WEBVTT STYLE ::cue { color: #ffffff; } 00:00:00.970 --> 00:00:02.090 In the name of Jesus, 00:00:02.170 --> 00:00:04.366 who comes to us in the bread and 00:00:04.388 --> 00:00:06.494 the wine for forgiveness of 00:00:06.532 --> 00:00:09.070 sins, life and salvation. 00:00:09.650 --> 00:00:10.590 Amen. 00:00:13.170 --> 00:00:13.898 Recently, 00:00:13.994 --> 00:00:16.090 I performed a baptism 00:00:16.250 --> 00:00:18.080 on a baby girl. 00:00:18.690 --> 00:00:21.194 The parents brought this baby 00:00:21.242 --> 00:00:23.034 girl to me to be baptized. 00:00:23.162 --> 00:00:25.310 The mother is Lutheran 00:00:25.610 --> 00:00:28.342 and so she was very desirous for 00:00:28.396 --> 00:00:30.230 her baby to be baptized. 00:00:30.570 --> 00:00:32.870 But the father was not Lutheran. 00:00:33.210 --> 00:00:35.494 He belonged to a 00:00:35.612 --> 00:00:38.550 nondenominational congregation 00:00:38.970 --> 00:00:41.062 which practiced believer 00:00:41.126 --> 00:00:42.090 baptism. 00:00:42.510 --> 00:00:45.638 And so he was somewhat hesitant 00:00:45.734 --> 00:00:47.638 about having his daughter 00:00:47.734 --> 00:00:48.970 be baptized. 00:00:49.970 --> 00:00:53.002 And as I shared with the parents 00:00:53.066 --> 00:00:54.362 the biblical teaching 00:00:54.426 --> 00:00:55.710 on baptism, 00:00:56.450 --> 00:00:59.326 he was still unconvinced that 00:00:59.428 --> 00:01:01.530 actually baptism imparted 00:01:01.610 --> 00:01:05.010 benefits to the baby. In fact, 00:01:05.160 --> 00:01:06.514 what he would say to me 00:01:06.552 --> 00:01:08.820 frequently was this line. 00:01:09.430 --> 00:01:11.780 It doesn't do anything. 00:01:12.710 --> 00:01:14.434 It doesn't do anything. 00:01:14.632 --> 00:01:17.478 He just saw it as a symbolic act 00:01:17.564 --> 00:01:21.000 that had no real power that was 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:24.200 exercised through it. 00:01:24.650 --> 00:01:28.486 He acquiesce to the baptism 00:01:28.678 --> 00:01:30.186 because he said it's kind 00:01:30.208 --> 00:01:31.162 of a neutral thing. 00:01:31.216 --> 00:01:33.014 It doesn't do any harm, 00:01:33.142 --> 00:01:35.546 but it doesn't do any good. 00:01:35.728 --> 00:01:38.060 It doesn't do anything. 00:01:40.050 --> 00:01:43.360 Today our sermon is focused on 00:01:43.730 --> 00:01:46.106 the sacrament of the altar, 00:01:46.218 --> 00:01:49.162 which obviously is a distinct 00:01:49.226 --> 00:01:51.230 sacrament from baptism. 00:01:51.970 --> 00:01:55.250 But the same kind of skepticism 00:01:55.990 --> 00:01:58.606 and the same kind of hesitance 00:01:58.718 --> 00:02:01.810 towards any kind of benefits 00:02:01.960 --> 00:02:03.730 from the Lord's Supper 00:02:04.970 --> 00:02:06.742 is applied here, 00:02:06.876 --> 00:02:08.822 as was the case of this 00:02:08.876 --> 00:02:11.234 gentleman regarding his attitude 00:02:11.282 --> 00:02:12.870 towards baptism. 00:02:13.930 --> 00:02:16.022 We are following on these 00:02:16.076 --> 00:02:18.410 Fridays a sermon series going 00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:20.010 through the catechism, 00:02:20.350 --> 00:02:22.554 and we are currently now in the 00:02:22.592 --> 00:02:24.810 sacrament of the altar. 