God’s Son touches us in Lord’s Supper

Jesus’ description about the treasure he offers us in his Supper are clear. Simple and clear.

He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20).

Chemnitz on Lord's Supper

The great Lutheran theologian Martin Chemnitz (1522–86) once commented on Jesus’ promise about his body and blood truly residing in the bread and wine of Lord’s Supper with these words.

Faith ought to lay hold on Christ as God and man in that nature by which he has been made our neighbor, kinsman, and brother.  For the life which belongs to the deity resides in and has in a sense been placed in the assumed humanity....

The proper, simple, and natural meaning of the words of institution teaches that Christ himself is present with us in the celebration of the Supper with both his deity and his flesh, and that he comes to us in order to lay hold on us (Philippians 3:12) and join us to himself as intimately as possible. 

Wondrous comfort

This brings us sweetest comfort. 

For Christ, both God and man, must lay hold on us in order that there may be a union between him and us. 

But we, weighed down by the burden of sin and pressed under the weight of our infirmity, are not yet able to enter the secret places of heaven (Colossians 2:18) and penetrate to him in glory. He himself therefore comes to us in order to lay hold upon us with that nature by which he is our brother. 

And because our weakness in this life cannot bear the glory of his majesty (Matthew 17:2ff; Acts 9:3ff.), therefore his body and blood are present, distributed, and received under the bread and wine.