At The Lamb's High Feast

Oh how I long for the Divine Service. Jesus being true God is with us each and everyday. However, in this service Jesus promises to be present in a very special and salutary way. The high point of this service is the reception of the body and blood of our Lord for the forgiveness of sin.

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing

Praise to our victorious king,

Who has washed us in the tide

Flowing from his pierced side.

Alleluia!

Praise we him, whose love divine

Gives his sacred blood for wine,

Gives his body for the feast

Christ the victim,

Christ the priest.

Alleluia!

Where the paschal blood is poured,

Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword;

Israel’s hosts triumphant go

Through the wave that drowns the foe.

Alleluia!

Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,

Paschal victim, paschal bread;

With sincerity and love

Eat we manna from above.

Alleluia!

Mighty Victim from the sky,

Hell’s fierce powers beneath you lie;

You have conquered in the fight

You have brought us life and light.

Alleluia!

Now no more can death appall,

Now no more the grave enthrall;

You have opened paradise,

And your saints in you shall rise.

Alleluia!

Easter triumph,

Easter joy!

This alone can sin destroy;

From sin’s power,

Lord, set us free,

Newborn souls in you to be.

Alleluia!

Father, who the crown shall give,

Savior, by whose death we live,

Spirit, guide through all our days;

Three in One,

Your name we praise.

Alleluia!

The above hymn is frequently sung during distribution. It drives home the point Jesus made on the night He was betrayed:

Matthew 26: 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ESV

Through these words of promise we know that when we receive the bread and wine in our mouths we are receiving the true body and blood of our Lord. In this way we can receive our sins forgiven. We cannot go back in time to Calvary to receive the fruits of Jesus’ work. He has promised this meal does deliver those benefits to us each and every time we receive it by faith. To say otherwise renders this an empty work one does for God instead of a powerful work God does for us.

We also come to appreciate another promise of Jesus:

Matthew 28:20b And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen †