Contact InformationRev. Daniel C. Eddy, Pastor
Email: dan.eddy@verizon.net Office Administrator: Teresa Behl Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-Noon Office Email: messiahlutheransecretary@gmail.com What Do We Believe1. There is only one God, who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is one in His unity and three in His person. Since God is infinite and eternal, He has always been, is now, and will forever be the author and Lord of all creation. 2. Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the Father, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, has created all things and sustains all things. 3. When our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against God they not only brought death upon themselves but brought death to all creation. God loves us, and so He created a way to save men and women from their sin and the eternal death which it warrants. Jesus Christ took on our human flesh, lived a sinless life, died in our place upon the Cross, and was raised from the dead as he foretold. We have some appreciation for the depth of God’s love when we consider how much it cost Him to rescue us from sin and death. 4. On the Last Day, Christ Jesus will judge all men and women of every time and place. Those who have believed in Jesus Christ and trusted in his death for the forgiveness of their sins will be given eternal life with God, and those who have not trusted in him will be lost to hell. 5. The message of the free gift of forgiveness and salvation for the sake of Christ Jesus who died in the place of sinners is the Gospel. In order for us to know this good news, God has given to us the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, which is inerrant (without error) in all that it reports. The Holy Spirit creates faith in Christ Jesus within the hearts and minds of men and women as He causes them to believe what the Bible teaches. Christ Jesus has commanded Christians to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in God’s name (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and teaching them God’s Word. In baptism, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. We do not withhold this precious gift from our infants and children - but lovingly join them to Christ. Jesus also commands that we share in his Supper, in which we receive into our mouths his own true body and blood given and shed for us for the forgiveness of our sins. 6. We are called by God to take seriously our Lord’s command for disciples to make disciples. We also have a responsibility to extend mercy and care to those in need. Our missional outreach and mercy ministry include our neighbors across the street and around the world. |
Who We AreMessiah Evangelical Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
The Constitution and By LawsWhere Is Messiah1531 Townline Ave
(Across from Converse School) Beloit, Wisconsin 53511 Phone: 608-365-3794 How to Become a Member of Messiah Sharing in the Lord's Supper Lord’s Supper is celebrated at Messiah most every Sunday and Wednesday in the confession and glad confidence that, as he says, our Lord Jesus gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but his very body and blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with him and with one another. Our Lord invites to his table those who trust his words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as he forgives and loves us, that they may show forth his death until he comes. Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, are asked first to speak with the pastor or a Lay Elder-Deacon. In addition to the members of this congregation, visitors from our sister LCMS congregations and other Lutheran denominations with whom we enjoy altar fellowship are invited to join us at the Lord’s Table. For further study, please see Matthew 5:23f.; 10:32f.; 18:15-35; 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:17-34. |
Summary of what’s going on in Holy Communion and the significance of the Lord’s Supper as a Sacrament
What’s a Sacrament? (Narrow Definition)
In this view of the Sacrament, the benefits are given to us by the Word of God through the physical elements, and we do nothing to merit or earn them. It is a means of grace.
Grace can be defined as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
What’s happening in the Lord’s Supper?
With the Words of Institution, bread and cup (wine/fruit of the vine) ALSO becomes Christ’s body and blood through the Word of God as spoken by Jesus the night before His crucifixion: “Take and eat this is my body.” “Take and drink this is my blood.”
Holy Communion ties to the Cross and God’s Promise
The phrases “given for you,” “shed for you” connects eating and drinking Christ’s body and blood to the historical event of Christ’s body sacrificed once and for all from the Cross and the blood He shed for our salvation, giving us eternal life. His sacrifice redeems us from our sins, and atones for our iniquities. We remember not just this historical event but we remember by faith the promise given to us by Him.
So in a way it is a Memorial Meal but more. Remembrance from God is always tied to a promise, and promises from God are tied to His covenants for you. God never breaks His promises. His people have often broken theirs.
Covenant/Testament:
Covenant: An agreement God makes with His people involving what He will provide and how He expects His people to act in return. A covenant assumes you believe in God. The New Covenant assumes you believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and His suffering, death, and resurrection.
Holy Communion identifies with Old Testament imagery, but Christ fulfills/completes what was started
Bread, wine, body and blood concepts were not new to the first century Jew.
Many theologians believe that in John 6 Jesus begins to tie these items to a paradigm shift in how they are to be understood and accepted.
