The Sacrament of Holy Communion is not just bread and wine, but it is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and drink.
Christ institutes the Lord’s Supper in all four gospel. St. Paul also writes: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: “Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” Again, after supper, Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, and give it for all to drink, saying: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
We eat and drink because the words “given for you” and “shed for you for the forgiveness of sin” show us that forgives of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the sacrament through these words, because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.
-Luther’s Small Catechism, The Sacrament of the Altar
Bethel’s Holy Communion Practice
The communion table is God’s table. Jesus invites all who feel moved by the Holy Spirit to partake in His body and blood to come forward in worship and receive God’s amazing grace in the promises of forgiveness and eternal life. At communion distribution, please come forward to the table. Pastor Zach will hand you a wafer to eat. Then, you will take a glass of wine from the tray (center ring is grape juice), drink it, and dispose of your cup in the basket as our return to your seat. If you want a blessing instead, please come forward to receive one.