The Lord's Supper?

[Job8]

Couple questions about how you observe the Lord's Supper in a home church environment.

Looks like there are as many opinions as posters. It does not matter whether the Lord's Supper is observed in a home or a cathedral. The Bible principles and practice do not change, provided we focus on what is written in the NT

Is the Lord's Supper just any meal that a fellowship of Christian's eat together in Jesus' name? Or do you actually utilize wafers and juice?

1. The Lord's Supper CANNOT be just any meal. Even when the Corinthians were having their fellowship meal together, the Lord's Supper was a separate and distinct time of (a) remembrance and (b) worship. When Christ and the early Christians "blessed" the elements (Mt 26:26 etc) that word "blessed" is the Greek eulogia which means adoration, benediction, consecration, and blessing. Thus the Lord's Supper must be connected with 1 Cor 14:23-40, which describes New Testament worship, which was always on "the Lord's Day" (also known as "the first day of the week" when "the disciples came together to break bread" -- Acts 20:7). Thus the Lord's Supper is a weekly Remembrance Feast. This is something which the majority of evangelical and fundamental churches have forgotten.

2. As to the elements, the Lord Himself broke UNLEAVENED BREAD, and it was "one bread and one Body". The same bread was broken and distributed to all, not wafer or crackers. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread ran together, and unleavened bread represents the sinless body of the Lamb of God.

3. As to the contents of the cup, the Holy Spirit is careful to say "THE FRUIT OF THE VINE" and not "wine" (Mt 26:29). Therefore it would follow, that since leaven and fermentation symbolize sin, and the cup symbolizes the blood of the sinless Lamb of God, that pure grape juice would be the correct element. Here again there was "one cup, one Body" (not multiple little cups as seen today).

4. Notice carefully in 1 Cor 10:16-22 and 1 Cor 11:23-34 that the CUP is always singular and the BREAD is always singular, but "wine" is not mentioned even once. So all are to share in one cup and one bread, which also symbolizes the one Body -- the Church (1 Cor 10:17). The Lord's Supper is also called "Holy Communion", since communion is fellowship, and this is the time to fellowship with the Godhead as Christians worship in fellowship and unity of spirit (1 Cor 10:16-22).

5. Since the bread and the cup symbolize Christ and His sacrifice, the focus must be on remembering Christ and His one great sacrifice for sins forever. The elements are set on "the Lord's Table" (1 Cor 10:21) so this is no casual meal. Indeed it is a time for serious self-examination before partaking of the Lord's Table, and failure to do so could lead to serious consequences (1 Cor 11:28-32).

6. As to small children partaking, we know that small children can be saved at a very young age, and we dare not question their salvation. However, they need to be taught the meaning of baptism, they need to be baptized, and then they need to be taught the meaning of the Lord's Supper before partaking.

7. It should be obvious that unbelievers are automatically excluded, as are Christians under discipline. Therefore an elder should remind all that only regenerated Christians in fellowship with each other and with the Lord may partake of the Lord's Supper.

 

[Episaw]

Looks like there are as many opinions as posters. It does not matter whether the Lord's Supper is observed in a home or a cathedral. The Bible principles and practice do not change, provided we focus on what is written in the NT


1. The Lord's Supper CANNOT be just any meal. Even when the Corinthians were having their fellowship meal together, the Lord's Supper was a separate and distinct time of (a) remembrance and (b) worship. When Christ and the early Christians "blessed" the elements (Mt 26:26 etc) that word "blessed" is the Greek eulogia which means adoration, benediction, consecration, and blessing. Thus the Lord's Supper must be connected with 1 Cor 14:23-40, which describes New Testament worship, which was always on "the Lord's Day" (also known as "the first day of the week" when "the disciples came together to break bread" -- Acts 20:7). Thus the Lord's Supper is a weekly Remembrance Feast. This is something which the majority of evangelical and fundamental churches have forgotten.

2. As to the elements, the Lord Himself broke UNLEAVENED BREAD, and it was "one bread and one Body". The same bread was broken and distributed to all, not wafer or crackers. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread ran together, and unleavened bread represents the sinless body of the Lamb of God.

3. As to the contents of the cup, the Holy Spirit is careful to say "THE FRUIT OF THE VINE" and not "wine" (Mt 26:29). Therefore it would follow, that since leaven and fermentation symbolize sin, and the cup symbolizes the blood of the sinless Lamb of God, that pure grape juice would be the correct element. Here again there was "one cup, one Body" (not multiple little cups as seen today).

