On the night in which He was betrayed

Scripture Lessons

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm 116:12-19

Hebrews 10:15-25

Luke 22:7-20

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

On the night in which He was betrayed, Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper. “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Jeremiah spoke of the new covenant 600 years earlier. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.” A bilateral covenant requires that two parties be faithful to the covenant. That was the problem. The Israelites were not faithful to the covenant. God remained faithful to the covenant, bringing both blessing and curse upon the people.

The new covenant is unilateral. The new covenant is made effective solely by the faithfulness of God. Psalm 116 declares, “What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?” The question is rhetorical in the sense that we cannot offer anything to God that is worthy of His gifts to us. But the Psalm also provides the answer, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.” What does the faithful person offer to God? Nothing. The faithful person calls on the name of the Lord. Faith receives God’s promise. Faith pleases God because faith saves and God’s earnest desire is that all be saved.

Thus, when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He gave a gift that is beyond price, that is the gift of His blood, given and shed for you. And yet, many Christians neglect this gift. They disregard the Sacrament. They defy Christ’s own words by treating it as merely a commemoration. Others go beyond the institution of the Sacrament as they parade the host for the people to adore. The small catechism asks and answers some questions that address these common abuses and misconceptions.

What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?

These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us 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.

How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?

Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “forgiveness of sins.”

Who receives this sacrament worthily?

Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

But Anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe.

Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, Concordia Publishing House, 2017

We confess this because it accords with God’s word. We confess this to our joy! In this blessed Sacrament, God has fulfilled His word, spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and repeated in Hebrews, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Yes! “Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Jesus has offered His body and blood on the cross, once for all, for the forgiveness of your sins and the sins of the whole world. In the institution of this Sacrament and each time it is correctly administered, God brings to you the very body and blood of Christ in the bread and wine, for the forgiveness of your sins. Tell me, can you ever get tired of receiving this blessed Sacrament?

There is more to say. In Hebrews, after proclaiming the forgiveness of sins, the preacher exhorts the congregation with three times repeating, “Let us.”

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I will not preach now on James 2, but those of you who attended the Sunday school classes on James will remember that James teaches that counterfeit faith is no faith at all and does not save. But true faith saves by faith alone. Faith alone saves, but faith is never alone. That’s why the preacher to the Hebrews exhorts the congregation, in view of your salvation draw near to God with confidence, not only are you sprinkled on the outside with blood as the priest would have been, but your heart has been sprinkled with the blood of Christ. That is the superior position. In Christ, you have more confidence to draw near to God than the high priest, who once a year would dare to enter the holy of holies. In view of your salvation, hold fast the confession of the faith knowing that it is not founded upon your strength, for it is a unilateral covenant founded on God’s Word and God can never lie. In view of your salvation, stir up one another to love and good works. Do not neglect the Divine service where you come together and receive these gifts of Word and Sacrament.

In the Lord’s supper Christ has given each of you forgiveness and life. In the Lord’s supper Christ has given the Church the means by which you may receive this precious gift. In the Lord’s supper Christ has called you to true fellowship with Him and with one another.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.