On the night before Jesus was crucified, He gathered with His disciples and instituted what the early church called “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20) or “the communion” (1 Cor. 10:16). This is the most sacred of all feasts, for it commemorates the “body” and the “blood” of Jesus, which He willingly sacrificed on the cross for our sins (Matt. 26:26-28).
Is this feast supposed to still be practiced by the church today? If so, when? How often? To what end? “Christendom” is not in agreement on the answers to those questions, as evidenced by the diversity of practice among various groups. But, what does the Bible say? Since the Bible is our sole authority in all religious matters, what instruction does it provide for us to follow today?
The early church assembled on the first day of the week. The first day of the week held great significance to early Christians. It was the day on which Jesus was raised from the dead (Mark 16:9), the day that Jesus met with His disciples (John 20:19, 26), and the day that the church was established with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the gospel (Acts 2). Paul tarried in Troas for seven days, so that he could meet with the church when they assembled “on the first day of the week” (Acts 20:6-7). This was their practice.
The Lord’s Supper was a central purpose of the first-day-of-the-week assembly. Acts 20:7 teaches, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread…” “To break bread” is an infinitive of purpose, indicating their reason for gathering. When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he rebuked them for straying from this purpose—“When you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20). This was their purpose.
The early church observed the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week. Knowing that it was a central purpose of their first-day-of-the-week assembly reveals that they observed it every Sunday, for every week has a first day. When the church began, “they continued steadfastly…in the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). There was a regular pattern to their observance, for Paul said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup…” (1 Cor. 11:26).
The Bible teaches: (1) The early church gathered every first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:1-2). (2) A central purpose of that gathering was the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20). (3) Therefore, the early church observed the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week. This was their pattern. And, this pattern was to continue “until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
The church of Christ observes the Lord’s Supper every Sunday (“the Lord’s Day,” Rev. 1:10). Does your church?