Luther’s Large Catechism says, “We
must never think of the Sacrament as something harmful from which we had better
flee, but as a pure, wholesome, comforting remedy that grants salvation and
comfort. (LC, V, 68). What is the purpose the Sacrament of the Altar? It is for the forgiveness of sin and
strengthening of faith.
Think of sin as just not an “oops, I
did it again,” but rather as a deadly
disease. It is a terminal cancer that
seeks to kill not only the body but also the soul. It seeks to wreak such havoc upon you that
you will despair and die in unbelief.
Sin, as it festers in your body, takes control of your desires and
actions. Now you may think it is
ludicrous because there are many out there who don’t believe, or don’t
participate in the sacrament. Even if
they do, they participate to their detriment, and yet they seem happy and alive
and doing quite well.
Here lies the problem. Just because they seem to be in good health
does not mean they are. How often do you
see a disease like cancer take root in a person as it eats at them and grows
upon them for a long while until it is discovered, and by then it is too
late. Luther says earlier, “We always
have this obstacle and hindrance to encounter: we look more upon ourselves than
upon Christ’s Word and lips.” For human
nature desires to act in such a way that it can stand and rest firmly on
itself. If you are sick with pneumonia
or bronchitis do you try and cure yourself?
If you have cancer do you ignore the doctor? No, we certainly seek out the doctor and we
trust in his expertise and schooling, not in our own self-diagnosis.
In this same way we seek out Christ,
who is called the Great Physician. Jesus
says of himself in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” He is the great healer of souls and he sends
out his pastors to administer the medicine of immortality, the salvation of
your souls, the Lord’s Supper.
Why is it then that we do not permit
some to partake of the Lord’s Supper? It
is as it was said above, some when they partake of the Lord’s Supper, partake
of it to their harm because they do not understand what it is for. For example, when my wife had her stroke back
in 2017 the doctor in Buffalo could not administer any drugs because they did
not know kind of stroke she had. If they
gave her the wrong drug she very likely could have died. If you are unwilling to diagnose the
spiritual problem, it can lead to the same effect. If you do not understand what the Sacrament
is and why you take it, it will lead to your judgment. Likewise, if you refuse to admit your sin,
you also take it to your judgment.
It is for this reason that we lovingly
practice closed communion. In the case
of an unrepentant person, the pastor says you cannot take this medicine. He knows that you do not believe what the
Sacrament is and he knows that it will not only not do you any good but will
harm you because you do not desire grace and absolution for your obvious
sin. Likewise to the one outside of our
fellowship, you cannot participate because it will only harm you because you do
not understand what you are taking. Luther says, “It is just like a sick person
who on a whim eats and drinks what is forbidden to him by the doctor.” (LC, V,
69) It is not good for them but only
causes hurt. Why does it hurt? In so doing you become hardened in your false
belief and sinful behavior. As Luther says, “those who are called unworthy are
those who neither feel their weakness nor wish to be considered sinners.” (LC,
V, 74)
But for the one who believes and holds
to this confession of faith, you should by all means seek this holy
medicine. It would be like the one who
knows they are sick and there is medicine that can save them. What are they going to do? They are going to partake of it. Who refuses to go to the doctor because they
know they have a dangerous disease? So
also, why would you refuse to come to the sacrament if you know that your pastor
is there to diagnose and save you!
“But those who are mindful of their
weakness desire to be rid of it (their sin) and long for help.” (LC, V, 70) And so we confess the liturgy,
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (LSB pg 184,
Divine Service III) Our help is
therefore in the reception of the Sacrament for he promises to deliver to us
the forgiveness of sins. Where do we
go? We come to the Divine Service, for
Jesus himself says, “Do this in rememberance of me.” Luther again tells us, “These are inviting
and commanding words by which all who would be Christians are told to partake
of this Sacrament.”
They are inviting words, for Jesus
knows that he has given us that which will heal us from the decay of sin that
attacks us and he wishes to bestow it upon us.
Understand that you are heavily laden with sin and despair and that
Jesus invites you to receive the cure.
The cure is the sacrament. Learn
your sin, understand how you have a stubborn, diseased soul and repent. For in this alone are you now worthy, because
the Holy Spirit has done its work so that he may deliver to you the remedy, the
medicine of life offered to you in the Sacrament.
