Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist

The Eucharist is the principle act of worship of Christians on the Lord's day. It normally begins with hymns or songs of praise and continues with the reading of God’s Word, sermon, prayers, and Holy Communion. The word itself, "Eucharist" is a transliteration of the Greek word that means "to give thanks." When Christians celebrate the Holy Eucharist, they give thanks for the great and wonderful things God has done for them in Christ Jesus. For that reason, we need to know what God is doing in Eucharist, and what we are to do in response to his great mercy. Without spiritual understanding, the Eucharist degenerates into mere formalism rather than an encounter with the living God. When hearts are open, the worship of the living God in the Holy Eucharist is the most glorious event upon the face of the earth. In that event, God is glorified, and he glorifies his own by blessing them with his Word and the sight of his face. The blessings are so intense and real that they give believers the strength to overcome the world. For this reason, we need to begin this lesson in prayer, beseeching the Lord Jesus to open our minds and hearts to this great revelation.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that by the Holy Eucharist you bring us into your living presence where, with your son Jesus, with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven, we celebrate the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. Pour out upon usyour Holy Spirit, that our hearts may be opened to receive this glorious inheritance prepared for those who love you. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

The cornerstone of our study will be these passages, Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-23, John 6:1-71, 13:1-17, and I Corinthians 11:17-34. Aside from the passage from the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, all of these readings are from the gospels. When considering the four gospels, it can be seen that each of them reach their climax in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As can be seen in the Liturgy for Eucharist, the Holy Eucharist portrays the same structure, culminating in the Holy Communion which sets forth Jesus' death and resurrection. This event is the turning point of the world by which God redeems all things, and this victorious transformation is celebrated in the Holy Eucharist. Worship, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, becomes the place, above all, where God transforms all of life, and for that reason, a study of the Holy Eucharist is of the utmost importance. The gospels which describe the life of Christ, culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection, are eyewitness testimony.

The events narrated there happened, with each of the four evangelists narrating these events from their own perspective. For this reason, the gospel narratives are not simply mythic ways of describing ordinary events, but the actual events by which God redeems the world. When they are set forth in the Holy Eucharist through the ministry of the Word and the Holy Communion, they have the same saving effects today on believers as they did on the original believers. As expressed in The Creeds and Biblical Interpretation, "By his mighty power the Spirit takes the creative, powerful words, deeds, and appearances of God narrated in Scripture and repeats them in life today as a foretaste of God's final victory." On the basis of these passages from the gospels, as well as other biblical passages, we will develop the following points.

Formation of the Eucharist
The Consecration of Space and Time
In Remembrance of Me
Eucharist as Covenant Renewal
Passover and the Holy Eucharist
Eucharist as Forgiveness and Healing
Eucharist as the Dawn of the Age to Come
Eucharist as Deliverance from Evil
Eucharist as a Direction of Service
Eucharist as the Restoration of Eden
Eucharist and the Distinctive Kingdom
Eucharistic Discipline
Eucharist as the Highest Form of Fellowship