Preparation for Holy Communion

Sermon for the First Day of Lent

Small Catechism Review: Christian Questions and Answers

You heard about fasting this evening from the prophet Jonah and from the prophet Joel, and from the Lord Jesus Himself. You know that many Roman Catholics practice some sort of fast during this Lenten season, and some Lutherans, too. You may know that yesterday, the day before the 40-day Lenten fast began, many people around the world—many of whom consider themselves devout Roman Catholics—celebrated Marti Gras, Fat Tuesday, or in South America, Carnaval. Pastor Marin explained a little bit to me about how Carnaval is celebrated in parts of Colombia. People parading through the streets naked, engaging in pagan sex rites and devil worship. People eat and drink in excess and participate in all kinds of debauchery and sin, thinking that the ashes of Ash Wednesday and the accompanying fast will wash it all away. They plan to party, and then they plan to “repent” afterward.

But planned repentance is no repentance at all. And fasting as a way to atone for sin is worse than useless, just as fasting as a way to “encounter God,” as I heard on the radio this morning, is useless.

As we discussed last week, fasting can serve a good purpose, or any outward discipline that helps you to focus on serious things, spiritual things, on the Word of God, on repentance and faith and the Christian life. But when it comes to the Lord’s Supper, it isn’t fasting that truly gets you ready. It’s faith. And how do you examine yourself, to test whether you are in the faith? For that, Luther prepared some sample questions you might ask yourself, or that the pastor might use to examine his sheep, both initially, when they become communicant members of his congregation, as we’ll do with our two confirmands, and periodically with everyone, to help his people make sure they’re approaching the Lord’s Table worthily.

Now, Luther assumes several things with the questions he prepared. He assumes that we’re talking about baptized Christians. He also assumes that these Christians have been instructed in the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the words of Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Altar. That’s exactly what we do in confirmation classes and why we have confirmation classes. And so, as we finish going through the Six Chief Parts of the Catechism, we’re finally ready to ask these questions.

Do you believe that you are a sinner?

Yes, I believe it; I am a sinner.

How do you know that?

From the Ten Commandments; I have not kept them. This is why it’s important to know and review often the Ten Commandments. Because it’s easy to say, “I’m a sinner.” We all know that to be true in theory. But to really know that you’re a sinner, you have to know what makes you a sinner. You have to have some idea how you’ve sinned against God and your neighbor. And the Ten Commandments are an excellent summary, a mirror to show you your sins.

Are you also sorry for your sins?

Yes, I am sorry that I have sinned against God. It isn’t enough to know that you have sinned; that’s not yet repentance. Many people know that they’ve sinned, and they laugh about it or joke about it, or they plan to keep on committing those same sins over and over. But the first part of repentance is contrition, sorrow over sins. Wishing you hadn’t done that thing, or said that thing, or dwelled on that sinful desire in your heart.

What have you earned from God with your sins?

His wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal condemnation. There’s no room here for joking or lightheartedness. Also no room for pride, no room for comparing yourself to others, no room for thinking you’re still a decent person who deserves something good from God. No, if you examine yourself rightly, then this is the answer you’ll give.

Do you also hope to be saved?

Yes, that is my hope. But why? Because you think everyone will be saved? Everyone goes to heaven? Is that where you find your hope and comfort? No.

In whom, then, do you take comfort?

In my dear Lord Christ. As the Apostle says, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Who is Christ?

The Son of God, true God and man. Not just any Jesus Christ is the object of faith, but the one revealed in Scripture as both true God and true man.

How many Gods are there?

Only one, but there are three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You don’t have to comprehend everything about the Holy Trinity. But this much at least you must know and believe if you are to approach the Lord’s Table worthily.

What did Christ do for you so that you take comfort in Him?

He died for me and shed His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sins.

Did the Father also die for you?

No. The Father is God only, as is the Holy Spirit; but the Son is both true God and true Man. He died for me and shed His blood for me.

How do you know this?

From the holy Gospel, from the words of the Sacrament, and by His body and blood, given to me as a pledge in the Sacrament.

What are these words?

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to His disciples and said: “Take eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also He took the cup after supper, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying: “Take and drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Do you believe, then, that the true body and blood of Christ are in the Sacrament?

Yes, I believe it.

What moves you to believe this?

The words of Christ: “Take, eat, this is My body! Drink of it, all of you, this is My blood!”

What should we do when we eat His body and drink His blood and in this way receive His pledge?

We should remember and proclaim His death and the shedding of His blood, as He taught us: “This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Why should we remember and proclaim His death?

So that we may learn to believe that no creature could have made satisfaction for our sins—only Christ, true God and Man, could do that; and so that we may learn to be terrified by our sins, and learn to regard them as serious; and that we may find joy and comfort in Christ alone, and thus be saved by this faith.

What moved Christ to die and make satisfaction for your sins?

His great love for His Father, for me and for other sinners…As Paul writes to the Galatians, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Why, then, do you wish to go to the Sacrament?

That I may learn to believe that Christ, out of great love, died for my sins; and then, that I may also learn from Him to love God and my neighbor.

Are those answers your answers? If so, then you are prepared for the Lord’s Supper. If not, then you need to pause and take some time to reflect on the state of your heart, to see where and why your answers are different.

Finally, Luther adds two questions aimed at the Christian’s motivation and desire for the Sacrament—or lack thereof.

What should admonish and encourage a Christian to receive the Sacrament of the Altar often?

For God’s sake, both the command and the promise of the Lord Christ should drive him to the Sacrament; then also his own need that hangs around his neck, because of which the command, invitation, and promise are given.

But what should a person do if he can’t feel this need, or if he can’t find in himself any hunger or thirst for the Sacrament?

To such a person no better advice can be given than this: First, he should put his hand on his chest to see if he, too, has flesh and blood, and he should believe what the Scriptures say about it in Galatians 5 and Romans 6. Second, he should look around to see if he is also still in the world, and he should consider that there will be no shortage of sins and troubles, as the Scriptures say in John 15-16 and in 1 John 2 and 5. Third, he will, for this very reason, also have the devil near him, who, with his lies and murdering day and night, will grant him no peace, within or without, as the Scriptures picture him, a liar and a murderer from the beginning who goes around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

And so we do well to begin another Lenten season today, remembering that we do, in fact, have flesh and blood and all the weaknesses that go along with it, remembering that we do still live in a world that is hostile to faith and to God and to the people of God, and remembering that our enemy, the devil, always has us in his sights. So turn to the Lord again today. Seek His forgiveness in Christ Jesus and in the Sacrament Christ has given us. And receive from Him, not only the forgiveness of sins, but the strength to walk in His footsteps, abounding in love and bearing the cross with patience. Amen.