The Body and Blood of our Lord

Bible Text: Exodus 12:1-13, Matthew 26:17-30 | Preacher: Pastor Mark Verbruggen | Throughout the Bible we read about the God who comes among us in Jesus Christ. Even in the
life and times of King Saul – a less than perfect king over Old Testament Israel – we still see God
at work moving all things towards the establishment of his Kingdom of grace in Jesus Christ.
Within the Church this Word of God is at the heart of our worship. We have a high view of
Scripture and we listen to all of it because we believe all of it is inspired by God and reveals
God’s plan for the renewal of all things in Christ.
When Jesus was on earth he prescribed two sacraments by which we could better understand
God’s Word and our place in it. Jesus taught us to observe Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as
reminders of our salvation. Both sacraments emerge from the Old Testament story of Israel.
Baptism is seen as the fulfillment of the Old Testament ritual of circumcision. The Lord’s Supper
is the fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of the Passover. In both sacraments the Church of
Jesus Christ remembers the God who brings us out of slavery to sin and into the freedom of life
in the Kingdom of God. This is the God who has come among us!