The Lord's Supper - Part 2

Christian worship in evangelical circles has become something of a never ending attempt to stay hip. As a result of the Reformer's emphasis that teaching of the Scripture should be central, the pulpit became the primary focus of Protestant free church worship. But as a result of the well intentioned seeker approaches to making church relevant to the unchurched, the pulpit was replaced by the powerpoint screen and the "worship" band. As outreach became the purpose of the Sunday morning service, the whole emphasis of Sunday morning was radically altered - the purpose of worship was no longer worship. Now, in the emergent church movement, there is often a very eclectic hodge-podge of elements ranging from Celtic influences to street graffiti to chant, icons and liturgical formulas, street graffiti and performance art. All of this is still called "worship" - but is it?

Evangelicals have long spoken of wanting to emulate the first century church. But what was the first century church really like? It is simply undeniable that two elements in particular were essential to worship in the early church. First, the reading and teaching of scripture, and second, the celebration of the Eucharist. Both of these elements have fallen from prominence as the pursuit of relevance has replace the pursuit of God.



While many point out there is no explicit command in scripture regarding when or how often to celebrate communion, there is overwhelming evidence that it was the central element of worship. In Acts 20:7, Luke records "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread." Further, in Acts 2:42, we are told of the early believers that "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Paul, of course, gives explicit instruction about the bread and cup in 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. And of course Christ himself commanded "Do this in remembrance of me" in the gospels.

But the scriptural passages relating to the Lord's Supper do not provide enough guidance in themselves to regulate how evangelicals have practiced it, and a wide range of practice is now permitted. If we ask how the early church viewed and practiced communion, we might see a picture rather different from that of the average evangelical "worship" service.

The Didache, which may date to the first century, gives one clue. "But on the Lord's day, after that ye have assembled together, break bread and give thanks, having in addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice may be pure." (Didache 14:1)

Ignatius makes practice of the Eucharist meal a command.

"Come together in common, one and all without exception in charity, in one faith and in one Jesus Christ, who is of the race of David according to the flesh, the son of man, and the Son of God, so that with undivided mind you may obey the bishop and the priests, and break one Bread which is the medicine of immortality and the antidote against death, enabling us to live forever in Jesus Christ." (Ignatius -"Letter to the Ephesians", paragraph 20, c. 80-110 A.D.)

Justin, in the second century, describes worship briefly as it occurred then. He first describes the ministry of the Word. (See Justin, First Apology, CHAPTER LXVII, c. 150 A.D) 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."

He then describes the breaking of bread. "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 thanksgivings, 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."

And he makes mention that the first day of the week is the normal time for such proceedings. "But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

One could produce a mountain of quotations from the first and second century related to the Lord's Supper, the Eucharistic meal, the thanksgiving feast. For the moment, I simply wish to establish that it was the norm, the expectation, that on the first day of the week the church would gather together, to read scripture and recieve instruction and to break the bread of thansgiving for the sacrifice of Christ. There really can be no doubt. And so much so, that for the first sixteen-hundred years of church history Worship was understood to be centered on both the Lord's Table and the Scriptures.

It has been pointed out that many early Christians gathered for these particular meetings at risk of their very lives at a time when persecution of Christians was common. Why? The answer to that question is simple. Because hearing the words of God in scripture - prior to the printing press and mass communication - was vital to eternal life. And because communion was something far more than a mere symbolic act of remembrance. The bread and the cup represented a sharing in the very life of Christ. To that topic, we will turn in part 3.