The importance of the Lord’s supper can be seen by the fact that Christ himself on the night of his betrayal, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, instituted the supper. “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; For this is the blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20).
In the New Testament the Lord’s supper is called: (1) the Lord’s supper (I Cor. 11:20); (2) the Lord’s table (I Cor. 10:21); (3) communion (I Cor. 10:16); and (4) breaking bread (Acts 2:42).
When Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper he told the disciples, “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19; I Cor. 11:24). It is not optional; it is required. We are taught that as often as we eat the Lord's supper, we "proclaim the Lord's death till he come"(I Cor. 11:26) Thus, there is the implication, in our partaking of the Lord's supper, that we believe that Jesus died, that he was raised from the dead, that he ascended to heaven, that he is now King, and that someday he is coming again to call men into judgment.
"And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to part on the morrow; and he continued his speech until midnight" (Acts 20:6-7). It must be noted that the disciples waited seven days. The purpose for the wait was "to break bread." Of course, this does not mean the other acts of worship are not important! In fact, it might well be argued that the term, "break bread" is a synecdoche, with one act of worship figuratively standing for all the acts of worship.
This passage does not say they came every first day, but it does show the purpose for their coming together. They came together "to break bread."
Now we turn to I Cor. 16:2. Paul says: "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store..." This passage refers to the congregation. Based upon this passage, religious organizations takes up a collection every first day of the week, even though this verse does not say "every." If the phrase means "every" first day of the week (and it does) in I Cor 16:2, in regard to the collection, then it means every first day of the week in Acts 20:7 in regard to the Lord's supper. How many weeks have a first day?
Consider Acts 20:7 with I Cor. 16:2.
1. Brethren came together on the first day of the week.
2. They came together to break bread.
3. While gathered together they contributed of their means.
4. But they contributed of their means every first day of the week.
5. Therefore, they came together to break bread every first day of the week.
Since the early church observed the Lord's supper every first day of every week, then we must observe the Lord's supper every first day of every week.
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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