Thursday, December 12, 2013

THE LORD’S SUPPER- WHEN? (No. 4. - Final)

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread…”    (Acts 20:7)
            Jesus’ church in its beginning was d
evoted to the teaching of the inspired apostles. (Acts 2:41f.)  Thus they met on the first day of every week to break bread in Jesus’ memory.(1 Corinthians 16:1f; 11:23-34; 4:17; Hebrews 10:25.)  Luke records (Acts 20:1:1ff) that in Troas they met on “the first day of the week to break bread”. (V. 7.)  Though Paul and his company had been in the city for
“seven days”, and were “in a hurry to reach Jerusalem”, they did not meet at
Jesus’ table on any other day than “the first day of the week”. (vs. 6, 16.)
            Church historians from the second century A.D. onward confirm this to be the biblical practice.  Justin Martyr. In his Apologia 1:67,  writing about 140 A.D. observed: “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the Memoirs of the Apostles or the Writings of the Prophets are read, as long as time permits, then when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things.  Then we all rise together and pray, and as we before said when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgiving, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying amen, and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.” 
            George P. Fisher, (History of the Christian Church, pp. 67, 68), describing worship “in the second century”, writes, The ordinary practice was for the communion to be received on Sunday of each week.”
            Augustus Neander (Lutheran) comments in his History of the Christian Religion and Church (Vol. I, p. 332): “As we  have already remarked, the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was still held to constitute an essential part of divine worship every Sunday, as appears from Justin Martyr (A.D. 150)…”
            John Wesley (Methodist), in a memorable “Christmas letter”, read on
December 24, 1784 in Baltimore, Maryland, wrote to “Dr. Cope, Mr. Francis
Asbury, and our brethren in America…I have learned from reading the New Testament that  Christian people ought to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week…”

This was Jesus’ command through his inspired apostles. ((Matthew 28:1820;  Acts 2:42.)  Uninspired history confirms this weekly observance, each Sunday.  Jesus’ church today is guided by Jesus’ authority in this memorial – in its significance,  its manner of observance, and in its weekly observance  each Sunday, and only on Sunday. 
Tedd Kell, Brownwood, Texas

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