After doctrine and fellowship the early church was marked by “breaking of bread” (observing the Lord’s Supper.) This seems odd to us, but if you study Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 11 you will find that the early church held a far different view of the Lord’s Supper than we do today.
The Lord’s Supper was prominent
When describing the church the third thing mentioned is the Lord’s Supper. If you were to describe a church today how far down the list would the Lord’s Supper be? The only things that are mentioned before the Lord’s Supper are doctrine and fellowship.
The Lord’s Supper was frequent
It is clear in Acts 2 that the early church was constantly observing the Lord’s Supper. In 1 Corinthians 11 we see that they observed the Lord’s Supper every time they gathered as a church. It would appear from Acts 2:46 that they even observed the Lord’s Supper in their homes during times of hospitality. Acts 20:7 shows that when the church gathered on the Lord’s Day they observed the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper accompanied a fellowship meal
Our Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper at the end of the Passover meal. He was showing His disciples that He was the Lamb that delivered from slavery and caused death to pass over. They were now united as one body in the New Covenant by His blood. The early church would have many fellowship meals, and the Lord’s Supper was the way they would end these meals. The phrase “breaking of bread” was used to denote both a fellowship meal and the Lord’s Supper because in the early church they coincided. They would gather for a meal and conclude with the Lord’s Supper.
The early church realized that everything they did was because of Jesus
Jesus told His disciples to observe the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Him. The early church realized that the reason they did everything was because of Jesus. Is it any wonder that they were constantly remembering Christ through the Lord’s Supper?
Application
We need to observe the Lord’s Supper much more. We need to ensure that the entire Church remembers that everything we do is because of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper should have a much more prominent place in our church.
Do you have any reason to remember Jesus? Has Jesus Christ changed your life?
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