O Lord God, who hast left unto us in a wonderful Sacrament a memorial of Thy Passion, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so use this Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood that the fruits of Thy redemption may continually be manifest in us; Thou, who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
“Take, eat; this is my body…. Drink of it all of you; this is my blood.” -Jesus
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Luke 19:38). Jesus enters into Jerusalem precisely in order to suffer and die on the cross for us and for the sake of acquiring our salvation and life. He came not in order to be served but to serve, in order that through His sacrifice we might live forever as God’s born-again children. Still today, He comes not to be served but to serve, and to give us of Himself through the precious Means of Grace. Christ comes each week in the Divine Service to forgive us anew and strengthen us in the new life He’s given.
This past Sunday was the beginning of Passiontide, the final two weeks of the season of Lent. The Gospel lesson was John 8:46-59 and includes Jesus’ statement, “If anyone keeps my word, he shall never see death.” In response to this claim, the crowds picked up stones to throw at Him, and Jesus hides Himself and goes out of the temple. How can Jesus say that if anyone keeps His word, he shall never see death?
All Saints Lutheran Church and School 