The second sermon.
1 Cor. 11, 27-34,
Whosoever therefore eateth unworthily of this bread, or drinketh of the cup of the Lord, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, that he may not discern the body of the Lord. For this reason there are also so many weak and sick among you, and a good portion sleep. For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world. Therefore, my dear brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. But if any man hunger, let him eat at home, lest ye come together to eat. The rest I will arrange when I come.
1 This is a necessary text, which should be diligently practiced among Christians. For as we have heard above, it has followed from the lack of understanding of these words that people have lost the consolation that is to be obtained from this sacrament, and have feared it as from a poison.
Now it is true that we cannot say that Judas received the sacrament for comfort or correction. So there were also many among the Corinthians, as Paul reports, who received it unworthily, and therefore were punished by God in life and limb. Therefore, this distinction must remain: that some received the sacrament worthily and blessedly to eternal life; but some unworthily, to the judgment that God will punish them bodily for it, and if they do not repent through repentance and faith, they will be eternally condemned. For this reason, everything depends on knowing what is meant by receiving the reverend sacrament worthily or unworthily.
In the papacy, therefore, they taught that no one should go to the sacrament unless he was well qualified and entirely pure. Such purity, however, they placed on confession, repentance, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and similar works called works of penance, which the preachers praised. And everyone thought that they were doing enough for the sin they had committed. But let such worthiness go and despair of it. For
It is impossible for us to be completely clean or to come to purity because of our works. So Christ himself did not give this supper to the disciples when they were completely clean, for he says they need him to wash their feet: he does not speak of washing water, but of the forgiveness of sins.
4 For this reason, we should diligently learn and observe that those who say and confess that they are poor sinners, feel many temptations, sometimes curse, become impatient, and are not always moderate in eating and drinking, do not receive the reverend sacrament unworthily. These are daily sins that cling to us because we live on earth, in one more than in another. Therefore you should not say that you do not want to go to the holy sacrament because of such sins. For as long as you have the old Adam on your neck, you will certainly encounter impatience, evil thoughts and other things that will challenge you and cause you to sin. If then you would not receive the sacrament sooner, because you would be freed from all sins, it would follow that you would never go to the sacrament.
(5) But those who knowingly lie in sins, such as murderous hatred of one's neighbor, murder, fornication, adultery, and other such public sins, received the reverend sacrament unworthily.
312 L. i, 314-317. on the day of Christ's supper. W. xm, sse-ssg. 313
nevertheless do not think to desist from it. For the sacrament was instituted by the Lord Christ, not that a man should remain in sin, but that he should obtain forgiveness and become more devout. So Judas took the sacrament for death and judgment, because he had decided that he would betray and sell the Lord Jesus, and he remained in such a forwardness and hardened evil will.
(6) Before such an example some are sometimes astonished; because they are in hatred and enmity, or in other sins, they do not want to go to the sacrament. They sin in two ways: first, because they do not want to fall from wrath or cease from sin; second, because they stay so long from the Sacrament against the command of Christ. Therefore, such people should drop hatred and envy, stop sinning, and seek consolation and forgiveness of sins in the Holy Sacrament. But if there is still a glimmer of sin or temptation, they should cry out to God and ask: Oh, Lord, give me a peaceful, kind, gentle heart toward everyone, and cleanse me from all sins for Christ's sake; and so go to the reverend Sacrament with all devotion, and do not be frightened by this saying of Paul. For it is not said of those who would gladly be rid of sin, but of those who lie in sins and yet do not want to let go of them, and even want to be praised for them. As can be seen in the Corinthians, when Paul writes to them, "I cannot praise you," this indicates that they, without all repentance, also want to be praised as fine Christians.
7 In those days the Lord's supper was in a different order than it is with us now. The Christians came together in the evening and ate with one another in the assembly, each with what he had. Some were found drinking to their fill, while others had nothing, and were hungry and thirsty. This, says Paul, is wrong. Let it not be that you sin so willfully, and then go to the sacrament, and pretend that you have not sinned. In this way you eat and drink the supper unworthily: therefore God punishes you with sickness and other things.
