The Eucharist

[Christian Baalsen]

I was just thinking about how little respect some Lutherans seem to have for the Eucharist. Many of the traditions regarding it have been abandoned, and people think that It can just be given out to anyone, because, after all, it's just bread and wine, right? Everyone should be welcome, shouldn't they?

This entire point of view is based on, how can I put this kindly, complete and utter heresy. That's the only way to describe it. Most of the people with this lack of respect have fallen into the reformed heresy of thinking that the Eucharist is a symbol, so who cares what we do with it? Nothing makes me madder than seeing someone try to justify why Baptists, Pentecostals, even Muslims, Jews, and Hindus should be able to take communion at our altars. They have absolutely no Scriptural basis or any grounding in our traditions, but instead use societal norms, such as what would be nice, or what is not exclusive. Not only do they not use evidence from any sources of belief, but the Scriptures and the Saints are against them. I can provide quite a few quotes to support that, from many different sources.

Two criminals were crucified with Christ. One was saved; do not despair. One was not; do not presume. Saint Augustine

"This food we call the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives as Christ handed down to us. For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God's Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the Word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus."
- St. Justin Martyr, 2nd Century

Article VII: Of the Church.
1] Also they teach that one holy Church is to continue forever. The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.

Article X: Of the Lord's Supper.
1] Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed 2] to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.
-Augsburg Confession

VII. The Lord's Supper.
2] Whether in the Holy Supper the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are truly and essentially present, are distributed with the bread and wine, and received with the mouth by all those who use this Sacrament, whether they be worthy or unworthy, godly or ungodly, believing or unbelieving; by the believing for consolation and life, by the unbelieving for judgment? The Sacramentarians say, No; we say, Yes.
16] 7. We believe, teach, and confess that not only the true believers [in Christ] and the worthy, but also the unworthy and unbelievers, receive the true body and blood of Christ; however, not for life and consolation, but for judgment and condemnation, if they are not converted and do not repent, 1 Cor. 11, 27. 29.
18] 8. We believe, teach, and confess also that there is only one kind of unworthy guests, namely, those who do not believe, concerning whom it is written John 3, 18: He that believeth not is condemned already. And this judgment becomes greater and more grievous, being aggravated, by the unworthy use of the Holy Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 29.
-The Epitome of the Formula of Concord

The Holy Supper
16] Therefore, as St. Paul says, that even the unworthy partake of the Sacrament, they hold that also to the unworthy the body and blood of Christ are truly offered, and the unworthy truly receive them, if [where] the institution and command of the Lord Christ are observed. But such persons receive them to condemnation, as St. Paul says; for they misuse the holy Sacrament, because they receive it without true repentance and without faith.
60] For that not only the godly, pious, and believing Christians, but also unworthy, godless hypocrites, as Judas and his ilk, who have no spiritual communion with Christ, and go to the Table of the Lord without true repentance and conversion to God, also receive orally in the Sacrament the true body and [true] blood of Christ, and by their unworthy eating and drinking grievously sin against the body and blood of Christ, St. Paul teaches expressly. For he says, 1 Cor. 11, 27: Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, sins not merely against the bread and wine, not merely against the signs or symbols and emblems of the body and blood, but shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which, as there [in the Holy Supper] present, he dishonors, abuses, and disgraces, as the Jews, who in very deed violated the body of Christ and killed Him; just as the ancient Christian Fathers and church-teachers unanimously have understood and explained this passage.
68] But it must [also] be carefully explained who are the unworthy guests of this Supper, namely, those who go to this Sacrament without true repentance and sorrow for their sins, and without true faith and the good intention of amending their lives, and by their unworthy oral eating of the body of Christ load themselves with damnation, that is, with temporal and eternal punishments, and become guilty of the body and blood of Christ.
-The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord

The priest stands daily at the altar, inviting some to the Communion and keeping back others. -St. John Chrysostom

O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of your mystical supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal Your mysteries to our enemies, nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief will I confess to You…
-Eucharistic Prayer from the Divine Liturgy of our Holy Father St. John Chrysostom

So you see, everything is stacked up against these inclusive, secularist, and ultimately false Lutherans. One of the issues is probably that the Eucharist is considered to be "a Catholic thing." That couldn't be farther from the truth. Our Eucharist is unique, not like the Catholics, not like the Reformed, not like the Orthodox, our Eucharist is a uniquely Lutheran thing.

Also, almost all the traditions surrounding the Eucharist have been abandoned. It used to be that modesty was a requirement. Our forefathers in the faith would have been appalled if someone walked into their church dressed as some people do today. We need to stop dressing like church is just another meeting on our already busy schedules, and start dressing how we should when we are going to see the one who made us in physical and earthly form (the Eucharist.) Also, the concept of the Anaphora should be more widely promoted. In the old services, starting with the Great Thanksgiving and ending with the Post-Communion canticle, there was to be a period of total attention to the liturgy. There was to be no other talking than the prayers perscribed, there was to be no communication or movement than what was needed, nothing could be done outside the rhubrics during that period of time. That fostered a sense of great respect for this gift from God.

Finally, let me just say this. If you can remember nothing else from this post, remember this. Jesus made you and died for you; the least you can do is show him some respect when he is in your church.

[Beth]

Right on!! In Tampa, people actually do not know what the meaning of "church attire"? It is crazy how so many young people do not value this tradition. It is upsetting to watch this happening because you took the time to learn what the meaning of the Eucharist is... I enjoyed reading this. Thank you :-)

[Scott Ness]

You claimed that our Eucharist is a uniquily Lutheran thing. How can weever claim that we (Lutheran) ever own the Eucharist? It is not ours to own--or even to make unique to us. The eucharist is and always will be Christ's! He is the host--He is the meal. Yes, we understand the meal in a decidedly "Lutheran" way--but it is far from ours. I very much agree that the bread and wine are gifts for the baptized and our faithful stewardship of these gifts is to refuse those who are not of the faith. Perhaps your experience is different than mine--I do not see a big emphasis on communing those who are beyond our community of faith.

You made some interesting points. I disagree with your attitude towards "church attire." As I read the scriptures I see a very clear emphasis from Jesus on a "come as you are attitude." It seemed that the Pharisees and Saducees were much more concerned with outward appearence. It is incredibly inhospitable and narrowminded every time I hear someone complain, within ear shot, of someones attire on Sunday morning. Is it not better to welcome these that they might hear the word of God and be renewed than to insult them and send them away starving for the truth that they desire to hear? Not to say there are not boundries for attire--but gone are the days when "Sunday's Best" is the mandate.