Whoever Believes These Words
2026-05-07
A Catechism Sermon on Luke 22:19 and Matthew 26:27-28 for the Sacrament of the Altar, Question 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Greetings, dear Christians. This week we continue with the Sacrament of the Altar. Two weeks ago we looked at what the Sacrament is. Last week we heard the benefit. And this week, today, we ask: How? "How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things? Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Along with the bodily eating and drinking, these words are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: forgiveness of sins" (Luther's Small Catechism, Sacrament of the Altar, Question 4). Now, this is a very important point for us as Lutherans. When we talk about the Sacraments—the Lord’s Supper, Baptism, Absolution—the most important Bible passages are the institution narratives. That is to say, where Jesus establishes these Sacraments. We heard a couple weeks ago how Jesus establishes the Sacrament of the Altar in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and 1 Corinthians 11. Today we get to see why we have four different institution narratives. They each contain important parts of this doctrine. St. Luke gives us the “given for you.” We read in Luke 22: “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19, ESV) St. Matthew gives us the “shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” We read in Matthew’s Gospel: “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:27–28, ESV) “Shed” and “poured out” are two translations of the same word. Given and shed. That is what Luther wants us to focus on today. Because by these precious words our Lord Jesus proclaims His death for us. From the beginning, God made it clear that sin causes death. Or, to put it a different way, death is the payment, the punishment, for sin. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God did not shrug and simply say, “Well, I guess adults will be adults.” No. He rolled up His sleeves and got to work. He clothed them in animal skins. Now, how do you get animal skins? By killing an animal. That is at least one thing that Peter gets right. You see, God made that first sacrifice in the garden to cover Adam and Eve’s sin. He shed that animal’s blood to atone for their sins and covered them with its skin, with its fur. After the Exodus, God codified the sacrificial system for Israel. He told them, “You need to kill this animal for that sin. Put its blood here, burn its entrails there,” and so on. The details are gritty and exhaustive. Each detail, each body part, has a specific thing that it needs to go do. Now why did God put that there? Is it because He wants us sacrificing goats and doves and quail and all the like until the end of the age? No. It was because God wanted to teach us that sin causes death. In order for God not to smite you for your sin, another one had to die in your place. Another’s blood must be shed. And that is what the cross is. That is what Jesus dying there, shedding His blood, is. It is the shedding of the blood of another, of the Son of God. That is why the Son of God takes a human nature: so that He can give His body over to death, He can give His soul to torment, and He can pour His blood out. The Son of God made the final, once-for-all sacrifice for sin. And He does all this for you. He proclaims to us this truth in His Word. Luke records the “for you.” Matthew records the “for many.” The Holy Spirit has both of these preserved in the Holy Scriptures to teach you that forgiveness of sins is offered to you in particular, and in fact, to all. Now, of course, while not all will RSVP, everyone is sent an invitation: that this Lamb has been slain for your sins, and that sacrifice, that benefit, is offered here in these words. The Sacrament of the Altar does not just benefit you because you eat something. If that were the case, then a Lutheran who worked in the food service industry could just sneak a drop of wine into that drink carrier, put a crumb of bread into that meal, speak the Words of Institution, and bam—drive-through Sacrament, fine-dining forgiveness. But is that how it works? No. Because it is not just eating. It is the words written here, along with eating and drinking. That is what does this work of forgiveness. And what precious words Jesus speaks to us here in this Sacrament. He tells us that this blood was poured out for you. This body was given into death for you. And through My suffering and death, your salvation has been accomplished. Your sins have been forgiven. And therefore, you have eternal life. Therefore, you have forgiveness. Therefore, you have My love. These are truly the words of eternal life, and they are to be heard, believed, and confessed. Again, from St. Matthew’s Gospel: “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27–28, ESV) Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: the forgiveness of sins. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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