4. Notice carefully in 1 Cor 10:16-22 and 1 Cor 11:23-34 that the CUP is always singular and the BREAD is always singular, but "wine" is not mentioned even once. So all are to share in one cup and one bread, which also symbolizes the one Body -- the Church (1 Cor 10:17). The Lord's Supper is also called "Holy Communion", since communion is fellowship, and this is the time to fellowship with the Godhead as Christians worship in fellowship and unity of spirit (1 Cor 10:16-22).

5. Since the bread and the cup symbolize Christ and His sacrifice, the focus must be on remembering Christ and His one great sacrifice for sins forever. The elements are set on "the Lord's Table" (1 Cor 10:21) so this is no casual meal. Indeed it is a time for serious self-examination before partaking of the Lord's Table, and failure to do so could lead to serious consequences (1 Cor 11:28-32).

6. As to small children partaking, we know that small children can be saved at a very young age, and we dare not question their salvation. However, they need to be taught the meaning of baptism, they need to be baptized, and then they need to be taught the meaning of the Lord's Supper before partaking.

7. It should be obvious that unbelievers are automatically excluded, as are Christians under discipline. Therefore an elder should remind all that only regenerated Christians in fellowship with each other and with the Lord may partake of the Lord's Supper.

I am interested where you got this from and who the author is.

 

[Episaw]

Excerpts from the book "Why I am A Believer in Jesus":

Communion was never observed before the Pentecost. Why did they not observe before if it had been indicated during the Last Supper? Its first observance was recorded after 3000 people were baptized (Acts 2:42).

Where does it say they had communion after they were baptised?

 

[Job8]

I am interested where you got this from and who the author is.

I'm the author and I got everything from Scripture. Please check out the references.

 

[Job8]

Where does it say they had communion after they were baptised?

"Then they that gladly received his word WERE BAPTIZED: and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, AND IN BREAKING OF BREAD, and in prayers" (Acts 2:41,42).

It is clear from this passage that all believers were baptized, and then they continued in four spiritual exercises, one of them being "breaking of bread", which is another term for the Lord's Supper.

It appears that initially the Christians in Jerusalem had this Remembrance Feast daily (Acts 2:46) along with their meals. Later on it was on "the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7).

Water baptism by immersion is a command of Christ (Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38,41), therefore the Lord's Supper is only for baptized believers.

 

[Episaw]

"Then they that gladly received his word WERE BAPTIZED: and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, AND IN BREAKING OF BREAD, and in prayers" (Acts 2:41,42).

It is clear from this passage that all believers were baptized, and then they continued in four spiritual exercises, one of them being "breaking of bread", which is another term for the Lord's Supper.

Breaking of bread in Acts 2:42 is not another term for the Lord's Supper. The word bread means a raised loaf. The passover meal used unleavened bread not a raised loaf.

 

[Job8]

Breaking of bread in Acts 2:42 is not another term for the Lord's Supper. The word bread means a raised loaf. The passover meal used unleavened bread not a raised loaf.

It would be nice if people would simply read the Bible and then make their comments. So I will quote from Matthew 26:26 (to which I had already referred): "And as they were eating, JESUS TOOK BREAD, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is my body".

This bread was broken at the Last Supper, which was also the Passover Meal, where only UNLEAVENED BREAD was served. Yet it is called "bread" contrary to what you have stated. So "breaking of bread" is indeed another term for the Lord's Supper if you will open to Acts 20:7 (KJV) and read it.

 

[Johnnz]

It would be nice if people would simply read the Bible and then make their comments. So I will quote from Matthew 26:26 (to which I had already referred): "And as they were eating, JESUS TOOK BREAD, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is my body".

This bread was broken at the Last Supper, which was also the Passover Meal, where only UNLEAVENED BREAD was served. Yet it is called "bread" contrary to what you have stated. So "breaking of bread" is indeed another term for the Lord's Supper if you will open to Acts 20:7 (KJV) and read it.

I had bread for diner. Full grain, focaccia, French bread, bastone, Turkish pide, cibiatta, panettone? Are you suggesting there were no varieties of bread in NT times. Jewish people knew about different breads - unleavened and leavened for example.

The 'breaking the bread' was done within the context of a shared meal where both bread and wine were were the customary part of the meal. Our modern communion is an ecclesiastical version adapted for meeting in a special building. Under the Mosaic laws Jewish people feasted at time of sacrifice.

The last supper was no the passover meal. Jesus had to be crucified before passover began. Jesus gave that last meal with his disciples a special meaning, relating it to Himself.

John
NZ

 

[Job8]

The last supper was no the passover meal. Jesus had to be crucified before passover began. Jesus gave that last meal with his disciples a special meaning, relating it to Himself.