00:02:25.150 --> 00:02:27.914 And the question that was just 00:02:28.032 --> 00:02:30.554 asked and answered by Martin 00:02:30.602 --> 00:02:33.050 Luther in the Small Catechism, 00:02:33.130 --> 00:02:35.280 the one that we just read. 00:02:35.890 --> 00:02:38.394 And so I want to reread 00:02:38.442 --> 00:02:39.630 that for you. 00:02:39.780 --> 00:02:41.662 What is the benefit of such 00:02:41.716 --> 00:02:42.990 eating and drinking? 00:02:43.330 --> 00:02:45.594 Luther says It is shown 00:02:45.642 --> 00:02:47.374 us by these words, 00:02:47.492 --> 00:02:50.074 Christ's words given and shed 00:02:50.122 --> 00:02:51.722 for you for the forgiveness 00:02:51.786 --> 00:02:52.750 of sins. 00:02:53.250 --> 00:02:55.346 Namely that in the sacrament, 00:02:55.498 --> 00:02:56.930 forgiveness of sins, 00:02:57.010 --> 00:02:58.822 life and salvation are 00:02:58.876 --> 00:02:59.700 given us through 00:03:00.170 --> 00:03:02.366 these words. For where there 00:03:02.388 --> 00:03:04.074 is forgiveness of sins, 00:03:04.202 --> 00:03:05.662 there is also life 00:03:05.796 --> 00:03:07.230 and salvation. 00:03:10.290 --> 00:03:13.466 Luther here in this catechism 00:03:13.658 --> 00:03:16.382 gives us eyes of faith to see 00:03:16.436 --> 00:03:18.320 what is actually happening 00:03:18.850 --> 00:03:20.874 in the Lord's Supper. 00:03:21.002 --> 00:03:23.418 What is actually being bestowed 00:03:23.514 --> 00:03:25.234 in the Lord's Supper. 00:03:25.402 --> 00:03:27.974 What are the benefits given to 00:03:28.012 --> 00:03:30.790 us here in this sacrament. 00:03:31.770 --> 00:03:34.722 And since this is a catechetical 00:03:34.786 --> 00:03:37.550 service and catechetical sermon, 00:03:37.730 --> 00:03:40.890 I would like to share with you 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:42.906 an approach that I take in my 00:03:42.928 --> 00:03:44.826 own catechesis on the 00:03:44.848 --> 00:03:46.118 Lord's Supper, 00:03:46.293 --> 00:03:48.406 both to junior confirmands 00:03:48.438 --> 00:03:50.490 and to adult converts. 00:03:51.090 --> 00:03:54.014 An analogy that I use to help 00:03:54.052 --> 00:03:56.702 them to understand what God is 00:03:56.756 --> 00:03:58.074 doing through the bread 00:03:58.122 --> 00:03:59.966 and the wine. Now, 00:03:59.988 --> 00:04:01.582 I have to say from the very 00:04:01.636 --> 00:04:02.474 beginning though, 00:04:02.531 --> 00:04:04.558 that this is an insufficient 00:04:04.654 --> 00:04:09.140 analogy to communicate the 00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:12.882 incomparable mystery of what 00:04:12.936 --> 00:04:15.090 takes place in the sacrament. 00:04:15.690 --> 00:04:16.822 But I think that it 00:04:16.875 --> 00:04:17.810 can be helpful. 00:04:17.890 --> 00:04:19.606 And I must acknowledge that the 00:04:19.628 --> 00:04:22.520 analogy is not original with me. 00:04:23.130 --> 00:04:25.526 And this is the analogy I 00:04:25.548 --> 00:04:27.830 have here, my checkbook. 00:04:28.590 --> 00:04:29.882 And of course, 00:04:30.016 --> 00:04:32.406 in the checkbook are various 00:04:32.518 --> 00:04:35.210 pieces of paper we call checks. 00:04:35.790 --> 00:04:36.298 Now, 00:04:36.384 --> 00:04:38.298 these pieces of paper are not 00:04:38.384 --> 00:04:41.500 inherently valuable at all. 00:04:42.210 --> 00:04:43.742 You might have in your hand 00:04:43.796 --> 00:04:45.710 right now the service order. 00:04:45.780 --> 00:04:48.813 A piece of paper that as soon as 00:04:48.852 --> 00:04:50.270 this service is done with, 00:04:50.340 --> 00:04:51.578 will be discarded. 