An Easter Season Devotion

Jesus' Body & Blood + Bread & Wine? TIMCT **

(St. 3) "That last night at supper lying Mid the Twelve, His chosen band,
Jesus, with the Law complying, Keeps the feast its rites demand;
Then, more precious food supplying, Gives Himself with His own hand.

(St. 4) "Word made flesh, the break He taketh, By His word His flesh to be;
Wine His sacred blood He maketh, Though the senses fail to see;
Faith alone the grue heart waketh To behold the mystery."  *
* "Now, My Tongue, the Mystery Telling," Hymn #630, from Lutheran Service Book, Copyright 2006.

We sang this hymn at church this morning, & a thought struck me, which is unusual at church. Usually it's Lois striking me when she notices that I am starting to doze off.

The very first Passover observance took place on the Eve of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. The Lord gave Moses specific instructions re:  how the Passover was to be celebrated.

Not long after, as the Israelites camped near The Mount, God once again gave Moses very strict instructions re:  the observance of Passover, which was to be celebrated annually.

Over a thousand years later, Jesus the Lamb of God broke with this ages-old tradition on "the night He was betrayed."

When He celebrated Passover with His disciples on Good Thursday--which we observed not too long ago--He instituted Holy Communion or Eucharist or whatever you choose to call it. We Lutherans believe that as He consecrated the bread & wine, His true Body & Blood became one with the natural elements. We say that the Body & Blood still today are "in, with, & under" the bread & wine as the pastor speaks the Words of Institution.

There's your lesson and/or review of the Lord's Supper.

** This is most certainly true.