Once again, people need to read their Bibles before making such comments. Please note (Mt 26:17,18):

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

The Lord's Supper follows in verses 26-29. Why do people dispute basic Bible facts? Is it something to do with the day that we live in? Or is it simply Bible illiteracy?

 

[Johnnz]

My apologies. It was the impending Sabbath I had in mind, but I had overlooked that in my comment.

John
NZ

 

[Episaw]

Once again, people need to read their Bibles before making such comments. Please note (Mt 26:17,18):

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

The Lord's Supper follows in verses 26-29. Why do people dispute basic Bible facts? Is it something to do with the day that we live in? Or is it simply Bible illiteracy?

Yes I agree, people need to read their bible before making such comments. I did a two year study of the passover meal so that is why I am confident in what I say.

"Where do you want us to prepare to eat the Passover" (unleavened bread used)

"They met together for the apostles doctrine, prayer, fellowship and breaking of bread" (raised bread used) so it cannot be the last supper or the Lord's table.

 

[BukiRob]

Couple questions about how you observe the Lord's Supper in a home church environment.

I have a portable communion set with 6 glass cups, a small juice container, and small sealable dish for wafers. I have been utilizing this thus far, but as I read the scriptures it seems those people were eating full blown meals, not a single small wafer and ounce sized cup of juice.

Is the Lord's Supper just any meal that a fellowship of Christian's eat together in Jesus' name? Or do you actually utilize wafers and juice?

Also what is your position on allowing small children in partaking?

Thank you!!!

The Lords Supper in the gospels is PASSOVER SEDER

 

[BukiRob]

The actual event at the Passover, was the Lord with His twelve disciples (the Apostles) obeying the ordinance required by the feast of unleavened bread (Mark 14:13-21 ), then after that Jesus ordained the Lord's supper --the bread and wine (Mark 14:22-26) --two separate acts. The Church only regards the Lord's supper and not the Jewish Passover.

They were not two separate acts.

Traditional Seder has 4 cups of wine.... the part it speaks to with taking the bread and the wine specifically is called Kiddush.

The wine is blessed: Baruch atah, Adonai
Eloheinu, Melech Haolam,
borei p'ri hagafen.


Blessed are you Lord our G-d King of the Universe Who creates the fruit of the vine (Amen)

Then the Challah is broken and blessed: Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. (Amein).

Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe who brings forth bread from the earth. (Amen)

Kiddush is a part of the SEDER itself it is usually done at the beginning




No where in scripture is there any hint what so ever that a believer is to abandon the FEASTS OF ADONAI.....

Calling it Jewish Passover is an abomination. It is a FEAST DECLARED AS GOD'S and it an ETERNAL DECREE

"And this day shall become a memorial for you, and you shall observe it as a festival for the Lord, for your generations, as an eternal decree shall you observe it. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove the leaven from your homes ... you shall guard the unleavened bread, because on this very day I will take you out of the land of Egypt; you shall observe this day for your generations as an eternal decree." - Exodus 12:14-17

There is but 1 WORD for the Jew and the Alien sojourning among you... you know, those that were not jews and were "grafted in"

 

[BukiRob]

It would be nice if people would simply read the Bible and then make their comments. So I will quote from Matthew 26:26 (to which I had already referred): "And as they were eating, JESUS TOOK BREAD, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is my body".

This bread was broken at the Last Supper, which was also the Passover Meal, where only UNLEAVENED BREAD was served. Yet it is called "bread" contrary to what you have stated. So "breaking of bread" is indeed another term for the Lord's Supper if you will open to Acts 20:7 (KJV) and read it.

No it is not... GEESH...

Every single Sabbath we conclude with Kiddush... which is BREAKING CHALLAH (leavened Bread) and a small cup of "Fruit of the vine" in this case grape juice.

In my home when Sabbath Starts before the evening meal is served we will do Kiddush. In my home, we use real WINE.

Perhaps if one were wise, one would attempt learning a thing or two from a good MESSIANIC Rabbi.... When you toss out anything that is Jewish (which is what the early church in Rome did) you lose at least 1/2 of the scriptural understanding because you are blind to the idioms that are found in the text. If you dont know your reading an idiom you will walk away with bizarre teachings and understandings that strive against the very words found in scripture.

This is preciously how you can come to a warped understanding that you have which is in error.

