Sacramental Musings (for dummies like me)

I'm a seminarian who, somewhat ironically, is still trying to make sense of the sacraments that Lutherans (and most other Protestants) see as 'essential to worship'—those things that Christ commanded his followers to do in the pages of the New Testament.

I've always viewed the sacraments (communion and baptism) as more symbolic than anything. Well, I've learned that's pretty much dead wrong. I've gained a little more insight now, and wanted to write out my understandings in order to help dummies like me with all of this insider vernacular and its meaning.

Here's my crack at explaining the sacraments (promising I'll be brief):

Communion (The Eucharist / The Lord's Supper)

Communion is 'the meal' that Christians share in worship. It's not really a meal, but is intended to fill a person much like a meal would. It also involves bread and wine, and is a meal in that sense.

Communion, in short, is the eating of a piece of bread and the drinking of a sip of wine. Bread and wine are used in Jesus's last supper with his disciples, the evening before his crucifixion.

It's from several of the gospels, most notably is Matthew, chapter 26.

"²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

 Because Jesus told his followers to do this, most Christians consider it a 'sacrament.' It's a way of uniting with Christ through the eating and drinking of bread and wine. It's not meant to be a ticket to salvation, or anything like that. It's simply a visible way that we can understand and experience our unity with Christ. Sometimes it's hard to have faith, and we often need something tangible and visible to help us experience our bond with Jesus.

Because Jesus said "this is my body" and "this is my blood," we believe that there is some part of him within these things, the bread and wine. It's not meant to be super-mystical, but simply that Jesus's holy presence is there within those elements.


Baptism

Baptism is a bit more difficult for me to comprehend. Baptism is, in short, when a person gets dunked in a small pool of water by an ordained pastor. A person can also receive baptism by having water sprinkled on their head by an ordained pastor. Like communion, I don't regard baptism as a means to salvation—that would be only by faith, a gift given to all sinners by God alone. Baptism is the sacramental washing away of sins, an act of dying with Christ (in a sense, the being 'immersed' with water) and also of rising into his resurrection (coming up from being dunked).

This sacrament, like communion, was first instituted by Jesus himself:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

 And, also like communion, it's a way to connect with Christ, who died and rose to life again, for the sins of humankind. It's a way of publicly declaring your commitment to Christ, and also a way of acknowledging what Christ has done for you (as opposed to being put up on a cross?) In all seriousness, though, baptism is another way to experience our unity with Jesus in a tangible way that Christians often need to feel (which is why people sometimes dip their hand in the baptismal bowl when entering the church...they need to 'feel' that promise of forgiveness and new life).