Where In The Bible Will I
Find:
The Elements And Time Of The
Lord's Supper?
In
specific commands the Lord never leaves us "dangling on a string" as
to just how, or when we are to carry out that commandment. When Jesus met with
His disciples, on the night before His crucifixion, in the upper room, on the
night He was betrayed by Judas, He ordained the "Lord's Supper."
Had He just said, "Eat and drink in My memory," then we would have
the freedom to choose whatever we wanted to have on the Lord's Table, ice cream,
and cake, ham, eggs, buttermilk, or anything else we may like to eat and drink
and too, we could have it at any time we wanted to meet and partake of it.
But,
we follow Christ by either a direct commandment, by example or by necessary
inference. And so, we know what the elements were on the table for the Lord
Himself so stated as the Scriptures say, "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. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and
gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it" (Matt. 26:26-27).
In
reviewing the feast day in which they were observing we find that only
unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine were used in this feast. Therefore,
the elements that were on the table that night, and were used by Christ in the
Lord's Supper were "unleavened bread and fruit of the vine."
By using these elements, then, all other types of food and drinks are
eliminated. So to be Scripturally safe, the only food and drink that is to be
on the Lord's Table is "unleavened bread and fruit of the vine."
The
apostle Paul corrected the corruption that was going on in the church of Christ
at Corinth. They were making a feast of the Lord's Supper by eating and
drinking whatever they desired (I Cor. 11:1834). Christ has given us a command
to observe the Lord's Supper and in this command He has given us a pattern as
to how it is to be carried out, and too, we are to remember the words of God as
He said, "…see that ye do all things according to the pattern showed
thee…" (Heb. 8:5).
We
have an example, established by the apostles, concerning the time and frequency
of the observance of the Lord's Supper, "And upon the first day of the
week, when we were gathered together to break bread…" (Acts 20:7).
Notice, the specific purpose for the disciples coming together on the first day
of the week was to partake of the Lord's Supper. Other acts of worship were
carried on but they came together specifically "on the first day of the
week to partake of the Lord's Supper."
There
is a first day of the week every week, therefore, every week, on the first day;
Christians come together to partake of the Lord's Supper. This act of worship
commemorates - bringing to our minds - that great sacrifice that
was made for us - the death on the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.