The scriptural passage you cite is dealing with the PASSOVER SEDER. Unleavened bread is obvious because it is Passover. What is SPECIFICALLY going on there is almost certainly KIDDUSH. Kiddush was done at Passover but also could be done at anytime during a normal mean with Challah and wine... the blessing of the bread and the wine... I posted a specific example of it a couple of post above

 

[BukiRob]

Yes I agree, people need to read their bible before making such comments. I did a two year study of the passover meal so that is why I am confident in what I say.

"Where do you want us to prepare to eat the Passover" (unleavened bread used)

"They met together for the apostles doctrine, prayer, fellowship and breaking of bread" (raised bread used) so it cannot be the last supper or the Lord's table.

The accounts found in the epistles are Kiddush which is commonly served at the conclusion of a messianic Jewish service. It is also served at the beginning of EVERY Sabbath before the meal is served by both Messianic Believers and Observant Jews (who do not believe that Yeshua was the promised Messiah of Israel)

 

[ezeric]

We've been enjoying 'house church' for many years, and we've 'had communion' with crackers (sometimes matzo bread/matzah bread).

other times we 'recognize' it as a complete meal.

we go by the SPIRIT and sometimes don't have 'communion' for many months or even mention it…remember we are under GRACE and not rules and commandments. The 'only' commandment we live by is "LOVE"…or put in another way "One-Anothering".

And remember if you are doing things, even seemingly good things, and they are causing someone to struggle and stumble - its not love.

-eric

 

[BukiRob]

We've been enjoying 'house church' for many years, and we've 'had communion' with crackers (sometimes matzo bread/matzah bread).

other times we 'recognize' it as a complete meal.

we go by the SPIRIT and sometimes don't have 'communion' for many months or even mention it…remember we are under GRACE and not rules and commandments. The 'only' commandment we live by is "LOVE"…or put in another way "One-Anothering".

And remember if you are doing things, even seemingly good things, and they are causing someone to struggle and stumble - its not love.

-eric

Dont misunderstand me...I am NOT against communion....

What I am trying to show is that there is a DISTINCT difference between the PASSOVER meal in scripture incorrectly called the last supper and the complete doing away with it by the western "church"

 

[ezeric]

Dont misunderstand me...I am NOT against communion....

What I am trying to show is that there is a DISTINCT difference between the PASSOVER meal in scripture incorrectly called the last supper and the complete doing away with it by the western "church"

Relax brother, I am not judging you here, thanks for pointing out
the differences.
Keep on posting, and lets all keep on sharing!

-eric

 

[BukiRob]

Relax brother, I am not judging you here, thanks for pointing out
the differences.
Keep on posting, and lets all keep on sharing!

-eric

 

[NTP]

Couple questions about how you observe the Lord's Supper in a home church environment.

I have a portable communion set with 6 glass cups, a small juice container, and small sealable dish for wafers. I have been utilizing this thus far, but as I read the scriptures it seems those people were eating full blown meals, not a single small wafer and ounce sized cup of juice.

Is the Lord's Supper just any meal that a fellowship of Christian's eat together in Jesus' name? Or do you actually utilize wafers and juice?

Also what is your position on allowing small children in partaking?

Thank you!!!

I think it is a good thing that someone should want to ask about the Lord's Supper and how things should really be done - as opposed to just blindly following the traditions of men (and most churches). So here is my quick summary if I may...

The first 'Lord's Supper' (at Passover with Jesus) was a meal - a jolly full one at that!

Paul's rebuke to the Corinthians was not because they were having a big festive meal, it was because they were abusing it. This passage, coupled with the term "Love Feasts" used elsewhere, shows quite clearly that 1st century Christians celebrated The Lord's Supper as a FULL MEAL. In fact, the MEAL IS 'The Lord's Supper' and the bread and wine were passed round (as an emblem of Christ's body and blood) DURING The Lord's Supper. The meal is the supper.

Like so many things in the Christian life, and church life, a simple, non-religious, but reality-filled expression of fellowship and love (for Jesus and one another) has been turned into a sickly religious tradition. In fact, at times it is even quite spooky, when people start speaking in hushed 'religious' tones and whispering little religious phrases to one another!

The examining of oneself before taking the meal does not mean... have a hushed moment of silence and close your eyes and look ever so sincere just before the bread reaches you. I believe it means... If you don't live a life of holiness and walk in fellowship with God in your everyday life then don't bother turning up to the holy love feast! Some of the Corinthians were living lives unworthy of Christ but they didn't want to miss the weekly booze up at the church - as it had become - turning what should have been a holy meal for holy people into something disgraceful.

The correct response to abuse is right use NOT non-use. May The Lord lead His people once again into the 'realities' of right living and 'real' Christian fellowship.