The Lord’s Supper/Communion/Eucharist as a Feast of Friends
Arthur at “The Voice Of One Crying Out In Suburbia” has been quoting from the book A Meal With Jesus by Tim Chester. His latest post is “The high point of our life together as the people of God.”
In this post, Arthur quotes several paragraphs from the book. This struck me as very close to what have I learned about meals and “the Lord’s Supper.” So, I’ve decided to quote a large part of what Arthur quoted.
(You can jump to Arthur’s post to read the rest of his quote.)
The bread and wine in the New Testament are part of a meal. Luke says of the Jerusalem church, “Breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts” (Acts 2:46). Commentators often can’t decide whether this refers to meals in general or Communion. That’s because we assume they’re two different things. We think of a meal taking place around a dining table at home while we think of Communion as a solemn rite in a church building. But in Jerusalem followers of Jesus ate meals together in their homes, eating bread, drinking wine, remembering Jesus, and celebrating the community he created through his death.
These were feasts of friends. Some in the church in Corinth were abusing the meals, but Paul doesn’t tell them to separate the bread and wine from the meal. Quite the opposite. He tells them to wait for one another so they can eat the meal together. Communion should be a feast of friends shared with laughter, tears, prayers, and stories. We celebrate the community life that God gives us through the cross and in the Spirit. We can’t celebrate it with heads bowed and eyes closed, alone in our private thoughts and strangely solitary even as we’re surrounded by other people.
When we recapture the Lord’s Supper as a feast of friends, celebrated as a meal in the presence of the Spirit, then it will becomes something we earnestly desire. It will become the high point of our life together as the people of God. In this sad and broken world, the Lord’s Supper is a moment of joy, because it is a moment of the future.
I love that phrase “feast of friends”… what the early church called “the love feast.”
There is no instance of the bread/wine of “The Lord’s Supper”/”Communion”/”Eucharist” being mentioned in the New Testament when it is not part of a meal. In fact, when you read the New Testament, the activity that early Christians took part in together more often than any other is eating meals together. (Note: They may have participated in some other activity more often, but that activity is not recorded as often.)
The church lost something important when the meal was reduced to a ritual. The church can regain what was lost by starting to eat meals together again.
Can differences bring us to a deeper love of God
Bobby at “Deconstructing Neverland” has written a very good, very challenging post called “Contentious convictions.”
He begins by admitting (and rightly so) that we are going to have differing convictions. I mean, most of us have convictions today that differ from convictions we held last year. Why would we expect others to agree with us, when we don’t agree with ourselves after only a short time.
I like what Bobby says about this: “There is so much uncharted territory in our corrupt minds that have not yet been affected by God’s gracious transformation.”
But, the meat of Bobby’s post comes later when he talks about dealing with differing convictions (which, unfortunately, often lead to what we call “church splits”):
When people’s convictions change and their conscience leads them to take a different path, all too often the differences receive the most thought and attention. This is a bad thing when those changes become an end in themselves. It is not pleasing to God for us to focus on our differences. It is pleasing to God to focus on how our particular views and differences bring us a deeper love for Christ, a greater desire for truth, a higher regard for the welfare or others, and a stronger affection for our God.
Do you follow what Bobby is saying? Instead of focusing only on our differences, let’s focus on how those differences can bring us to deeper love of Christ. In other words, always focus on Christ – not our differences. If our differing convictions do not lead us toward Christ, then why are we holding onto them in the first place?
What do you think? Can differing convictions actually help us love Christ more?
Looking for the “Worship Service”
My friend, Eric, at “A Pilgrim’s Progress,” has been looking for the traditional “worship service” as found in most modern churches. He wrote three different posts called 1) “The Biblical Basis for the Worship Service,” 2) “Still Waiting…,” and 3) and “Final Verdict on Worship Services.”
In the posts (especially the first two) Eric asked for scriptural justification for the modern worship service. In the last post, he admits that there is scriptural evidence that supports many of the practices that go on during the worship service. But, what’s missing, is the “worship service” itself.
We certainly see evidence of the church gathering together in the New Testament. In fact, believers are encouraged to continue meeting together.
But, what’s missing in the modern worship service, and what’s modeled and commanded in Scripture is the idea of meeting for the purpose of building up one another. The modern worship service has lost the “one another” aspect.
Is it possible that the worship service can be modified into something that allows for believers to edify one another? Of must it be scrapped completely?
So, you’ve been “called to the ministry”?
