Articles
How Often Should We Observe the Lord's Supper?
Today (Easter Sunday), millions of people across the globe will assemble to remember Jesus’ resurrection. As part of their Easter celebration many (most?) will observe the Lord’s Supper, as they also do for Christmas and perhaps other major religious holidays. Various denominations observe the Lord’s Supper with varying frequency (weekly, quarterly, yearly) and on various days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). Just last week we were visited by the Jehovah’s Witnesses inviting us to their yearly communion observed on Good Friday. Why is it that we—at this local congregation—have chosen to observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday? How certain can we be that this is what the Bible teaches?
First, a little about us: it is our goal to be like the Christians found in the New Testament who were guided by the apostles’ (and ultimately Jesus’) teachings. Thus we respect the New Testament as the pattern for how we can serve Jesus in the way that pleases Him. Because we are far removed from 1st century times, we must reason through the (sometimes limited and scattered) information given us in those Scriptures to find out what Jesus’ will is. So, let’s apply this to the question of the frequency of the Lord’s Supper.
Acts 2:42 says the first Christians “were continually devoting themselves…to the breaking of bread.” “Breaking bread” was a common phrase used not only of regular meals but also of the Lord’s Supper, which is the meaning here. Though the exact frequency of their observance is not identified, the undeniable point is that it was a regular occurrence, same as their listening to the apostles’ teaching, engaging in spiritual fellowship, and praying to God.
Acts 20:7 provides a brief but important snapshot of the early Christians’ worship: “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…” Sunday is the day on which they broke bread (as opposed to the 7th day, the Jewish Sabbath [Ex. 20:11]). Interestingly, Luke says in the previous verse that he and Paul “sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread” and 12 days later assembled with the saints in Troas (v. 6), indicating that the Passover had already passed. Remember, Jesus was raised just three days after the Passover. The context thus tells us that this “first day of the week” was not Easter or any other special holiday, but simply a regularly established time for breaking bread.
1 Corinthians 16:2 is about the collection, not the Lord’s Supper, but it also provides a clue as to how often Christians met: “On the first day of every week…” The Corinthian saints were in the habit of coming together as a church regularly (see 1 Cor. 11:17-18), and thus we can reasonably conclude that, in addition to taking up a collection, they observed the Lord’s Supper every Sunday.
Admittedly, there is no “one passage” we can give that definitively commands we observe communion every Sunday. But given this (inspired) evidence collectively, we can reasonably say that regularly, indeed every Sunday, Christians are to participate in Jesus’ memorial, regardless of whether or not it is a special religious holiday. That’s what the New Testament Christians did; does this not serve as a pattern for us? If not, how do you interpret this evidence?
A few objections are sometimes raised. One might turn to 1 Cor. 11:25 where Jesus says, “do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” and argue that Jesus leaves the door open to whenever we choose to observe it. Maybe so, but does the statement “whatever you do…do all in the name of the Lord” (Col. 3:17) give us license to “do whatever” as long as we attach Jesus’ name to it? In the same way, I take “as often as you drink it” to simply mean “when you observe this memorial, remember Me.” Let’s not twist Jesus’ words beyond their intention.
Someone else might object that taking the Lord’s Supper every Sunday (52 times a year!) reduces its significance, as it can become a mundane, routine ritual with little meaning. It is true that this can happen (and often does), but it should not. The real question, however, is whether or not this danger really means we can deviate from the Biblical pattern. Did the early Christians not observe the Lord’s Supper weekly on these grounds? This is not a Scriptural argument. Really, the frequency of the Lord’s Supper ought to be a blunt reminder of how much we need our Savior and that He must be Lord of every bit of our lives.
