The Cup of Thanksgiving

Day of Thanksgiving

November 28, 2013

1 Corinthians 10:16

The Cup of Thanksgiving

In the name of Jesus.

I.

What do you think about when you return from the Communion rail? There may be many thoughts running through your head, but I'd guess that the overall thought in your mind is thankfulness.

Thankful that your Savior Jesus has shown Himself to you—you have seen Jesus. By faith you have seen your Lord who hung on the cross and shed the blood that had kept Him alive. That blood was shed for you.

And that blood you have just received is the same blood shed from our Savior's hands and side. The body you have just received is the same body that was pierced for you. So we have not only seen the Lord, but we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.

II.

Our thankful reaction for the Lord's gift of His own true body and blood is the same thankfulness expressed by St. Paul.

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)

From the time of St. Paul, there have been over 100,000 Sundays and on every Sunday from then until now, the Sacrament of the Altar has been celebrated and received with thanksgiving by millions of fellow believers. Their joy is real, because their Savior is real.

III.

So you return from Communion with folded hands or a head turned down. You return to your place in the congregation and quietly ponder the miracle you have just received.

And our thanksgiving continues as it flows from the Cup of Thanksgiving. The perfect feast you receive today is why the delicious meal from your heavenly Father will be so good for you. That turkey is nourishing a future resident of paradise!

So our table grace comes from the grace of His Table. Our prayer of thanksgiving as a family at home comes from Cup of Thanksgiving in which we commune as the Body of Christ.

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. (1 Corinthians 10:17)

And so on this day of thanksgiving, we remember where all our blessings begin and end—our generous Giver of all good things, Jesus Christ.

In the name of the Father

and of the † Son

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.