Josh at “Called to Rebuild” has written an excellent post called “A word to those who are aspiring to preach.”
The post is actually about the “call to the ministry.” This is a phrase that I’ve heard often around the seminary. In fact, for many, this kinds of “call to the ministry” is necessary for someone to become an elder/pastor or missionary.
This is what Josh says:
I had a conversation tonight with some brothers and sisters that sparked something in me. I know there are a lot of people out there who feel this calling from God. Perhaps you are one of them. You have encountered the Lord and have a testimony of Him. You’ve been given special insight into the scriptures, therefore you have a burning desire to proclaim the truth you see there. Yet you feel limited and unable to follow your heart in this way because you’re stuck in a setting where you are not recognized as the teaching pastor or elder-only a “layman”-and therefore you are not allowed to do so. So you feel that the only way to find an outlet for your ministry is to go to seminary or start your own congregation down the road.
Of course, this kind of “call to them ministry” is not found in Scripture. But, what if the “call” from God is actually to something else… something actually found in Scripture.
As Josh further explains:
Might I suggest another alternative?
When all the saints in town came together as the church in the first century it was for the purpose of mutual upbuilding through the functioning of every member. Body ministry was the order of the day. All the saints took turns speaking the truth of Christ to one another in love, or “prophesying” as Paul would call it. They did this regularly….
I dare say that this is what you are seeking. This is where your calling, your gifting, and your passion for the Lord Jesus Christ will find full release and satisfaction.
Something to think about?
Is “church” missing something? Don’t change; just add something else.
Andy at “aBowden Blog” has written a very good post called “Small groups and Church.” It’s interesting that he published this yesterday, because I also re-scheduled a link to an old (similar) post that I wrote to go out on Facebook and Twitter recently. That post was called “What’s with this ‘small group’ stuff anyway?”
I think Andy did a much better job with his post.
So, what’s the problem with “small groups”? Well, nothing is inherently wrong with “small groups.” There is a problem, however, with differentiating between “small groups” and “church.”
Andy explains the “small group” phenomenon very well in his final paragraph:
I think, then, we can summarize the small group phenomenon in this way. Traditional churches are recognizing that the way church is done is lacking in some VERY important areas. The need for serious change is admitted. Small groups are the attempt to make up for these deficiencies without having to alter anything that happens on Sunday morning. In other words, offering small groups outside of church allows us to continue doing church like we’ve always done it, even though it is lacking in several important areas. We can continue doing things like always, and not have to bother with change. After all, who likes change? Change, much-needed change, can occur in a place we call a small group.
The main point is this: If something we call “church” does not look anything like what we find in Scripture, the answer is NOT to add something else to it. The answer is to change.
New Blog to Watch: Allergic to BS
If you have been reading my blog for even a short length of time, then you’ve probably noticed comments from someone named Swanny. Well, Swanny now has his own blog.
And, it could be that this is one of the best blog names around: “Allergic to BS.”
Since I was traveling from the end of last week through Independence Day, I’ve been late getting this notice up. So, Swanny has already published several very good posts:
“Before we get started”
“The Big C”
“What’s That Smell?”
“Flags Are Everywhere!“
Plus, it looks like Swanny is also a “fan” of zombies: “I-Zombie.”
This is one blog that you definitely want to keep an eye on, subscribe to, follow, whatever.
Titus 2 in Action!
I love the picture of “doctrine” that Paul paints for us in Titus 2. Yes, Paul calls it doctrine in Titus 2:1 – “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”
Yesterday, I read a post by a friend of mine. This post reminded me of part of Titus 2.
The post was written by my friend Meagan for the site “Prayer of Hannah” and was called “Why I love having a ‘mother’s helper’.”
Now, you should know that both Meagan and Lindsay (the teenage girl that Meagan talks about in her post) are part of the church that we meet with. So, you could say that I have a ring-side seat to the relationship that Meagan writes about.
But, as I read Meagan’s post, I couldn’t help but think about this passage (even though she doesn’t mention it):
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5 ESV)
I’m not going to give away anything that Meagan writes, so jump over to her post and read it.
After you read it, ask yourself if you are investing your life into the lives of others the way that Meagan and Lindsay are. If not… get started!
Are we present in the lives of the people around us?
Rick at “Dry Creek Chronicles” is an eclectic blogger, meaning he writes about many different things, including his personal life and family. I like that… I’m not that kind of blogger – much – but I like it.
I was recently challenged by his post “Notes on faithful presence” on many levels.
