In the Lutheran tradition of worship, the pastor speaks the words of institution of the Lord’s Supper saying, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”
"Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'” Then the worshipers respond by saying a simple, "Amen."
But in other Christian traditions like the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Byzantine Rite, the Roman Catholic Church, and others, the worshipers will respond with a three-part acclamation.
Here are a few of those three-part acclamations:
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.
When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
The various Christian traditions have different wording, but they all contain three similar fundamental truths that summarize the Christian faith. Christ died for us. Christ defied death with his resurrection from the dead. After his resurrection, Christ ascended into heaven and will return on the Last Day.
This is the threefold truth that is used as the refrain for a hymn that teaches the reason for our faith and worship.
Verse one: This is the threefold truth on which our faith depends; and with this joyful cry worship begins and ends: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
The faith of the generations who have gone before us, the faith of us who are worshiping now, and the faith of those who will come after us is summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
Verse two: Long used by saints of old, new-minted for our time, our liturgies confess the hope we have in him: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
In our worship, we may use the red Christian Worship hymnal or the blue Christian Worship hymnal. We may use the Common Service or The Service Setting One. We may use hymnals or screens, contemporary worship or liturgical worship. Our Lutheran liturgies – the worship pattern we follow – confess the hope we have in Christ. That hope can be summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
Verse three: On this we fix our minds as, kneeling side by side, we take the bread and wine, take him, the Crucified: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
We may not always know the people who are kneeling next to us at the communion rail. But we know their faith. They have been catechized and confirmed in the same Lutheran faith as us. This unity of faith is summarized by these words: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
Verse four: By this we are upheld when doubt or grief assails our Christian faith and love, and only grace avails: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
The devil and his temptations pound on us. The world and its flirtations seduce us. Death and its grief assail us. Yet we know that Christ has overcome the devil. We know faith is stronger than flirtations. We know that grace comforts us in our grief. We have this Christian confidence because of this summary of the Christian faith: Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
Verse five: This is the threefold truth which, if we hold it fast, changes the world and us and brings us home at last: (Refrain) Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!