OC | Question 79 & 80

79. How does the Lord’s Supper remind you and assure you that you share in Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross and in all his gifts?

In this way: Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup. With this command he gave this promise:1 First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup given to me, so surely his body was offered and broken for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross. Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, given me as sure signs of Christ’s body and blood, so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured-out blood.216

^ 216. Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-25

80. What does it mean to eat the crucified body of Christ and to drink his poured-out blood?

It means to accept with a believing heart the entire suffering and death of Christ and by believing to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.217 But it means more. Through the Holy Spirit, who lives both in Christ and in us, we are united more and more to Christ’s blessed body.218 And so, although he is in heaven 219 and we are on earth, we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.220 And we forever live on and are governed by one Spirit, as members of our body are by one soul.221

^ 217. John 6:35, 40, 50-54
^ 218. John 6:55-56; 1 Cor. 12:13
^ 219. Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 11:26; Col. 3:1
^ 220. 1 Cor. 6:15-17; Eph. 5:29-30; 1 John 4:13
^ 221. John 6:56-58; 15:1-6; Eph. 4:15-16; 1 John 3:24