Please note: The following sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.

The words jump out at us from Paul's letter to the church in Corinth:

This, do!

It is not just a thought, not just a suggestion, but an imperative, a command.

Indeed one of the names for this day is Maundy Thursday, that is, the day of the mandatum, the mandate, the command.

“Do this” are the words;

            to what do they refer?

The most obvious and direct answer is to pay attention to Jesus' actions and to do them.

The actions have been summarized for us by the apostle and the gospel writers with four verbs:

take, bless, break, and share.

How does this work?

1. Things and people and time are set apart for special use.

2. We thank God for those specific parts of his creation, and for his whole action for us.

3.Those God-given gifts are divided for use.

4. The gifts are shared among his people.

And the first application of that four-fold pattern is with the bread and wine this day and Sunday by Sunday;

as we set apart this specific bread and quantity of wine in the offertory procession, we bless God for them, we divide them and each receive a portion of them at the communion rail.

Thinking about it may be a nice activity, but it does not really sink in until we follow the command and “Do this”, and in the most profound way, allow our lives to be modeled on that of Christ:

for Christ is the one who knew himself to be set apart for special service,

who blessed God day after day,

who is broken, and gives himself for all.

Jesus is more than a teacher who spouts out good words;

he is more than the one who does amazing things and miracles;

he is more than one who attracts attention with socially inappropriate behavior;

He is God's Word in action.

How effective would it be if a parent were to say “I love you” to a child, but then never stay up with that child during times of illness,

or never bother to provide family meals,

or to keep holidays,

or to take an interest in the child's schooling or other activities?

The “I love you” would be empty, hollow words, ones without content.

They would not be a help, a comfort, or a guide for the child.

[In fact I heard just recently about a particular child who was treated just that way, and who has used it now as a young adult as an excuse for destructive behavior.]

But Jesus does not give us hollow words, but words in action.

He lives out that love of which he speaks.

His words happen!

Part of the mystery of this cluster of events that we call Holy Communion is that we cannot predict just what will happen in the course of, and as the result of, this meal.

We just may be blessed in ways that we do not expect simply by being  here at the Lord's table.

There will undoubtedly be times when we just don't “feel like it.”

Or are weighed down with despair,

Or sense that we are just going through the motions.

Rather than staying away, these may be the times when we need to “take, bless, break, and share” the most fervently!

Luther quotes the ancient thinkers of the church when he says that we should not exclude ourselves from the sacrament lest we deprive ourselves of life.

             [Large Catechism, V.59]

But those who earnestly desire grace and comfort should compel themselves to go, and not allow anyone to deter them, saying, ”I would really like to be worthy, but I come not on account of any worthiness of mine,

but on account of your Word and promise... regardless of my worthiness or lack thereof.

When we think that we are not “getting anything out of it”, as folks sometimes say,

that is precisely the time

to be waiting expectantly for the words “for you” and “for forgiveness”

            to work their power in you and through you.

and to be alert for what God will make of your life and mine, both  individually, and jointly.

What effect might the presence of a member whom we know is grieving have on one of us when we are in that same valley?

We might be led to say, “Well, if that person has gathered together the strength to come when the congregation is here for worship, maybe I can do it too”

and both are strengthened by the Lord Jesus and encouraged by our companions in the faith.

And this leads us to the second referent for the words Do this!

This night it is appropriate for us to focus on the Do this as the command dealing with Holy Communion,

but  we don't exclude the emphasis in John's Gospel where Jesus says “Love one another as I have loved you.” in the scene of the footwashing.

To have Do this refer only to Holy Communion would be to mechanically reproduce the problem of ancient Israel and the problem which the prophets fought constantly:

that is

the idea that one could make the right sacrifices and prayer on the Sabbath according to all of the rulebooks,

and then go out and do whatever I want all of the rest of the week.

Love one another as I have loved you is the other point of Do this!,

and it is also of great importance.

Remember Jesus' admonition that if we are coming to God's altar knowing that someone has a grievance against us, that we should reconcile with the person and then come with our gifts to the altar.

Remember that the first three commandments that specify God's relationships with us are followed by seven other commandments which intend to guide our relationships with one another.

Jesus gives them their point with his command “love one another as I have loved you.”

And, by faith, that love can be recognized as God's love at work in and around us.

You know how things happen:

as soon as a death is known, friends, neighbors, and church companions start bringing food, chores get done, things large and small are handled...

...not for reward, but simply because we know that this way of living and helping

are signposts for the kingdom.

What begins here in worship doesn't stay here; our actions in daily life point the way for others!

It is this way of taking, blessing, breaking, and sharing not only bread and wine but the whole of our lives as living signposts for the kingdom of God in a time and place where such signposts are few.

Today we hear a command Do this, and we hear it without anxiousness,

because before it stands the promise:

            for you = for forgiveness.

            as I have loved you  = for the  sake of the  community.

And behind that stands one other promise:

I am the Lord your God.

So we take on the command Do this! with confidence and with joy.  Amen.

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St. Mark's Lutheran Church

142 Market Street

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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