May 3 Holy Communion

The Sacrament of the Altar (Holy Communion)

What is the Sacrament of the Altar?

It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.

1) How would you explain the phrase “under the bread and wine”?

Where is this written?

The holy evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and St. Paul write thus:

"In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me."

2)  What do you remember about Jesus when you take communion?

What is the benefit of such eating and drinking?

The words "given for you" and "shed for you for the forgiveness of sin" show us that forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the sacrament through these words, because where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation.

3)  Write down your definition of “sin”.

How can bodily eating and drinking do such a great thing?

Eating and drinking certainly do not do it, but rather the words that are recorded: "given for you" and "shed for you for the forgiveness of sin." These words, when accompanied by the physical eating and drinking, are the essential thing in the sacrament, and whoever believes these very words has what they declare and state, namely, "forgiveness of sin.”

4) Can you get forgiveness if you just eat the bread and skip the wine? or vice a versa

Who, then, receives this sacrament worthily?

Fasting and bodily preparation are in fact a fine external discipline, but a person who has faith in these words, "given for you" and "shed for you for the forgiveness of sin," is really worthy and well prepared. However, a person who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, because the words "for you" require truly believing hearts.

5)  Are we ever “truly worthy” to receive Communion?  

Seventh Petition

The Seventh Petition

And deliver us from evil.

                 What does this mean?

Luther' Small Catechism says: We ask in this prayer, as in a summary, that our Father in heaven may deliver us from all kinds of evil—affecting body or soul, property or reputation—and at last, when our final hour comes, may grant us a blessed end and take us by grace from this valley of tears to himself in heaven.

Questions:

• Can you give an example of the different kinds of evil listed above:
• Evil affecting body:

• Evil affecting soul:

• Evil affecting property:

• Evil affecting reputation:

• Re-Write this sentence in your own words: and at last, when our final hour comes, may grant us a blessed end and take us by grace from this valley of tears to himself in heaven.

Pray this prayer for a friend.  Why is it important to prayer for others, even if they don't know we are praying for them?    

The Fourth Petition

Give us today our daily bread.

What is this? or What does this mean?

In fact, God gives daily bread without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we ask in this prayer that God cause us to recognize what our daily bread is and to receive it with thanksgiving.

What then does "daily bread" mean?

Everything included in the necessities and nourishment for our bodies, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, farm, fields, livestock, money, property, an upright spouse, upright children, upright members of the household, upright and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, decency, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

How would you explain the difference between a need and a want?

What are three things that worry people your age the most?  

What would it take for you to give this worry totally and completely over to God? Will you dare do it? 

Terms of the Week: write definitions based on Small Catechism, Bible or Google

Daily Bread:

Manna:

Need:

Providence: 

Want:

Quotes:  (Write down what do you think about the quotes.)

God gives every bird his food, but God does not throw it into the nest. 

– Josiah G. Holland 

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. 

– Abraham Lincoln 

Well, crying isn’t gonna bring him back... unless your tears smell like dog food. So you can either sit there crying and eating can after can of dog food until your tears smell enough like dog food to make your dog come back, or you can go out there and find your dog.                                                                        – Homer Simpson 

You can ask me questions at  Facebook  Pedro E. Lopez Jr.   
My profile name is Pedro E. Lopez Jr.  (Ashley and William make sure your parent know you do this)

 1 & 2 Commandment

The First Commandment

I am the Lord you God.

What does this mean for us?

We are to fear, love and trust God above anything else.

First Commandment:

We are called to fear, love and trust this God above everything else. So, what does this mean to you? 

There is only one God. All other “gods” will leave us high and dry. This God who commands us to obey is the only God who can carry us to eternity. What does this mean in a world where many other “gods” crowd the true God out of our schedule, thoughts and dreams?

Read Exodus Chapter 3 (play close attention to verse 14)  then read John 6:35-48: John 8:12 and John 14:6.  What is the thread running through First Commandment, Moses and Burning Bush and Jesus? 

I’ve always wondered if there was a god. 

And now Iknow there is—and it’s me.

– Homer Simpson

What does this commandment mean for You?

The Second Commandment

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

What does this mean for us?

We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

We are commanded to keep God’s name holy, special and sacred. So what? 

God doesn’t want us to treat God’s name as a common, low, or meaningless word. Don’t let anyone leave this session without being confronted by this truth: We are commanded to use God’s name in prayer, praise and thanksgiving—never to curse, swear, lie or deceive. So, what does this mean to God’s people in a world where cursing is common?

What is God’s name?

In Bible times, people didn’t even dare whisper the name of God out loud for fear of breaking this commandment. Today “God” is simply a fill word in our conversations. Do you think God cares how we use God’s name? Why or why not? 

How do you think God feels when we lower God’s holy name to become a common swear word?  

Why do you think God set this as the second commandment?

How do cursing and swearing relate to respect and disrespect? 

Where and with whom are you most likely to use “garbage” language? How can you start to change this situation?