07/26/26 – How to Prepare for the Lords Supper – 1 Corinthians 11 [23-26]
July 26, 2026
As we gather
Today we hear how God gathers His people around His gifts. From Mount Sinai to the Upper Room to the altar of Christ’s Church today, God establishes His covenant through blood and then welcomes His people to eat and drink with Him. This message reminds us that Holy Communion is not merely a memorial of the past, but the living and present gift of Christ Himself for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
Prayer Before Worship
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, You have prepared for us a feast of forgiveness and life in Your Holy Supper. Cleanse our hearts by repentance and faith, quiet our troubled consciences, and draw us near to Your table with confidence in Your mercy. Feed us with Your true Body and Blood, strengthen us in every affliction, and preserve us steadfast in the true faith unto everlasting life; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
History of This Prayer
This prayer is adapted from traditional Lutheran Communion prayers used in German Lutheran church orders and devotional preparations surrounding the Sacrament of the Altar during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Such prayers were commonly prayed before receiving Holy Communion and emphasized repentance, faith, Christ’s mercy, and the strengthening of believers through the Sacrament. The prayer was selected because it closely supports the sermon’s focus on Christ personally giving forgiveness, life, and salvation through His true Body and Blood.
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