“Pastor, right before we receive the Lord’s Supper, you always read those instructions about receiving the Sacrament in a worthy manner. Why do you do that? How could we ever be worthy?”
This is a great question. I have heard it in various forms, and if a few of you have asked me about it, I’m guessing there are several more with the same question. My response is: “You’re absolutely right! There is no way we could ever be worthy of Christ’s body and blood. We are not worthy of the Sacrament. Rather, it is the Sacrament that declares us worthy.”
So then what’s with this exhortation we always read? Here’s the reason: there is a difference between being worthy and receiving the Sacrament in a worthy manner. We are never worthy, in and of ourselves. But there is a right and wrong way to receive the sacrament. There is a worthy manner and an unworthy manner.
This exhortation (p. 6 in the Ambassador Hymnal) has been part of the AFLC’s communion liturgy since before the AFLC was the AFLC. It expresses the Apostle Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29:
“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
This is a serious warning. The Lord’s Supper is a tremendous blessing, because it truly is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the Lord’s Supper can be incredibly dangerous, precisely because it is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Everyone who eats and drinks receives the body and blood of Jesus, regardless of what they believe. But the body and blood of Jesus has different effects on us, depending on what we believe. So we instruct all would be communicants to believe two primary truths.
First, “You should believe that Jesus Christ is present with His body and blood, as the words declare.” Remember, “Anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Cor. 11:29). You should believe that the bread and the cup are truly the body and blood of Jesus. But if you do not believe this, you should not come to the Lord’s Supper. I repeat: do not come. It can only hurt you.
Second, “You should also believe that Jesus Christ gives to you His body and blood to confirm unto you the forgiveness of all your sins.” You should believe that you are a sinner. You also should believe that Jesus forgives your sins here. But if you do not believe this, you are profaning the body and blood of Jesus, and God promises only judgment for this.
In the Lord’s Supper we receive the pure and holy body and blood of God himself. This is both gracious and dangerous at the same time. For this reason, we all come with a certain amount of fear and trembling. We come knowing that we are not worthy. But we come believing that Jesus Christ is here to declare us worthy. And this is the worthy manner.
So examine yourselves. Consider your sins, and consider the promises of Jesus. Then come and receive his forgiveness.
The peace of Christ be with you all,
Dan