On Holy Thursday our Lord Jesus Christ gives us the greatest gift and treasure in the Sacrament of His body and blood. Christ gives us the most precious thing on the humble altars of our churches. The sacrament is not something that happened only long ago but it remains and is an ongoing gift which Christ is assured to his church on earth through his own word of promise given to us in the testament: "Keep on doing this in remembrance of me." Nor is this remembrance a mere calling to mind. It is the promise that through the very word of Christ shared over the elements of bread and wine in our churches what was given and shed on the night of his betrayal continues to be given and shed every time His Word is used in connection with these things. The words of institution themselves are perfectly clear in this regard. For when Christ speaks of what is in the cup, He describes it as "poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins." The verb "poured out" is a present participle in Greek. That means the pouring out occurs simultaneously with the main verb. In other words, the pouring out of blood occurs at the altar every time the Supper is offered to God's people through the Word intoned over the elements.

Of course, there is a legion of objections to be raised against this Word of God, "How can this be?" "Wasn't Christ's blood only shed upon the cross?" And so on. First, what Christ says comes to be, whether or not you know how he accomplishes it. This again is the function of faith. Faith trusts what God promises in his word. Anything else is unbelief. Second, yes, of course, Christ's blood was shed for the salvation of the world fully and completely on the cross of Calvary. It was a meritorious satisfaction offered by God for the sins of the world. But the benefits of this meritorious satisfaction continue to come into our possession by that blood being poured out on our altars and that body being placed into our mouths. This is what the Lutheran Church means by a means of grace. Christ has commanded that we continue to offer the benefits of his sacrifice personally and individually by placing them into the mouths of his children through this body and blood. Nor is this a re-sacrifice of the blood of Christ. In the Eucharist, Christ offers his blood to us upon the altar and poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Through this blood poured out we receive the forgiveness of sins merited by Christ our Lord on the cross. The sacrament merits nothing. It gives what was long ago merited by Christ and makes it certain by placing it in our mouths; giving comfort to troubled consciences and broken hearts.

What does this precious gift do for us? What are its benefits? Jesus tells us that the sacrament forgives sins. How precious this is! We can live with a clear conscience, though we are sinners, because our Lord has invited us to His Table and there by the hands of His ministers has placed into our mouths the sign and seal of the forgiveness of sins. His body and blood are in us. We walk away clean after having brought our whole load of sin and dumping it before the altar at which we kneel. Nothing remains. All is taken care of. Your sin is no longer yours. It is his. He has cleansed you with these gifts.

We flock to this banquet on the night of its institution knowing what precious things are given there. The sacrament attracts us like a fountain of life. Life is overflowing to us. We come to the Table like the little birds, mouths open, chirping, and waiting to be fed. Lord Jesus, feed us on this life-giving food.