Rev. Adam Roe, in the series on vocation at MissionWork, discusses the concept of “sacrifice” in the Lutheran confessions. Unlike in Roman Catholicism, Holy Communion is not seen as a sacrifice, nor are pastors considered priests who offer up sacrifices. And yet Christians are called to sacrifice, but not for the forgiveness of sins, since Christ, who is both our Priest and our Sacrifice, has accomplished the only sacrifice we need. But the Apology of the Augsburg Confession does speak about the sacrifices that pastors and all Christians perform.
From Rev. Adam Roe, The sacrifice to which all Christians are called: #4 in a series:
To be clear, Lutherans do declare that there are sacrifices appropriate for worship, but these are not sacrifices designed to serve as a perpetual propitiation for sin. They are instead, “…the preaching of the Gospel, faith, prayer, thanksgiving, confession, the afflictions of saints, yea, all good works of saints. These sacrifices are not satisfactions for those making them…These avail not ex opere operato [“from the work worked,” i.e. happening no matter what], but on account of faith.” [Apology of the Augsburg Confession, “The Mass,” Article XXIV] Such sacrifices are the sacrifice of praise that we perform in response to the grace we receive, not bloodless sacrifices offered up for the purpose of seeking forgiveness. In the Lutheran conception of sacrifice this spiritual trajectory is as easily exercised by the laity as the pastor..
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