“do this in remembrance of me”

Many modern religious bodies schedule that memorial but once a month, once every three months, once a year, or in some cases, not at all. But what do we find when we look to the New Testament?

We begin with the first reference to the Lord’s Supper after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Acts 2 describes the establishment of the church when Peter publicly announced the resurrection of Jesus and declared his identity as the Lord and Christ (2:32-36). He instructed his hearers to “repent and be baptized … in the name of Jesus Christ, unto the remission of your sins“ (2:38), and those “that received his word were baptized, and there were added to them in that day about 3,000 souls.“ (2:41).

Now converted to Christ and under the instruction of the apostles, how does the next verse (42) describe their spiritual activities?

Or as the NASB reads: “they were continually devoting themselves” to these activities, including the breaking of bread (the Lord’s Supper).

In this text the apostle Paul is criticizing the Corinthian brethren for their carnal abuse and perversion of the Lord’s Supper; they had transformed it into a meal rather than a memorial [vss. 20-27, 34], and they were neglecting participation with other brethren [33], particularly the poor [21-22]

Regarding frequency of observance, however, what stands out here is the premise of regularity which underlies the complaint. After beginning with this criticism in verse 17:

Paul further says in verse 20:

In other words:

When you come together, it is not what it should be. You come together in a shameful and divisive manner and eat and drink to satisfy your carnal appetites.

So what should they have been doing instead? Meeting together to take the Lord’s Supper (with each other [v.33] and with proper focus [vss. 23-27]). Underlying Paul’s rebuke:

is a premise of the regularity and importance of the Lord’s Supper in the assembly of the church.

In Acts 20 we find Paul on the return portion of his 3^rd missionary journey. Sailing from Philippi, he and Luke arrived in Troas where they “tarried seven days” (v.6). On Sunday, the first day of the week, they had the opportunity to assemble with the Troas church and Paul availed himself of the opportunity to address the assembly at that time. But what interests us here is Luke’s description of that assembly:

“And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul preached …”

Note: What was the purpose of the assembly?

“to break bread”

On what day did they assemble to do this?

“the first day of the week”

This is not an insignificant detail. When Luke (the author of Acts) tells us what day of the week it is, it’s because it’s significant. Usually the day of the week is irrelevant, and we aren’t told what day it was. For example: What day of the week was it when Stephen was stoned? Or the lame man healed? Or eunuch was baptized? Or Cornelius visited? Or Paul beaten with rods? Or Paul arrested in Jerusalem? We don‘t know. Luke doesn‘t say. It’s not significant.

When Luke does tell you what day it was, it’s because it’s significant. In Acts 2, he tells us it’s the day of Pentecost (an annual Jewish holiday). It was the first feast day after the resurrection, and it explains why Jews had gathered there from every nation.

In Acts 17, he tells us what day it was when Paul went to the synagogue. It was the Sabbath (Saturday). Was there a significance to that day for the synagogue? Yes, that’s the day Paul could find the Jewish population gathered together there.

So back now to Acts 20:7 and “the first day of the week.” Is there a significance about that day? Yes. The first day of the week is the day Jesus rose from the dead, as noted at the end of all 4 of the gospels (see Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 19).

Interestingly, Pentecost (the day the church began) also happens to fall on the first day of the week (see Leviticus on “feast of weeks”, aka, Pentecost).

Furthermore, when Paul instructed the Corinthians to lay aside a collection for needy Jewish saints, on what day did he instruct them to do it? On “the first day of the week.” [1 Cor.16:1-2].

And now as seen now from this text [Acts 20:7], on what day did the brethren gather together to take the Lord’s Supper? On “the first day of the week.“

In the NT:

Contribution was done when? “the first day of the week” [1Cor.16:1,2]

The Lord’s Supper was done when? “the first day of the week” [Acts 20:7]

Same day, same frequency.

Yet many denominations schedule the Lord’s Supper but a few times a year. Is contribution treated the same way? Once a month? Once every 3 months? Once a year? Probably not. Indeed, it’s common to schedule contributions more often, and the Lord’s supper less often, than we see in the NT.

In the NT we see contribution set aside on the first day of the week.

In the NT we see the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.

Why stray from New Testament practice?