The Salutary Gift: Resources for Lent and Easter Preaching and Worship

Weekly Readings & Themes

• Ash Wednesday: Life-Giving Fruit (Genesis 3:1–15; Revelation 22:1–5, 14; Mark 1:9–13)
• Midweek 1: Bread from Heaven (Exodus 16:1–15; John 6:27–35; 48–51)
• Midweek 2: Healing Medicine (Isaiah 52:13–53:5; Luke 10:25–37)
• Midweek 3: Blest Communion (1 Corinthians 10:14–22; Acts 2:42–47)
• Midweek 4: Rest for the Weary (Exodus 31:12–18; Matthew 11:27–12:8)
• Midweek 5: Nuptial Feast (Isaiah 61:10–62:5; Matthew 22:1–14)
• Holy Thursday: Covenant Meal (Exodus 24:3–11; Hebrews 9:11–22; Matthew 26:17–30)
• Good Friday: Sacrificial Banquet (Isaiah 52:13–53:12: Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9; John 18:1–19:42 or John 19:17–30)
• Easter Vigil: Paschal Food (Exodus 12:1–14; 1 Corinthians 5:6–8)
• Easter: Feast of Victory (Acts 10:34–43; Colossians 3:1–4; Matthew 28:1–10)

About the Theme
Within the solemn halls of the Lenten season, we gather around God’s Word in repentance of sins, preparation for our Savior’s sacrifice, and thanksgiving for the crucifixion’s redemptive power. The theology of the Lord’s Supper mirrors this Lenten pilgrimage in many ways.

Each weekly theme reveals a host of approaches for understanding the same sacramental gift: life-giving fruit, nourishment, healing, communion with the saints, a priestly meal, the feast of victory, and more. Meditate on and embrace these beautiful, biblical images and metaphors of the Lord’s Supper in addition to the chief blessing of the Holy Sacrament described in Scripture: the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins, won for the world on Calvary and offered in the Lord’s body and blood, truly makes this blessed Supper a “salutary gift.”

About the Author
Rev. Paul L. Beisel serves as pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Iowa Falls, IA. Before his current call, he was the pastor of Concordia and Messiah Lutheran Churches in Warsaw, IL and Keokuk, IA (2002-2009). He holds an M.Div. (2001) and S.T.M. (2004) from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Rev. Beisel is the author of CPH Lenten Bible Studies (2003) and other devotional resources. He and his wife Amy have four children.