00:04:51.674 --> 00:04:53.506 There's no inherent value 00:04:53.608 --> 00:04:55.060 to it at all. 00:04:55.990 --> 00:04:57.940 But with this piece of paper 00:04:58.630 --> 00:05:01.940 in this checkbook when I 00:05:03.110 --> 00:05:05.720 write words upon it, 00:05:06.170 --> 00:05:10.002 when I pledge my promise upon 00:05:10.066 --> 00:05:11.400 this piece of paper, 00:05:12.169 --> 00:05:14.518 writing your name 00:05:14.683 --> 00:05:16.200 on the top line, 00:05:16.650 --> 00:05:18.762 and then pay to the order 00:05:18.816 --> 00:05:21.130 of an amount of money, 00:05:21.280 --> 00:05:23.546 let's say $3,000, 00:05:23.648 --> 00:05:25.050 because I'm good for that. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.433 I've got $3,000 in my 00:05:27.472 --> 00:05:29.100 checking account. 00:05:30.770 --> 00:05:32.986 Then my pledge, 00:05:33.098 --> 00:05:35.822 my promise attached to this 00:05:35.876 --> 00:05:39.754 piece of paper suddenly becomes 00:05:39.882 --> 00:05:41.950 very, very valuable. 00:05:43.890 --> 00:05:46.159 And as I give that to you, 00:05:46.930 --> 00:05:49.322 you would be a fool to simply 00:05:49.385 --> 00:05:53.120 take it and tear it up. 00:05:54.450 --> 00:05:56.582 Discuss regarded as having 00:05:56.635 --> 00:05:58.520 no value at all. 00:05:59.450 --> 00:05:59.860 Now, the 00:06:00.170 --> 00:06:01.806 Value isn't inherently in 00:06:01.828 --> 00:06:03.006 the piece of paper. 00:06:03.188 --> 00:06:05.882 It's in the pledge, the promise, 00:06:05.946 --> 00:06:08.122 the words that I have attached 00:06:08.186 --> 00:06:09.680 to it for you. 00:06:10.850 --> 00:06:12.030 Similarly, 00:06:12.530 --> 00:06:14.442 Jesus took the bread 00:06:14.506 --> 00:06:15.950 and the wine, 00:06:16.690 --> 00:06:19.614 earthly elements which in and of 00:06:19.652 --> 00:06:21.294 themselves are not all 00:06:21.332 --> 00:06:22.750 that valuable. 00:06:23.410 --> 00:06:25.150 Just a little snack. 00:06:25.450 --> 00:06:27.270 Just a little sip. 00:06:27.770 --> 00:06:29.494 And actually not all 00:06:29.532 --> 00:06:31.190 that tasty to boot, 00:06:32.090 --> 00:06:34.262 not all that valuable and 00:06:34.316 --> 00:06:38.140 beneficial to my nutrition even. 00:06:38.990 --> 00:06:42.390 But Jesus now attaches 00:06:42.470 --> 00:06:43.750 his promise, 00:06:43.830 --> 00:06:46.602 his word of promise to these 00:06:46.656 --> 00:06:49.018 visible elements, saying, 00:06:49.104 --> 00:06:50.398 this is my body, 00:06:50.484 --> 00:06:51.726 this is my blood of 00:06:51.748 --> 00:06:52.990 the New Covenant. 00:06:53.970 --> 00:06:56.414 And what Luther highlights are 00:06:56.452 --> 00:06:58.522 his words in the institution 00:06:58.586 --> 00:06:59.978 of this sacrament, 00:07:00.154 --> 00:07:03.426 given and shed for you for the 00:07:03.448 --> 00:07:05.490 forgiveness of your sins. 00:07:06.150 --> 00:07:08.370 And so it's like he takes 00:07:08.440 --> 00:07:10.270 these visible elements, 00:07:10.430 --> 00:07:11.842 almost like a check 00:07:11.896 --> 00:07:13.313 to be written on, 00:07:13.512 --> 00:07:16.162 and puts his word of promise 00:07:16.306 --> 00:07:18.854 paid to the order of the 00:07:18.892 --> 00:07:20.630 forgiveness of sins. 00:07:21.370 --> 00:07:23.159 And it's for you, 00:07:24.010 --> 00:07:24.933 for you. 00:07:25.052 --> 00:07:27.666 Your name is written upon it 00:07:27.788 --> 00:07:30.394 as you eat and drink it. 00:07:30.592 --> 00:07:32.922 That's the benefit, he says, 00:07:33.056 --> 00:07:35.686 of such eating and drinking. 