All of Christ

One of the major errors and abuses of the Roman Catholic Church at the time of the Reformation was that of restricting the Eucharistic cup to only the clergy – keeping the wine from the people of God. 

In response to this, the Reformers stood on the clear teaching of Scripture, where every record of its institution contained two elements – bread and wine – both given to the people. Likewise, they pointed to the custom of the ancient church which faithfully followed the teaching of our Lord, until the Roman church began to profane the sacrament with its innovations. 

So why did they bar the congregation from the wine? Their formal claim was that it was done to protect the church from certain danger. Because they taught the wine transformed into the actual blood of Christ, the dreadful thought of congregants accidentally spilling Christ’s holy blood could not be tolerated. 

They saw the sacrament as potent, the blood of the New Covenant as precious and powerful, and therefore sought to contain it. And while they were in grave error here, they were right on one account. This sacrament is potent… which is exactly why all of it is for the people of God. 

About one hundred years before the Reformation, John Hus sought to return the cup to the laity. For this action, he went to his death. And while he was burned at the stake, the bishops overseeing the execution were heard proclaiming, “O cursed Judas, we take from you the cup of redemption…” Thankfully, just as they had no authority to take the cup from the people of God, they also had no power to remove the cup of redemption from this martyr. 

And so as you celebrate the Lord’s Supper this morning, recall with thankfulness to God the men He sent to renew His church, returning this sacrament in its fullness to you. Here you receive all of Christ, for all of life. For you He is both food and drink, and found in Him is all that you could ever need.

So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.