Have you ever explained something using words, but the person doesn’t understand, so you have to show them what you mean?
A couple of years ago my young son was going through a “How?” phase. “How do we get milk?” “How does a car work?” “How do we get day and night?” For the last question I tried to explain the sun shines and the earth rotates every 24 hours. He didn’t get it. So I said “Let me show you what I mean.” I found a tennis ball, a torch, turned off the lights and showed him what I meant.
I think the sacraments are a bit like this — baptism and Holy Communion are the Word of God made visible. It’s like God saying, “Let me show you what I mean.”
What does the Word of God say?
So what does the Word of God say, that the sacraments show? God speaks two different words, which can be confusing if you don’t distinguish them.
‘Comparing Holy Scripture with other writings, we observe that no book is apparently so full of contradictions as the Bible. … In one passage a free offer of life everlasting is made to all; in another, [people] are directed to do something themselves towards being saved. This riddle is solved when we reflect that there are in the Scriptures two entirely different doctrines, the doctrine of the Law and the doctrine of the Gospel.’ (C.F.W. Walther, “The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel,” pg 6)
(a) God’s Word speaks the Law. The Law says that God is mysterious, unknowable, Almighty, Holy. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isaiah 55:9). The Law says that you must measure up to this Holy, infinite being. But you don’t and can’t. It’s as if the Law builds an iron wall around you, stretching to infinity. The Law smashes you against this impenetrable wall. There’s no way out. No exit sign. There is nothing you can do in your own strength. The Law offers no help. The only escape is death. ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23).
(b) God’s Word also speaks the Gospel. The mysterious and unknowable God reveals himself as a Father with two hands: his Son (the Word) and his Spirit (breath). God comes down from heaven to earth in the Word made flesh. Yet God’s Son, Jesus, also faces the iron wall. For him there’s also no way out, no exit sign. He is smashed up against the wall. He is crushed and wounded. He is utterly forsaken, abandoned. Jesus dies. Creation holds its breath… But the news continues, and the news is good: Jesus is raised to new life! The tomb is empty. The mountains and hills burst into song. The trees of the field clap their hands. Creation sings because it too is alive again and being made new.
The Gospel is not that Jesus breaks down the wall for us, or offers some sort of escape. There is no escape from the Law, even Jesus can’t escape. The Law says we must die, so we die. But the Gospel is that you don’t face the mysterious, unknowable God alone. But the Father sends you his son. You die together with Jesus. And because Jesus has been raised to new life, you too are raised to new life.
The Word of God speaks these two words: Law and Gospel. But we often we don’t get it. So God says, “Let me show you what I mean.”
Baptism is the Word made visible
In baptism you are put to death. Your old self is drowned in the water. You are buried in the tomb with Jesus. Baptism shows there is nothing you can do to save yourself — you are dead!
(This is why we baptise both infants and adults — both are helpless in the face of the Law). But baptism shows us the Gospel — we can’t save ourselves from death, but God can and does. God acts in baptism. “I baptise you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” These words don’t return empty but accomplish their purpose, like rain watering the earth. You are drawn out of the water. You are made alive. You are unconditionally promised life and salvation. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Baptism shows you what God says in his Word.
Holy Communion is the Word made visible
In Holy Communion God also says, “Let me show you what I mean.”
Holy Communion is sometimes called the new testament, or the new covenant. The last will and testament is a promise made by one who is about to die. A testament involves two things: (1) firstly, the death of the one leaving his will; and (2) secondly, the promise of an inheritance and the naming of an heir. Jesus testifies to his death in the words we hear before Holy Communion (“words of institution”).
(1) Jesus testifies to his death when he says, “This is my body” — his body dies hanging on a cross, laid in a tomb. Jesus says, “This is my blood” — his blood is shed.
(2) Jesus names and designates the inheritance when he says “for the forgiveness of sins.” He appoints heirs when he says “for you” and “for many.” In the sacrament you remember, you participate, in Jesus’ death and resurrection. You inherit the bequest and are made heirs to eternal life.
In baptism and Holy Communion, the Word of God is made visible. It’s like God saying, “Let me show you what I mean.” In the water and bread and wine, we see God coming down to earth to act. We see God doing the work. We see God who is given for you.
The Law says that you must die. So in your baptism you die. And each day you remember your baptism, you die again and again. You die as you eat the bread and wine, as you remember Jesus’ death.
But the Gospel says that you are raised to new life. In your baptism you are drawn out of the water. Each day as you relive your baptism, you are being made new. As you receive the bread and wine, you celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Your sins are forgiven. God’s will is done on earth.
What do you see in the Word made visible?
(a) You see a God who is for you. At times we can’t understand God. He’s like that massive iron wall that we smash in to. We are crushed and wounded. There’s war, hatred, sickness, death, grief. It doesn’t make sense. God doesn’t make sense. His ways are beyond our ways. Yet in the Gospel we find a God who is for us, for you. Jesus comes down to earth and yells at the wall also, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” So in our darkest moments we grasp onto the Son of God, we cling to Jesus, who is with and for us.
(b) You see a God who comes down to earth. Think about this. God’s Word of Law and Gospel isn’t about us escaping to heaven. We see God coming down to earth — in water and bread and wine. Together with Christ the whole creation is being made new — the mountains, the hills, the trees of the field, you and me. And we do have a part to play in this re-creation — it just begins after God has raised us to new life. We’re called to pray that God’s will be done on earth as in heaven. Everyone is to have their daily bread, including the homeless, widows, orphans, and refugees. We’re called to forgive sin. Sin isn’t just bad deeds done by humans. Sin is the entire corruption of this creation. Forgive sins means to reuse, recycle, and reduce waste. It’s this earth that’s being made new for all eternity. We won’t sit on a cloud playing a harp, but enjoy the new heaven and the new earth that God is making new with our help.
May you see the Word of God made visible for you in the waters of baptism, and the bread & wine of Holy Communion. May you see that by the Law you must die, and you do. May you see that by the power of the Gospel Jesus is raised to new life, and you also are raised with him to new life. Know that God is for you. Know that God has come down to earth to make all creation new — including you. Amen.