00:07:35.878 --> 00:07:38.730 It's in the words of Jesus, 00:07:39.150 --> 00:07:42.062 given and shed for you for 00:07:42.116 --> 00:07:44.110 the forgiveness of sins. 00:07:44.930 --> 00:07:47.342 And what a great benefit that 00:07:47.396 --> 00:07:49.950 is, the forgiveness of sins. 00:07:50.450 --> 00:07:52.110 We would be a fool, 00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:54.894 just as being a fool, 00:07:54.942 --> 00:07:57.406 to reject a check that's written 00:07:57.438 --> 00:07:59.138 out to you with the words 00:07:59.224 --> 00:08:00.510 of pledge and promise. 00:08:00.590 --> 00:08:04.226 We would be a fool to reject the 00:08:04.248 --> 00:08:07.890 gift that is given here in Jesus 00:08:07.970 --> 00:08:09.606 pledge and promise of the 00:08:09.628 --> 00:08:11.270 forgiveness of sins. 00:08:12.169 --> 00:08:15.510 And he is good for His promise. 00:08:16.570 --> 00:08:18.550 He is good for His promise 00:08:18.630 --> 00:08:20.826 because He is the one who has 00:08:21.008 --> 00:08:22.586 earned forgiveness of 00:08:22.608 --> 00:08:24.860 sins for each of us. 00:08:25.630 --> 00:08:28.970 He is the one who lived the life 00:08:29.039 --> 00:08:31.134 of perfect obedience to 00:08:31.172 --> 00:08:34.159 God's will for you. 00:08:34.690 --> 00:08:36.494 He is the one who went to the 00:08:36.532 --> 00:08:38.250 cross and paid the penalty 00:08:38.330 --> 00:08:41.165 for death for you, 00:08:41.268 --> 00:08:42.990 the penalty of death 00:08:44.370 --> 00:08:45.950 for your sins. 00:08:47.010 --> 00:08:48.080 And now, 00:08:48.930 --> 00:08:51.021 through these means, 00:08:51.156 --> 00:08:53.450 with His word of promise 00:08:53.530 --> 00:08:54.510 attached, 00:08:55.130 --> 00:08:58.418 He transfers to our spiritually 00:08:58.514 --> 00:08:59.730 bankrupt accounts. 00:09:01.130 --> 00:09:03.230 The remission of sin, 00:09:03.890 --> 00:09:05.806 the remittal of the 00:09:05.828 --> 00:09:07.898 debt of our sins. 00:09:08.074 --> 00:09:10.880 He transfers into our count 00:09:11.570 --> 00:09:13.070 His righteousness, 00:09:13.730 --> 00:09:15.034 His purity, 00:09:15.162 --> 00:09:17.598 His holiness which 00:09:17.684 --> 00:09:19.630 expels our sin. 00:09:20.450 --> 00:09:23.082 This is of great benefit. 00:09:23.226 --> 00:09:25.014 This is of great value. 00:09:25.092 --> 00:09:27.880 It really does something 00:09:28.490 --> 00:09:29.880 and even more. 00:09:30.410 --> 00:09:32.626 Luther says here that it pays 00:09:32.658 --> 00:09:35.762 rich dividends because it brings 00:09:35.906 --> 00:09:37.726 not only forgiveness of sins, 00:09:37.778 --> 00:09:39.850 but life and salvation, 00:09:40.910 --> 00:09:43.574 because sin is what brings 00:09:43.622 --> 00:09:46.330 death, eternal death. 00:09:46.670 --> 00:09:48.534 But when sin is remitted, 00:09:48.582 --> 00:09:50.330 when sin is forgiven, 00:09:50.770 --> 00:09:52.910 we are given the gift of life, 00:09:53.060 --> 00:09:56.058 eternal life and salvation 00:09:56.234 --> 00:09:57.786 deliverance from eternal 00:09:57.818 --> 00:09:59.710 death and damnation. 00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:02.974 These are the wondrous gifts, 00:10:03.022 --> 00:10:04.980 the beautiful benefits 00:10:05.830 --> 00:10:08.126 that Christ promises. 