Praise Ye The Lord For His Mighty Works

Psalm 111 KJV - All His works are glorious - give Him thanks and praise glorifying His Holy Name.

The Holy Spirit Teaches Us

A reading from the Gospel of John 14:23-26 KJV - The Holy Spirit has come as Jesus promised to reveal to us the truth.

Jesus The Bread Of Life

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

                                                                             (John 6:32-35 KJV)

Jesus is the bread of life. Many of us have not been being fed very well this past year with all of the shut-downs and restrictions due to COVID. We have not been being fed with the Word who is Jesus the Christ nor have we been being fed with the Sacrament of his body and blood.  So just a little reminder from Luther's Small Catechism found in the Book of Concord this morning that because of the restrictions we may have gotten out of the habit of hearing the Word and partaking in the Holy Sacrament and should get back into the habit. 

Sacrament of the Altar

As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.

01 What is the Sacrament of the Altar?

02 Answer: It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.

03 Where is this written?

04 Answer: The holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. Paul, write thus:

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Take, drink ye all of it. This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.

05 What is the benefit of such eating and drinking?

06 Answer: That is shown us in these words: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins; namely, 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.

07 How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?

08 Answer: It is not the eating and drinking, indeed, that does them, but the words which stand here, namely: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins. Which words are, beside the bodily eating and drinking, as the chief thing in the Sacrament; and he that believes these words has what they say and express, namely, the forgiveness of sins.

09 Who, then, receives such Sacrament worthily?

10 Answer: Fasting and bodily preparation is, indeed, a fine outward training; but he is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: Given, and shed for you, for the remission of sins.

But he that does not believe these words, or doubts, is unworthy and unfit; for the words For you require altogether believing hearts.

Hungry and thirsty?  Jesus who is the bread of life will fill you for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do In Remembrance Of Me

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”   Luke 22:19 KJV

These words of Jesus sometimes cause me to wonder if everyone at the table realize that this is more than a remembrance ritual or a memorial service. I often wonder if everyone who eats of his body and drinks of his blood realize that they are actually receiving the body of Christ into themselves.

He comes to abide in us through this Sacrament. As we eat and drink we become one in and with the living Christ. When we receive this Sacrament, we receive the living God. Jesus is not dead. He is alive. May he live in and through you so that others may also know of his loving sacrifice for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Maundy Thursday

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

                                                                                (1 Cor 11:23-26 KJV)

On the night in which he was betrayed the Lord delivered to us the promise of life. Life was delivered to us when his body was broken and his blood shed on the cross. In the Sacrament of Holy Communion we receive his body and his blood. In the eating and drinking we receive him into ourselves. We do not receive death. We receive life. We receive the living God in this Holy Sacrament. As we remember his betrayal, his persecution, and his death, many we also remember that he rose from the grave and lives. As he lives, so shall we!

Please, join your local congregation this Maundy Thursday and remember what Christ has done for you; to remember his journey to the cross for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J