Different views on Holy Communion
Unfortunately, not all the Christian Church agrees anymore about the reality and nature of the Lord’s Supper. In the past 400 years, “new” teachings have come about based on a more philosophical and scientific understanding of the world that have corrupted our understanding of what’s going on in this Sacrament. Below is a summary of the varying teachings of the Church.
Real Presence (LCMS view and maybe a few others hold to this view)….Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God as proclaimed with the Word of Institution turns bread and wine ALSO into Christ’s Body and Blood.
When consumed in faith, this Sacrament assures you still have Forgiveness of sins, power over death or eternal life in Heaven.
When it is not consumed in faith, including willful unrepentance, then it is not a blessing one receives but condemnation from the Lord.
Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic view)…Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Word of God turns bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood and the elements stop being bread and wine. (This teaching developed in the 1100 and 1200s with the influence of Greek philosophy.) Some argue this adds to what Jesus said in Scripture.
Calvinist View (Some Anglican, some Presbyterian, some Methodists, and some Baptists) Bread and wine turns to Christ’s body and blood BUT only in a spiritual sense. The bread and wine are not physically Christ’s body and blood. The reality of sacrament is limited to a “spiritual” presence.
Zwingli View (Some Anglican, Baptists, some Pentecostals, and other evangelical bodies) Bread and wine are merely symbolic (i.e. not real) and holds no sacramental, supernatural, or miraculous qualities to forgive sins and offer or preserve Salvation.
MOMENT OF EXAMINATION
Preparation questions to reflect on silently before coming to Holy Communion so you may receive the Sacrament of the Altar in faith and in a worthy manner. (Based on 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)
MOMENT OF EXAMINATION
Preparation questions to reflect on silently before coming to Holy Communion:
(Adapted from “Christian Questions and Their Answers,” a part of a 1551 version of Luther’s Small Catechism)
If you wish to come forward and not receive the Sacrament, please fold your hands to receive a blessing by God through the pastor.
- Instituted/Commanded by God in Christ Jesus, involving the Holy Spirit
- Physical Element(s)
- Combined with the Word
- Assures you of the following benefits given to you by faith from Lord God’s promises:
- Complete forgiveness of all sins
- Absolute power over death
- Eternal life in the heaven of now and the new Heavens and new Earth to come. (You can not have one without the other).
- Strengthened faith and increased fellowship with one another!
In this view of the Sacrament, the benefits are given to us by the Word of God through the physical elements, and we do nothing to merit or earn them. It is a means of grace.
Grace can be defined as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
What’s happening in the Lord’s Supper?
With the Words of Institution, bread and cup (wine/fruit of the vine) ALSO becomes Christ’s body and blood through the Word of God as spoken by Jesus the night before His crucifixion: “Take and eat this is my body.” “Take and drink this is my blood.”
- The real presence of Jesus in this Sacrament is just that…REAL…it’s physical, spiritual, and mystical, but more importantly it is what it is, given by faith. It is given for the specific purpose to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins.
- To rationalize Christ’s Words of Institution does harm to them and questions the significance of the Sacrament.
- Because if Christ body and blood are not in, with, and under the bread and the wine, then, one could argue, how can we truly believe that eating and drinking His body and blood gives us forgiveness of sins?
Holy Communion ties to the Cross and God’s Promise
The phrases “given for you,” “shed for you” connects eating and drinking Christ’s body and blood to the historical event of Christ’s body sacrificed once and for all from the Cross and the blood He shed for our salvation, giving us eternal life. His sacrifice redeems us from our sins, and atones for our iniquities. We remember not just this historical event but we remember by faith the promise given to us by Him.
So in a way it is a Memorial Meal but more. Remembrance from God is always tied to a promise, and promises from God are tied to His covenants for you. God never breaks His promises. His people have often broken theirs.
Covenant/Testament:
Covenant: An agreement God makes with His people involving what He will provide and how He expects His people to act in return. A covenant assumes you believe in God. The New Covenant assumes you believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and His suffering, death, and resurrection.
Holy Communion identifies with Old Testament imagery, but Christ fulfills/completes what was started
Bread, wine, body and blood concepts were not new to the first century Jew.
- Bread connects to the Passover.
- Wine/fruit of vine often tied to a drink offering.
- Eating and drinking were associated with fellowship.
- Blood was sprinkled on the altar and on the people for purification.
