Commentary: The Lord’s Supper–It’s Observance and Neglect- A New Series

This week begins a new series as we Read the Bible Anew.  The purpose of these series is to get us all to think about what we do and why we do it.  The objective is help us to “worship with the spirit and understanding” and to understand what it means to be transformed into the image of Christ. 

So much of what we think and do we do because of our culture, traditions, and the narratives of life we imbibe both in “church life” and in our daily lives.   For example, why do we think we should have three meals a day? Why did we usually meet on Wednesdays and Sundays?  What do we ( before COVID) have the bread and wine passed around in individual cups/trays. Why do we have forks on the left and eat with the fork on the right? Why do we think we must have large buildings to meet in rather than home groups?  One could go and on.  We teach we believe in the Trinity as One.  Can you explain this satisfactorily?

One of these areas I believe we miss out on the deeper meaning and understanding is the Lord’s Supper.  Do we really know why we do what we do? Do we really understand what we should be doing?  This series begins with the “elements”–first with the “bread”, then with the “wine.”  Parts One and Two will be on the bread. Part Three and Four will be on the “wine.”.  Part Five will discuss the use of Covenant meals in Biblical and 1st Century times before discussing the how the Lord’s Supper was observed in the New Testament times in Part Six. Part Seven will discuss the theological meaning of the Lord’s Supper. Part 8 will ask how we might make the Lord’s Supper more meaningful today considering the entrenched traditions we have in the church. 

I am not the only one.   Here is as essay by La Guard Smith:

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Resurrection 2.1: In the Breaking of the Bread

What if this song speaks the truth about Jesus’ promise to meet usin our world today?

by Phil Ware (05/08/2019) I The Jesus Window–Reprinted by Permission

Years ago, one of the songs youth groups sang had these words: Have you seen Jesus my Lord,

He’s here in plain view. Take a look, open your eyes; He’ll show it to you.

PRINTED FROM HEARTLIGHT.ORG

What if these words are much more than cheesy lyrics to an emotional youth group song from long ago and far away?

What if this song speaks the truth about Jesus’ promise to meet us in our world today?

As we think about Jesus’ resurrection, we must not confine the reality of the risen Christ to a few Sunday appearances after his resurrection (John 20:19-28), a fishing trip with a few of his apostles (John 21:1-14), or the forty days he showed himself alive with many convincing proofs (Acts 1:1-3).

As important as Jesus’ historical bodily post-resurrection appearances were to his disciples, Jesus promised more than these appearances. The Christ promised to be present with us as we live as his disciples in an authentic community (Matthew 18:20 and the context of chapter 18), genuine compassion (Matthew 25:40 and the context of chapter 25), and on mission making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

I believe if we spent more time reading the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we would find many ways Jesus promised to be present with us today. We often overlook one of these times that the Lord assured he would be present: The Lord’s Supper – also called The Eucharist, Holy Communion, and The Supper.

Unfortunately, much of our modern church practice has reduced The Supper to an assembly line, get-it-done-in-a­ hurry, passing of crackers and juice. Often, this practice drains our holy encounter with Jesus of his anticipated presence and spiritual mystery. This modern celebration of The Supper reduces the body and blood of Jesus to a small crumble of cracker and a quick sip of wine or grape juice. For many churches, it’s a seldom held occurrence. For others, it’s treated almost as a nuisance, or interruption: something to get done in a hurry to keep our worship productions on schedule. Even when churches claim The Supper is cherished and celebrated weekly (cf. Acts 16:20), some allow it to become routine, merely symbolic, and quickly administered.

What if Jesus is present in our celebration of The Supper?

What ifhe does meet us as our host in the breaking of the bread?lsoNGJ

What if the sharing of The Supper is a time when Jesus steps through the boundaries of history and fulfills our anticipation of his presence while we await the Kingdom in all its fullness?