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Should
I Commune?
Three Questions to Consider Before Participating in the Lord’s Supper at
Immanuel. |
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Holy Communion is a precious gift … which calls for an important decision.
There are several different teachings about Holy Communion in the Christian
Church. Each teaching stands in contrast to the others. Different
understandings of what Communion brings to us, what it actually does for us
and who should receive Communion divide churches. These divisions have
caused a lot of confusion concerning who should commune with whom. Some
Christians believe that the loving action is to open communion to everyone.
Other Christians understand that excluding some people may be the only truly
loving option.
How do you know if you should participate in Holy Communion at Immanuel
Lutheran Church? This page seeks to help answer that question by asking
three questions of its own:
As you examine each of these questions you will be able to determine whether
or not
you should join us in celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
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Do you believe as we do?
What do you believe about the Lord’s Supper? How does that compare to what
the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) believes and teaches? There are
three fundamental teachings about the Lord’s Supper that should help you
determine if you believe as we do:
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We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a participation in the body and blood
of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 10:16). We believe that the body and blood of Jesus
are actually present in, with and under the bread and wine distributed in
Holy Communion. Each communicant receives the bread and the wine in a
natural way and with them the body and the blood in a supernatural way.
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We
believe that receiving the body and blood of Jesus in faith brings us the
actual and real forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28). Although the Lord’s
Supper is celebrated in memory of Jesus (Luke 22:19) it is much more than a
memorial feast. Not only does the Supper remind us of Jesus’ death, it
provides us the benefits of the forgiveness His death won for us and the
strengthening of our faith that His presence brings us.
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We believe that there is a danger in taking the Lord’s Supper without
acknowledging that the Lord’s body and blood are truly present in, with and
under the bread and wine (1 Cor. 11:29).
If you do not believe what we believe about the Lord’s Supper we strongly
urge you in Christian love not to commune with us for your own spiritual
well-being. We want you to receive this gift for your benefit, not to your
detriment.
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Do you publicly confess what we confess?
If you personally believe what the LCMS confesses about the Lord’s Supper
the next issue to consider is your public confession about Communion. Your
“public confession” is the official teachings of the church body to which
you belong. If you belong to a church that is not in agreement with the
LCMS’s teachings on Communion then your public confession is different than
ours. By communing with us you are publicly acknowledging that you believe
and confess what the LCMS teaches about Holy Communion.
We do not want you
to act in a way that would contradict — even deny — your public confession. |
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Are you prepared?
Everyone should prepare themselves for receiving the precious gift of the
Lord’s Supper. Such preparation includes examining ourselves to see if we
believe in Christ and his promises, we recognize that we are sinful, we
desire to receive the forgiveness offered in the Supper and we intend to
amend our sinful lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. In addition to
being prepared through self-examination, each person should be “worthy” of
receiving the Lord’s body and blood. A “worthy” communicant is one who has
faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of
sins.” Worthiness is not a matter of being good enough to receive these
gifts, but rather it is a matter of believing that Christ’s body and blood
are given in this sacrament and that they are given to you personally for
the forgiveness of your sins.
Anyone who believes this — no matter how sinful they may be — is prepared
and worthy to receive the Lord’s Supper.
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Should you commune at Immanuel Lutheran Church?
Holy Communion is a privilege, not a right. Participating in the
Lord’s Supper is not a matter of being good enough, but of being prepared
and “worthy” by faith in Christ’s promises attached to the Holy Supper.
If you’ve answered 'yes' to the three questions on this page
then we invite you to commune with us. |
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If you aren’t sure about your answers or if you have questions about what we
believe, teach and confess about the Lord’s Supper, please see one of our
pastors or elders before joining us in Holy Communion. |
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“This
is my body … This is my blood ...” |
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