For some reason, the other elements of the Christian faith - even some of the amazing ones, like "God in human flesh" or "forgiveness of sins because Jesus died for me" - don't disturb folks nearly as much as the Sacrament of the Altar.
How can we believe that eating bread and drinking wine could possibly accomplish something as incredible as giving us forgiveness of sins (to say nothing of eternal life and salvation)?
Along with the Reformers, we focus on the words of Christ. The Small Catechism puts it this way: "Certainly not just the eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.' These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament. Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: 'forgiveness of sins.'"
You see: It's not the eating and the drinking by itself that accomplishes anything. It's that GOD HIMSELF says they do. If it weren't for His words, there'd be no reason to believe that eating and drinking could possibly have such benefits for us. But once you know that God said so... that changes things!
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