First, many of us consider our lifestyle or life choices as special, unique, perhaps even better than everyone else’s choices. Obviously, we have good reasons for making the choices that we make, but did you know those choices may not be best for others?
Consider what Rick writes in this paragraph:
To me, faithful presence is an anti-movement, or perhaps a way of thinking that helps me avoid attachments to movements. I don’t care much for the terms “biblical agrarianism” or “Christian agrarianism” because I think they unnecessarily spiritualize a certain way of life. I think agrarian society is very good, of a sort that is closely in tune with God’s creation, but it is not in any sense Christian. Agrarianism benefits all people, Christian or otherwise. A Christian is able to drink more deeply of the goodness of agrarian life—but a Christian is able to drink more deeply of the goodness in any way of life, being more in tune with the Source of the goodness.
Then, when Rick gets to the part about “faithful presence,” it gets even gooder:
A good way to describe our current approach to life is faithful presence. We try to live a faithful life in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, and to deal with everyone we meet in that way. We find simplicity a great aid in being able to live that way. But simplicity is not godliness, and godliness is not simplicity.
To me, when we accepted the call to faithful presence (long ago, and unknowingly), we chose to stop talking and studying about what a godly life is, and begin actually living one. Brothers and sisters are the Kingdom of God on earth, and we usher in the Kingdom to the extent that we live according to its precepts. We have learned in the living which precepts are vital and which are peripheral. And we have tried to do it peacefully and quietly, to avoid giving unnecessary offense.
Challenging words, Rick! “Stop talking and studying about what a godly life is, and begin actually living one.”
Yes, and amen.
Which is important for the church: edification or mission?
There is a bit of a feud (and that is a huge overstatement) going on between two of my friends – real friends – on their blogs.
It started when Eric at “A Pilgrim’s Progress” wrote the post “No Guarantee.” In the post, Eric exhorts the church to seek to edify one another. He concludes, “I simply want to encourage us all to be intentional in our efforts at mutual edification as the body gathers. Otherwise we miss the point of the meeting altogether.”
In response Dave Black (Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 9:32 a.m.) says, without disagreeing with Eric, that the church’s purpose is mission. He writes, “As I understand Scripture, the church is to carry out the Missio Dei of the Triune God at both the micro (individual salvation) and macro (societal) levels, with a view to redemption, reconciliation, and social transformation.”
So, is edification important for the church or is mission important for the church? The answer is, obviously, YES! Both edification and mission are important – and vital and necessary – for the church.
As Eric pointed out, when the church gathers together – that is, whenever we are together with other brothers or sisters in Christ – our goal should be to build up one another – to help one another grow in maturity in Jesus Christ.
Edification is the responsibility of every believer – yes, every believer, not just leaders – whenever the church gather together. And, edification includes anything that allows us to help one another walk in the Spirit (put on Christ, mature in Christ, honor God – however you want to say it). We are all ministers (servants) given to the church by God to help the church grow in his grace.
For further explanation, see my recent post “Whenever you come together.”
But, as Dave pointed out, we are also to carry out the mission of God. This mission takes on both an individual aspect and a societal aspect. While proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to people we meet (with both our words AND our actions), we are also to be serving those around us (our neighbors, our co-workers, other students, others in our communities) in order to demonstrate the kingdom of God to the world.
Again, this is the responsibility of ALL believers – not just leaders or those who are “specially called.” We are God’s witnesses testifying of the good work that God is doing in our lives. We are all missionaries sent into the world by God to carry out his mission.
In fact, we may choose carry out this mission together – with other believers. In that case, our missional lives become a further opportunity to edify the church, thus carrying out both aspects of church life listed above: edification and mission.
(For further explanation, see my recent post “Our shared mission.”)
So, yes, when the church comes together, we are to build up one another in maturity in Jesus Christ. And, we are to carry out God’s mission as those sent into the world by God.
Both are important for the church.
New blog to watch: Thoughts from the Glen
My friend Jason once had a very good blog. Then, he stopped blogging. We prayed for him.
Now, thank God, Jason is blogging again at “Thoughts from the Glen.” His first post is called “Finding a Path and Showing it to Others.”
I appreciate this first post because Jason explains (the short version of) how he got to where he is now.
In the past, I’ve found Jason’s posts to be very thought provoking, and I’ve found him to be excellent at interacting with people in the comments.
Plus, Jason has agreed to write one part of our “Four Views: Christians Participating in Horror Genres” project.
I encourage you to subscribe to, bookmark, or in some other way follow Jason’s new blogging venture.