An Invitation
to worship with us! Ø We have attempted In Lesson 1 to cast a vision of The Eucharist Before the Cross, that is to understand the dynamics of the Passover and the meals Jesus shared with his disciples before and after the cross. Ø In Lesson 2 we examined the practice of The Eucharist After the Cross, as practiced in the New Testament and in the early church, and learned why it became known as the Eucharist. Ø We learned that in the first centuries of Christian practice the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist was characterized by:
Denominational Practice of the Eucharist. We learned in Lesson 1 that the Christian religious world has a wide range of theological emphases and practices regarding the Eucharist. Ø Regularity of Practice
Ø Theological understanding
Churches of Christ. From early in their history Churches of Christ have rejected Transubstantiation, Consubstantiation, and Impanation (the Catholic, Presbyterian, and Lutheran theology). Ø Churches of Christ followed the Zwinglian model (common also in the Baptist churches) which emphasizes the memorial (cognitive remembering) aspect of the Lord’s Supper.
Ø In modern churches of Christ there has been little emphasis on: § Celebration. - we try to be as rational as possible and keep our emotions in check! § Thanksgiving (joyful eucharistia) for the gift of God in deliverance and redemption. § Communion or unity with Christ. § The real presence of Christ. § Emphasis on the unity believers. § “Haggadahic” (my invention of a word!) proclamation of the New Covenant of grace and forgiveness for many! ü This however, has been the practice of mission congregations and missional churches in which many non-members are present and who need instruction as to the meaning of the Eucharist. § Real anticipation of the parousia or future end time coming of Christ.
Ø The major focus of the Lord’s Supper as experienced in Churches of Christ has been on the altar and not on the table! § The background of this is the Catholic tradition that in the Mass the sacrifice of Christ is repeated in the life of the participants. § The purpose of the Mass is the forgiveness of sins, not the celebration of forgiveness already experienced at the cross.
§
The
altar
(the cross) is where the sacrifice was consummated once for all.
§
However,
in the New Testament and early church the
emphasis was on the table or meal (the Eucharist) where the new covenant
of grace and forgiveness is celebrated.
We would like to propose several factors or practices that would shift the focus of the Lord’s Supper from the altar in Churches of Christ to the celebrating Agape meal of thanksgiving in the Eucharist:. Ø More careful and deliberate planning should be devoted to the Lord’s Supper as the Lord’s Table, or Eucharist! § The men leading and serving at the Table should be instructed regarding the real theological focus of the Table. § Instruction should be give regarding appropriate wording or instruction (haggadah) at the table. § Instruction should be given regarding appropriate prayers of thanksgiving at the Table. § Appropriate readings and “hallel psalmic” songs should be selected. Ø An attempt to return to the centrality of the Eucharist in the Worship Assembly. § Typically in Churches of Christ the Lord’s Supper takes 10 minutes! § A typical response, if you have a larger crowd, is to add more servers! Ø A shift in focus from the agony of Jesus on the cross to a celebration of what the cross means is called for. § John Mark Hicks, Come to the Table: Revisioning the Lord’s Supper, appropriately draws a distinction between the Lord’s Supper as an Altar and the Lord’s Supper as Table or meal. o Altars are where sacrifices are made and sins are forgiven. The Lord's Supper is not an atar where sins are forgiven, but a thanksgiving table or meal of thanksgiving for the forgiveness of sins! ü The Roman Catholic doctrine of Mass views the Eucharist as a repetition of the sacrifice of Jesus, personalized. v Unfortunately, it is my opinion that we have adopted the altar concept! v Many of our people leave the service after the Lord’s Supper is taken!
v A
church leader
at an East
Texas seminar warned, “We do not sit on the Lord’s Table!” v Many do not like to sing during the Eucharist! o This time, it is argued, is a time for personal reflection and examination. · What we really need is a better understanding of what was going on in Corinth and what Paul was requiring in 1 Cor 11:27ff and what he had in mind in “eating and drinking in an unworthy manner”! · In one sense you and I will never be worthy of the death of Jesus, but that is not what Paul was talking about! · You and I because of the altar of the cross and all that it involves are worthy to partake of the Lord’s Supper! · We become unworthy when we are self centered and haughty and abuse others in the eating of the Lord’s Supper! o Some claim that this is a time for private personal prayer and meditation! o This would have been completely alien to the Eucharist in the first century which was associated with a communal meal and the Agape. o In both the Passover and the Eucharist in the 1st and 2nd century churches they sang the hallel Psalms! o The Eucharist in the first century was a meal of thanksgiving and celebration, not an altar of sacrifice! ü The Eucharist in the 1st and 2nd century churches was not a time for personal private reflection, but of communal celebration and thanksgiving. ü It was time when a Eucharistic haggadah was spoken. ü Paul rebuked the Corinthians not because they celebrated with thanksgiving or celebrated the eucharist as a meal! v The problem with the Corinthians was their haughty attitude, preference for the superspirituals and the wealthy. v Their problem was that they abused the poor and did not understand the body concept of the church (we are one body with Christ – 1 Cor 10, 12). o We are not proposing that we turn the Lord’s Supper into a circus or common meal! ü Celebration need not become frivolous, but should be joyous occasion of thanksgiving in proclamation, prayer, and song. o We are however proposing: ü That we shift our focus from the altar to a communal meal of thanksgiving with Jesus and one another. ü That we shift the focus form mourning, introspection meditation, or contemplation on personal sin, to an expression of thanksgiving and celebration of the forgiveness of sin. ü That we shift the focus from self to the community of faith who share with us the grace of God’s forgiveness. o We do not agree with