal way of receiving God's grace.
After
the confession and absolution, prayer of the day, scripture and Gospel
readings, sermon and creeds--the order and content of the communion liturgy
may vary, but it usually includes:
The
Preface
After
bread and wine are brought to the table, the pastor and the people exchange
prayer greetings in conversational style.
Prayers of Praise
and Thanksgiving
All
present life up their hearts in joy and give thanks for God's blessings, just
as Jesus gave thanks before he share the wine and the bread with the twelve
disciples (Luke 22:17). The preface to the prayer ends with the words of
praise chanted by the crowd on the first Palm Sunday in Jerusalem (Mark
11:9-10).
Words
of Institution
As
Jesus share the Last Supper with the disciples, so, too, the pastor prepares
the holy meal, recalling the history of redemption in the Eucharist
prayer. Taking bread and win into his hands, the pastor speaks or chants
words used by Jesus when the sacrament was instituted. The body and
blood of Christ are present in, with and under the bread and wine.
The
Lord's Prayer
This
short and simple prayer, complete in its expression of all our earthly and
spiritual needs, was first taught to the Apostles by Jesus.
Distribution
Before
distributing the sacrament, the pastor may repeat the Risen Christ's greeting
to the Apostles: "Peace be with you" (John 20:19). Then the
pastor distributes the Lord's Supper at the altar, reminding all that the
bread is the body of Christ, broken for us; the wine is the blood of Christ,
shed for us. Hymns or other choral music may be sung while Communion is
being given.
Final
Prayers
A
hymn of thanksgiving and praise may be sung, followed by prayer, a short
period of silence, a final blessing and the dismissal.
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Bread
and wine were
offered by Jesus when he instituted the Lord's Supper. Today, these two
simple elements are still a part of the sacrament. Both elements are
products of God's earth: bread made from wheat, and wine from grapes.
The special meaning these elements hold is the presence of Christ IN,
WITH, AND UNDER
these earthly elements.
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The
importance of the Lord's Supper extends far beyond our Sunday
celebrations. Sharing the body and blood of Christ nourishes our spirits
and helps to: encourage
us to live
faithfully following the example set by Jesus during his life on earth, give
us hope that one
day we will share in eternal life because of Jesus' selfless sacrifice, strengthen
our belief that
Christ is ever-present and that we are invited to partake of Christ's presence
in the sacramental elements of bread and wine, promote
unity among
God's people in all places and at all times, and give
us peace--with
God, other people, and with ourselves.
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Children that have been baptized and completed their First Communion class
can partake of the Lord's Supper at St. John. Children who have not met these
requirements are invited to come to the altar during Communion and receive a
blessing.
See First Communion for more information.
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