The ministry of Jesus was quite simple: He traveled from town to town in Galilee for two and half years teaching the people and performing miracles as signs that the new creation had dawned. Then He turned His face to go to Jerusalem for the final miracle, where through death He took on Himself all sickness and sin, and through His resurrection He demonstrated in His resurrected body what we shall one day become.
Teaching and miracles – that's what Jesus' ministry is all about. And those same two activities of Jesus continue in the Church today as the Lord continues to teach His people through the Word that is read and preached in our Divine Services. Through the miracle of Baptism we enter into the Body of Christ, His Church, so that we might partake of the Body of Christ in the miracle of the Lord's Supper. Sacraments are the new miracles of Jesus in the world today because they testify to the bodily presence of Christ in His creation bringing in the new creation. In Baptism, Christ is present in water through Word and Spirit where He turns sinners into saints, taking us across the boundary of death into a life that never ends, delivering us from darkness into His light. In the Lord's Supper, Christ is present in, with, and under bread and wine to give us the very same body and blood that was crucified on Calvary and raised again on the third day.
The teaching and miracles of Jesus, therefore, continue in the Church today through the liturgy of Word and Sacrament. We hear the voice of Jesus in His Word and we take Him into our bodies in body and blood for our health and salvation. How remarkable that these are the very same structures of table fellowship – Word and Meal – in which we experience now a foretaste of the heavenly feast with angels, archangels, and with the whole company of heaven. Our liturgy is nothing more and nothing less than table fellowship with Jesus.
From Heaven on Earth: The Gifts of Christ in the Divine Service by Arthur A. Just Jr. Concordia Publishing House: 2008, pp. 93-94.
Dawn,
Excellent post. I’ve especially enjoyed reading your guest blog at New Reformation Press. I had almost the EXACT same journey from evangelicalism to Lutheranism – including the age six recitation of the sinner’s prayer! My exodus was likewise fueled by WHI and Issues, Etc., as well as by reading the story of Craig Parton’s journey to Lutheranism in his book, “The Defense Never Rests” – which has been hugely influential for me. I’ll be sharing your story with several friends who have already made the journey, and a few who hopefully will soon. Thanks again!
Andrew DeLoach
Thanks for the comment, Andrew, and for your kind words about my guest blog over at NRP…it’s amazing how many people have had these same experiences!
I’m going to have to read the book that you mentioned by Craig Parton. I really enjoyed his talk “Where in the Church is the Gospel?” as I completely related to his discussion of the thoughts and feelings of converts to Lutheranism from evangelicalism.
Feel free to share my story with whomever you think would benefit from it. I’m very grateful for the opportunity that NRP gave me to share my story with a much wider audience than my humble blog would probably ever have reached.
Blessings,
Dawn
Yes, I now run into so many converts who share very similar experiences! It’s pretty cool.
I actually played Parton’s lectures on the gospel and apologetics on my podcast a few weeks back! They’re both great lectures. The book is fantastic. I especially enjoy his discussion about “the rediscovery of sin” and the use of corporate confession. That was an experience I also had when coming to Lutheranism.
Anyway, thanks again and a blessed Advent to you!