What Makes the Lord's Supper Holy

I have been thinking about Matthew 23 for a while lately as I think about the struggles some have with a high view of the LORD's Supper. Some my find this difficult to think through, others may find it connecting to things unrelated. But in Matthew 23 Jesus says, "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, "if anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?"

I find it very difficult to think of this text with anything greater than the way in which we view the sacraments. When Lutherans talk about the Means of Grace, there is the WORD and the sacraments. But often times today it has become the word and the Sacrament. We lose the fact that there is Baptism as well as the Lord's Supper, which is less significant than elevating the thing on the Altar over that which makes it sacred.

Baptism without the WORD would be just a washing of water (simple water) and no sacrament. Likewise, the Lord's Supper without the WORD would be just bread and wine and no sacrament. It wouldn't even be the remembrance meal that many Protestants believe it to be. It is the WORD that makes the sacraments meaningful, sacred, and beneficial.

Just as we should not elevate the gift over the Altar or the gold over the Temple, we should not elevate the sacraments over the Word. Many people will tell you that the movement of the Divine Service is towards the reception of the Lord's Supper. But would it not be better to say the heart of the Divine Service is the WORD of God. God can even provide his divine Service through just the Service of the Word.

This is not to say would should not have the Lord's Supper as often as possible. But is to say that it is more important for us to chew on the Word of God, or Holy Scripture, rather than simply chew on the word made flesh in body and blood. Even when we talk about the Means of Grace we should not simply say, "The WORD." But we need to include the ways in which the WORD of God works, through the Word (spoken, read, taught) and the sacraments (word connected to physical elements). Thank you.

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