Jesus named two sacraments – baptism and communion – defined as signs and seals of God’s grace to us.  Remember the gospel good news of Jesus Christ is that even though we are sinful, unholy, wrong-doing people, the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross washes clean all the guilt of those who repent of their sins and believe Jesus (John 3.16, Romans 5.6-11).

The “sign” of a sacrament is a physical reality that points to a spiritual truth.  The Heidelberg Catechism uses a great phrase – as surely as – to describe the logic involved.  As surely as “this” physical event occurs, so surely does “that” spiritual truth hold.

For baptism in Heidelberg Question and Answer #69:

Q. How does baptism remind you and assure you that Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross is for you personally?

A. In this way:  Christ instituted this outward washing and with it gave the promise that, as surely as water washes away the dirt from the body, so certainly his blood and his Spirit wash away my soul’s impurity, in other words, all my sins.”

Summary: Water washes away dirt.  Just as surely, Christ’s blood washes away sin.

 

For communion, in Heidelberg Question and Answer #75, there are two phrases.

Q. How does the Lord’s Supper remind you and assure you that you share in Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross and in all his gifts?

A.  In this way:

Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup.  With this command he gave this promise:

First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the LORD broken for me and the cup given to me, so surely his body was offered and broken for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross.

Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the LORD, given me as sure signs of Christ’s body and blood, so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured-out blood.

 

Summary: I see the bread and the cup.  Just as surely, Christ’s body was broken and his blood poured out for me. I receive and taste the bread and cup.  Just as surely, he nourishes and refreshes my soul with his crucified body and poured-out blood.

Surely it is so!