00:10:08.238 --> 00:10:11.058 He pledges to us in the 00:10:11.064 --> 00:10:12.430 bread and the wine, 00:10:12.590 --> 00:10:15.286 His body and blood given and 00:10:15.308 --> 00:10:18.914 shed for you for the forgiveness 00:10:19.042 --> 00:10:20.390 of your sins. 00:10:22.810 --> 00:10:23.862 Several years ago, 00:10:23.915 --> 00:10:27.946 I was visiting a woman member of 00:10:27.968 --> 00:10:31.046 my congregation in the hospital. 00:10:31.158 --> 00:10:33.882 She was in the cancer ward in 00:10:33.936 --> 00:10:37.706 hospice care and she was 00:10:37.808 --> 00:10:39.450 dying of cancer. 00:10:39.790 --> 00:10:42.174 And so I would regularly come to 00:10:42.212 --> 00:10:45.040 her and bring communion to her. 00:10:45.730 --> 00:10:46.862 And one day, 00:10:46.915 --> 00:10:48.970 as I was opening up my portable 00:10:49.050 --> 00:10:50.586 communion kit, 00:10:50.778 --> 00:10:52.930 she smiled and said, oh, 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:54.350 thank you, Pastor. 00:10:54.510 --> 00:10:56.126 Thank you for bringing 00:10:56.238 --> 00:10:57.780 communion to me. 00:10:58.550 --> 00:10:59.540 She said, 00:11:00.470 --> 00:11:02.174 the doctors and the nurses 00:11:02.222 --> 00:11:03.154 who care for me, 00:11:03.192 --> 00:11:05.206 I appreciate what they do and 00:11:05.228 --> 00:11:06.982 the medicine that they bring 00:11:07.036 --> 00:11:08.726 to me to help me, 00:11:08.908 --> 00:11:10.600 I am thankful for. 00:11:11.290 --> 00:11:13.170 But I am especially thankful 00:11:13.250 --> 00:11:15.910 that you bring me communion 00:11:16.569 --> 00:11:18.700 because I know in this 00:11:19.390 --> 00:11:20.970 I am receiving 00:11:22.190 --> 00:11:24.860 the true healing that I need, 00:11:25.710 --> 00:11:28.220 healing for eternal life. 00:11:29.970 --> 00:11:30.670 Now, 00:11:30.819 --> 00:11:32.842 this woman was not expecting 00:11:32.906 --> 00:11:36.510 to go off of hospice care, 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:37.854 be released from the 00:11:37.892 --> 00:11:39.760 cancer ward and 00:11:40.930 --> 00:11:42.922 be in remission of her cancer. 00:11:42.986 --> 00:11:44.234 She knew she was dying, 00:11:44.282 --> 00:11:46.030 and very shortly after 00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:47.630 this she did die. 00:11:48.370 --> 00:11:49.930 But she demonstrated 00:11:50.010 --> 00:11:51.310 great faith, 00:11:52.290 --> 00:11:55.526 faith in the promise and pled of 00:11:55.548 --> 00:11:57.606 Christ attached to the 00:11:57.627 --> 00:11:58.610 bread and the wine. 00:12:00.170 --> 00:12:02.894 Faith in the benefits that 00:12:03.012 --> 00:12:06.474 Christ promises in the eating 00:12:06.522 --> 00:12:09.454 and drinking that it would bring 00:12:09.492 --> 00:12:12.430 to her forgiveness of sins, 00:12:12.770 --> 00:12:17.390 life and salvation forevermore. 00:12:19.490 --> 00:12:23.470 May we also share that faith 00:12:24.530 --> 00:12:27.142 as we trust the promises of 00:12:27.196 --> 00:12:31.240 Christ given and shed for you 00:12:31.850 --> 00:12:34.870 for the forgiveness of sin. 00:12:36.890 --> 00:12:38.566 In the name of the Father and of 00:12:38.588 --> 00:12:40.470 the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:12:41.050 --> 00:12:41.990 Amen.