8 This is a different and greater sin,
For as the good hearts sometimes stumble, and yet return, praying and desiring, O that God would forgive me my sin; for I have done wrong. Christ does not expel them from this supper. For the words testify that he does not want righteous and holy people at this table, but poor sinners who, because of their great sin, do not know what to do with. For thus he saith, His body is given for them, and His blood is shed for their sin. But these must not be bad nor small sinners, for whom such an excellent sacrifice or payment has been made. Therefore it is only up to you to recognize yourself as a sinner from the bottom of your heart, then find your way here, and seek comfort and help there. But he who does not confess sin and does not want to amend himself does not belong here.
(9) But it is commonly contrary. Those who should not fear, and to whom God offers all grace and wants to adopt them as children, cannot get rid of fear. Again, those who should fear and are in the highest disgrace are the safest and do not fear their sins, but pass through them like a can through a wooden wall. As can be seen from the papists: they blaspheme and persecute God's word, strangle the pious Christians, drive people to idolatry against their conscience; yet they consider themselves pious and holy, and are therefore safe and in good spirits. On the other hand, the other group is stupid and frightened, but has no sin in mind. But what sins they have committed, they are heartily sorry for, and wish they had never done them. So he who is to be comforted cannot grasp comfort, but he who is to be afraid is safe and without fear.
10 Therefore St. Paul says: "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Now "to examine" means nothing else, but to consider well how thou art skillful. If thou findest thyself hardened, and wilt not depart from sins, and careest not for them, thou hast cause that thou goest not thither: for thou art not a Christian. Now the very best thing would be for thee to depart from such ungodly living, to have repentance and sorrow over it, and
By right faith in God's promise, you will find your way back to the Christians and need this supper with them. But if you do not want to do this, then only stay away from it; for you sin and will certainly take it to judgment. But here consider it well and make your calculation evenly: if God should thus overtake you with his judgment, how it would go with you afterwards in eternity. If you do this, you will be glad that you should repent, let go of anger and other things, and reconcile yourself with your God through this supper.
(11) Again, if thou art not thus hardened, but confessest thy sin from the heart before God, and art heartily sorry for it, and believest that God will forgive the same by grace for the sake of his Son Christ Jesus, then thou art well sent, and shalt boldly say unto thy Lord Christ: O Lord, I am a poor sinner, come therefore now to thy supper, and will eat with thee: doubt not, thou shalt be a good and acceptable guest unto him. For this reason you should not be afraid. For the sake of such sorrowful and anxious hearts this table is prepared, that they may find comfort and refreshment there. Let others be afraid, who do not feel their sin, but continue in sins with an insolent and proud heart, without all remorse and without all repentance or correction.
(12) This word of Paul, "Let a man examine himself," also gave cause to the ancient teachers to say: Obvious sins, which the judge and executioner, not the preacher, punishes, such as fornication, murder, gluttony and the like, should prevent people from going to the Sacrament. But this is to be understood, as said above, that whoever persists in such sins and will not cease from them, that he should abstain from the sacrament; for he only makes more of wrath, because he is guilty of
The first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time.
(13) But whoever is in such sins, but remits them and becomes better and more pious, should not let such sins hinder him, but should seek absolution and receive the reverend sacrament, and ask God that he may henceforth keep himself better. But whatever other daily infirmities we may have, let them not hinder us; for we shall not be relieved of them in this life of all things. If we did not want to go to the sacrament sooner, because we were pure, we would wean ourselves from it and never desire it again.
(14) I know well what it does when one abstains from the sacrament for a time; I have also been in such a fire of the devil that the reverend sacrament became so strange to me that the longer I went to it, the more reluctant I became. Beware of this, and be accustomed to go to it often, especially when you are able to do so, that is, when you find that your heart becomes heavy and stupid for sins; so that you do not forget our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and remember his sacrifice and death, for he desires nothing else from us.
(15) Besides that our need, because we still sin daily, requires it, and such work serves for the unity of the Christian church, in which the memory of our dear Lord Christ is to be preserved as the chiefest part of our salvation, as he says, "This do in remembrance of me." Whoever therefore goes, though he be a poor sinner, yet is he right and well able; and as Paul saith, he eateth and drinketh the body and blood of Christ worthily, not for judgment, but for salvation. To this end may our dear Lord God in heaven help us with His Holy Spirit, through Christ His Son and our Redeemer, amen.