- Old Testament imagery of Passover bread, manna or bread from Heaven,
- Sacrifice of animals to atone for sins. Blood was involved in solidifying covenants. All this becomes very real in the Lord’s Supper.
Many theologians believe that in John 6 Jesus begins to tie these items to a paradigm shift in how they are to be understood and accepted.
- While John 6:25-71 does not institute Holy Communion, Christ does begin its concept, connecting Himself/Word made flesh to the imagery to Bread/Body, Blood/Wine and Forgiveness/Salvation.
Different views on Holy Communion
Unfortunately, not all the Christian Church agrees anymore about the reality and nature of the Lord’s Supper. In the past 400 years, “new” teachings have come about based on a more philosophical and scientific understanding of the world that have corrupted our understanding of what’s going on in this Sacrament. Below is a summary of the varying teachings of the Church.
Real Presence (LCMS view and maybe a few others hold to this view)….Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God as proclaimed with the Word of Institution turns bread and wine ALSO into Christ’s Body and Blood.
- Holy Communion = Body of Christ + Blood of Christ
- Body of Christ = Bread + Word of God “Take eat this is My Body”
- Blood of Christ = Wine + Word of God “Take drink this is My Blood”
When consumed in faith, this Sacrament assures you still have Forgiveness of sins, power over death or eternal life in Heaven.
When it is not consumed in faith, including willful unrepentance, then it is not a blessing one receives but condemnation from the Lord.
Transubstantiation (Roman Catholic view)…Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Word of God turns bread and wine into Christ’s Body and Blood and the elements stop being bread and wine. (This teaching developed in the 1100 and 1200s with the influence of Greek philosophy.) Some argue this adds to what Jesus said in Scripture.
- The benefits are participating in this Sacrament leads you closer to receiving the complete salvation upon your passing from this life.
- Eastern Orthodox hold similar views on Holy Communion but would not commit exactly to a Transubstantiation argument. Benefits are similar, too….leading to closer to transforming yourself to be more God-like (Theosis)
Calvinist View (Some Anglican, some Presbyterian, some Methodists, and some Baptists) Bread and wine turns to Christ’s body and blood BUT only in a spiritual sense. The bread and wine are not physically Christ’s body and blood. The reality of sacrament is limited to a “spiritual” presence.
- The benefits would be participating in the fellowship with other believers but not a sacrament assuring you of salvation since in Calvinism you can’t know for sure if you are chosen to be saved or chosen not to be saved.
Zwingli View (Some Anglican, Baptists, some Pentecostals, and other evangelical bodies) Bread and wine are merely symbolic (i.e. not real) and holds no sacramental, supernatural, or miraculous qualities to forgive sins and offer or preserve Salvation.
- Communion is seen as a memorial meal to remember Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection like how we remember the American Patriots who declared independence from the British Empire on July 4, 1776.
MOMENT OF EXAMINATION
Preparation questions to reflect on silently before coming to Holy Communion so you may receive the Sacrament of the Altar in faith and in a worthy manner. (Based on 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)
- In the Words of Institution, do you believe that the Word of God is being joined to the bread to be consecrated as Christ’s real body?
- In the Words of Institution, do you believe that the Word of God is being joined to the Cup to be consecrated as Christ’s true blood?
- Do you believe that in the eating and drinking of Christ’s body and blood that you receive the assurance of forgiveness of sins, power over eternal death, and everlasting life?
- Do you admit you are a sinner and desire to receive this sacrament for the strengthening of your faith in Christ?
MOMENT OF EXAMINATION
Preparation questions to reflect on silently before coming to Holy Communion:
- Do you believe that you are a sinner? If you say, “yes,” then you realize why our Heavenly Father had to send His Son to suffer and die on the cross for you, and now gives you Christ’s true body and real blood in this sacrament.
- How do you know you are a sinner? If you say, “From the 10 Commandments, which I have not kept,” then you understand through the Holy Bible our Lord’s basis for determining your sins and the reason why we have the Lord’s Supper.
- Are you sorry for your sins? If you say, “Yes I am sorry that I have sinned against God,” then you accept that Holy Communion is for the assurance of God’s gracious and merciful forgiveness to you in Christ Jesus.
(Adapted from “Christian Questions and Their Answers,” a part of a 1551 version of Luther’s Small Catechism)
If you wish to come forward and not receive the Sacrament, please fold your hands to receive a blessing by God through the pastor.