Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost  1 Corinthians 11.23-30  Hymns: 315, 312, 311, 318

In our current series of sermons, "First Century Biblical Doctrines for Twenty-First Biblical Christians," we have made the point again and again that what was true, doctrinally, in the first century of the Christian Church is still true for us today who are members of the twenty-first century Christian Church. That’s not true of the New York Stock Exchange that what was true last year is still true today. It’s not even the case that what was true an hour ago on the NYSE is true even as I speak. It’s a "good news-bad news" kind of thing when it comes to the market...good if the market is up, bad if it’s down.

What a dilemma it would be for us if that were the case with the Bible...with the doctrine of the church...what was true in the past is no longer true in the present. You wouldn’t know what to believe that you read in the Bible. If culture and current attitudes are supposed to determine what the church teaches and believes, should we be changing our teaching in the WELS because other Christian church bodies claim that even though the church of the 19^th century believed that Jesus was born of a virgin, that’s no longer true, and even though the church of the 20^th century believed that it was a sin to engage in homosexual activity that’s no longer true, and even though the church throughout history believed that Jesus is the only Savior from sin that’s no longer true. And you do understand, don’t you, that this is what some Christian church bodies claim today. So they tell their members that they are free to believe whatever they want to believe because there is no such thing as "truth." Oh, there is such a thing as truth when the police officer clocks you at 45 mph in a 25 mph speed zone and he/she will insist on the truth by writing out a $150 speeding ticket. But God is not capable of communicating the truth to us in the Bible???

Today we look at the Doctrine of the Lord’s Supper and the truth it conveys to us. And that truth is this: THE LORD’S SUPPER IS GOD’S VISIBLE WORD OF FORGIVENESS. If this isn’t true because it’s the 21^st (and not the 19^th) century you and I will be in trouble whenever Jesus comes again!

Allow me to read to you from the Apology of the Augsburg Confession (April 1531): Ap XIII.5). When you see that the Communion ware is set up on the altar, your eyes tell you what you mind already knows by faith: "I today am going to receive the Savior’s body and blood, which is given to me in the elements of bread and wine, for the forgiveness of my sins. This is the same body and blood that Jesus gave when he died on the cross to pay for my sins. I am forgiven!" It’s as though you can see the cross, or at least what happened on that cross 2000 years ago. And it is for this reason that we say, The Lord’s Supper is God’s visible word of forgiveness and, in a supernatural way, you receive the very body and blodd of Jesus, together with the bread and wine.

Listen to the words Jesus spoke to his disciples on that Thursday night before his crucifixion (Mt 26.26-28). Jesus used the bread and wine that was on the table as part of the Passover meal they had eaten. Passover was a celebration of God’s rescue of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt at the time of Moses. They were freed from slavery, free to go back to the promised land where the Savior would one day be born.

This was a fitting time for Jesus to institute a new celebration, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion/the Eucharist. In the Lord’s Supper we celebrate Jesus’ death on the cross which freed us from the slavery of sin so that we can one day journey to the Promised Land of heaven when we die or whenever it is that Jesus will come again.

Why did Jesus institute this Lord’s Supper? Why did he tell us to keep on celebrating until he comes again? What is the value, the benefit for us 2000 years later? The value is that we are made certain that our sins are forgiven because Jesus paid for them when he died on the cross and rose again. We are able to participate in that life-saving event in a most personal way. When we receive the bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper we are also receiving the very body and blood of Jesus in that bread and wine. Is this a miracle? Of course. Why do we believe it? Because that’s what Jesus said (and Paul)...in the Bible. Jesus said, "this IS my body/blood," not represents/symbolizes, for the forgiveness of your sins."

This miracle does not trouble the mind of anyone who believes that everything in the Bible is true. With a word God said, "Let there be light...the universe/sun/moon/planets...microbes... mountains. With a word God parted the waters of the Red Sea, caused Mary, a virgin, to conceive Jesus. With word Jesus told the storm to stop on the Sea of Galilee, called the Lazarus, the three-day-old corpse, back to life, and said "finished," when he died on the cross and completed his work of saving the world from the guilt of sin. With a word Jesus says that when we receive the bread and wine in this sacramental way we are receiving his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. It is the visible word of forgiveness which we see and hear.

This is not only a visible link that connects us to the cross of 2000 years ago; it is also a visible link that connects us to eternal life in heaven at some point in the future. We are to be certain, beyond any doubt, that there is no sin that Jesus did not pay for, no sin that can ruin us eternally in hell, no sin left unpaid for which we must ourselves pay in order to go to heaven when we die. This is God’s visible word of forgiveness for the strength of our faith and certainty of heaven.

Therefore, let no one come to receive this sacrament who does not believe it is the true body and blood of Jesus (vs 27,29, 30 explain). Let no one come to receive this sacrament who is not truly repentant of sin, does not thrist, spiritually, for the forgiveness of sin, is refusing to forgive someone who may have sinned against you or who is choosing to continue to en-gage in sinful behavior (v 28 explain). Receiving the Lord’s Supper does not result in a blessing and forgiveness for anyone who does not believe it is the Lord’s body and blood he receives with the bread and wine, or is not sorry for sins nor is making the effort not to sin, or is not willing to forgive others.

But for those who are biblically qualified to receive the Lord’s Supper (believes it is the body and blood of Jesus, is able to examine him/herself and is repentant, is forgiving) then come every time the Supper is offered. Celebrate the cross and empty grave of Jesus which takes away the guilt of your sin. Celebrate your eternal life in heaven that awaits you because Jesus gave his body and blood for you. See the cross of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper, the visible Word of God’s forgiveness and be strengthened in your faith and love and life for Jesus.