John Mark that we should turn Lord’s Supper into a family occasion around the Lord’s Table! ü The Passover was a family celebration. ü The Eucharist is a congregational celebration. ü The Eucharist is not a private family table time, but a congregational fellowship time! v Recently I worshipped with a congregation of the Church of Christ where during the Lord’s Supper the statement was made that this was a time for personal mediation – how far can one get from the biblical model of Passover and Eucharist! v During the contribution the comment was made that this was the time for family celebration and sharing – how far can one get from the biblical model! o Careful planning of the Lord’s Supper as the Eucharist can take care of shifting the focus from altar of sacrifice to the thanksgiving meal in which the focus is on Jesus and his victory and the redemption enjoyed in Christ! ü Time should be scheduled for careful haggadah that directs attention to the deliverance, forgiveness, and redemption we enjoy in Jesus! ü Time can be scheduled for personal prayer and thanksgiving. ü Time should be scheduled for congregational prayer and thanksgiving. ü Time can be built in for singing hallel type songs during the Eucharist. Ø Primarily we need a restoration of the haggadah explanation of the real significance of the Lord’s Supper. § An explanation should be given as to why we celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday. § Some explanation should be given as the appropriate attitude of thanksgiving that should be present during the Eucharist. Ø We need urgently a revisioning of the Lord’s Supper as Eucharist. § I am not suggesting that we abandon the biblical term Lord’s Supper, but am suggesting that we emphasize the thanksgiving aspect. § We need to help our people to shift their attention away from the Catholic sacrificial altar mindset to the celebration of the thanksgiving meal. § What is said in the haggadah portion of the meal can set the tone for the occasion. § The careful wording of prayers also sets the tone for the meal. § The selection of hallel type songs makes a significant contribution tot eh tone of thanksgiving and celebration. Ø We need also to pay attention to the real presence of Christ in the meal. § Possibly prayers at the table addressed to Jesus will assist the congregation to understand the real presence of Jesus at the meal. § The nature of the haggadah words can also impress the congregation with an understanding of the real presence of Jesus. Ø We need to emphasize the union or fellowship with Christ in the eating. § 1 Cor 10:14-22 demonstrates that eating the bread symbolizes fellowship/communion or unity with Christ. § The Lord’s Supper reminds us that we are united with Jesus not the world. § The Lord’s Supper reminds us in Pauline terms that we must not let the world press us into its mold (Rom 12:1,2). Ø We should place greater emphasis on the real unity and communion (fellowship) of believers that is demonstrated in eating the Lord’s Supper together.. Ø John Mark Hicks calls for a return to the table concept and dynamic in the Lord’s Supper. § Hicks calls for smaller “house church” type celebrations. § This sounds good and there are excellent fellowship dynamics in small groups that are absent in large assemblies. § However, it is simply not always practical nor necessary for such re-organization to take place! o In large congregations small groups are not easy to facilitate. o Reverting to taking the Lord’s Supper on Sunday evening in small groups is one possibility, but this is not favored by many congregations. § But the church should make every effort to recreate the table or meal dynamic in the celebration of the fellowship meal in the Lord’s Supper. o This can be achieved through careful planning of prayers and the haggadah portion of the Eucharist as suggested above. o Emphasis can be made that this is a meal we share with one another in unity and celebration of Jesus’ deliverance and forgiveness. o Emphasis can be made that this is a meal that we share with Jesus just as his disciples shared meals with him beside the seal of Galilee or when he broke the bread with them in their houses.
o
Asking
people to hold the plate of emblems while their
neighbor take the emblem can facilitate fellowship. SOME ADDITIONAL CORRECTIONS OF PERSPECTIVE OR UNDERSTANDING Many members of Churches of Christ do not understand fully the nature and purpose of the Lord’s Supper. Ø The Eucharist in the New Testament and 1st and 2nd century churches was celebrated in a congregational (church gathering) setting, not a private meeting in homes! § Contrary to the Passover which was a family or house celebration, the Lord’s Supper is a congregational assembly celebration: § Although Luke does not flesh out the details of Acts 2:42 and 46, there are two emphases made in these texts. o They worshipped daily in the temple. o They ate daily meals together in their houses.
o The best explanation of this is a reference to the gathering of the members for the Eucharist. o The language of the text implies a regular gathering. o Acts 20:7 later explains a weekly gathering on the Lord’s Day (the day of celebrating the Lord’s resurrection). ü It is apparent from the text that this was a gathering of the members of the congregation at Troas. ü The were gathered for the purpose of celebrating the Eucharist. o An exception to this point would be that of a house church meeting in a home. ü In that case the setting is a “congregation” not a family home! Ø Well meaning Christians sometimes seek to take to the Lord’s Supper to shut-ins. o Why? o This is a congregational experience, not a private house experience! o Possibly the Catholic view that the Mass was for the forgiveness of sins lies behind this tendency. ü The Catholic view of a repeated sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins is plainly not Scriptural! o What shut-ins need is Christian fellowship, not the Lord’s Supper! o To celebrate the Lord’s supper in the absence of a congregation is a misapplication of the Lord’s Supper! Ø In many congregations the Lord’s Supper is offered to those who could not be present at an earlier service.
o There is such a “scripture”! ü It is the same on that authorizes assembling twice. ü Or that authorizes singing twice. ü Or that authorizes Praying twice. ü Or that authorizes preaching twice!
Ø The Lord’s Supper is not an appropriate feature in a wedding service where it is intended to:
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