“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, ….” Acts 20:7
Introduction
The first day of the week, described in the above scripture verse, is a Sunday. It is not coincident with nor replaces the Sabbath, the Saturday Jewish day of rest. Rather, this day Christians the world over acknowledge as a special holy day, being the day on which Christ arose from the dead – the day of resurrection. Note the Apostle Paul’s focus for this day is the breaking of bread. His focus was not a sermon (by which, because he was leaving the next day, he gave quite a lengthily teaching), nor songs of worship (though there may well have been), nor any special program, activity, or demonstration. The principle reason for gathering was the breaking of bread. Romans 14:5 quotes “one person esteems one day above another; another esteems all days alike” – which is fine. I had a dear Uncle that treated every day as a Sunday, beginning each day with communion (breaking of bread).
Was Paul instituting here a practice or ritual? Was he establishing a uniquely Christian custom to follow to obediently remember the Lord’s instruction at the Last Supper – “do this in remembrance of Me.”? Hardly. Paul was not a man to follow customs, traditions, and symbolism. In fact, he shunned everything that appeared ritual or legalistic. He boldly declared his freedom from such things in his letter to the Phillipians. He wrote, “I count all things (under the Law) lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered the lost of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Vs. 3:8 If he were to continue any custom or practice it certainly would have been that of the most important Hebrew custom of circumcision. He may have written (which he did not) that circumcision is symbolic of cutting off of the flesh, the old nature, a concept Paul wrote about many times, and that it’s symbolic practice should continue as a constant reminder. But he wrote no such thing.
Paul did not see the practice of circumcision as having any spiritual value – but only a symbolic act not to be a part of the Gospel of Christ. In fact he even referred to the practice as mutilation (Ph. 3:2) and that, “ … he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit ….” Rm. 2:29 Paul (with Barnabus and Titus) even went to Jerusalem and argued the case for “un-circumcision” before James, Peter and John. These apostles, the pillars (of the church), agreed with Paul that no such practice should be required in the Gospel to the gentiles (See Gal. 2) Paul rightly saw the practice of circumcision as symbolic, ritualistic, and legalistic only and for it to have no place for those, who by grace, “… worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, … .” Phil. 3:3
How then can the practices of baptism, laying on of hands, and communion be justified? If these practices are church rituals, being symbolic of its faith, then should they not also be accorded equal status with circumcision, noted to have no true spiritual value, and relegated to the realm of legalism, being absent of grace? And they should be, if they are only symbolic gestures. But obviously they are not (rituals or symbolic acts)!
Rather, baptism, laying on hands, and communion are most holy experiential spiritual events and should not be considered as just a unique Christian custom or observance. In each is found a union between the physical and the spiritual, between the natural and the supernatural, between the earthly and the heavenly. In this, the Church Age, believers live as having one foot on the earth and one foot in Heaven. They are in the Kingdom of God, yet not – as we await the Kingdom to come in its fullness with the return of Christ. But there are spiritual encounters where the two realms of heaven and earth mesh together and the experience, though most often but not always being subtle, brings an increase measure of spiritual reality into our lives – and we are changed.
The Cross – the Precedent
The cross of Christ is undoubtedly the most profound manifestation of a physical act, involving that of the natural, and on the earth, yet have a spiritual magnitude of supernatural proportions in the heavens. The cross was real and embedded into the earth, yet it extended far into the spiritual realm of Heaven above. The blood shed upon that cross was Jesus Christ’s own physical blood. Yet Christ Himself supernaturally sprinkled that blood upon the mercy seat in Heaven. He was both the Lamb of God sacrificed upon the altar of the cross, and the High Priest before the throne for all would believe in Him.
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Heb. 9:12
For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; Heb. 9:24
It was at this cross, before bowing His head and giving up His spirit, that Jesus Christ uttered, “It is finished.” Jn. 19:30 His words echoed about Golgotha, the hill where Christ was crucified, and resonated throughout the eternal spiritual realm. It was heard by all that stood before the cross. It also heard by His Father in Heaven, by the angels about the throne, by the souls bound in Hades until the day of redemption, and by the enemy of Christ and all who would trust in Him, Satan and his cohorts. The cross of Christ, naturally in a time and place, and a physical wooded cross; yet supernaturally touching the spiritual realm of Heaven and all there is within. That of the physical impacted the spiritual, and that of the spiritual impacted the physical, then and forever more. Things were eternally changed.
The Case for Baptism and Laying on of Hands
1And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:1-6
Please read the above passage closely. Note that the Apostle Paul:
- Found disciples, i.e., those already being taught the Way of Christ.
- Saw no spiritual value in John’s baptism, serving only as preparatory leading to the true baptism in Christ.
- Paul insisted they be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, an act having true spiritual value.
- Paul felt the necessity to physically touch, laid hands on them, for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Baptism – 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
It is clear that the Apostle Paul saw a need to physically baptize these disciples; and that the act of this baptism, in the name of the Lord Jesus, had much spiritual value. It accomplished spiritually what a baptism of repentance could not. Paul, in all his epistles, greatly emphasized the act of faith (over outward works). At this time he did not say something like, “Disciples, the important thing now is just to believe with all your heart the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Physical things like water and acts of submergence are not part of a spiritual Kingdom.” No! He did not say any such thing.
This baptism into Christ was not a symbolic gesture but was experiential. It was not just an act of obedience. In this baptism, in the name of the Lord Jesus, a threshold was being crossed between the physical and the spiritual, between natural and the supernatural. A union was being forged between physical elements of water and submergence with the spiritual cross of Christ. This would begin its work in the hearts of the disciples. The disciples may not have “felt” any physical sensations with their new baptism, though some may have. Nevertheless, a threshold was crossed, a seed was sown, an encounter with the supernatural was made in the spirits of those disciples.
Laying on Hands – 6And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them…
Is it not obvious to the reader that the Apostle Paul was not just mimicking other apostles – like Peter and John at Samaria (see Acts 814-17.) Here again, he did not just stress the role of faith. He did not say something like, “Disciples of Christ, the promise of the Holy Spirit has been given to you. Now believe with your heart this Word and receive the Holy Spirit.” NO! He did not say any such thing. Instead, he physically laid his hands upon them. This was not in just some symbolic gesture. Paul detested symbolism and rituals.
The Apostle Paul knew that lying on hands was part of God’s intended way for Him to spiritually come, in the form of the Holy Spirit, into the life of a believer. Simon, a sorcerer also at Samaria (Acts 8:9-13), thought the act to be magical and desired power like the Apostles (Acts 8:18-22). Granted, laying on hands to impart the Holy Spirit is mystical, but not magical. There were no special chants, objects, or mystical herbs. It was not the door of spirit-world of Satan and fallen angels that was entered, but Heaven itself. Faith combined with the touch of the Apostle’s hand and a threshold was crossed between the physical and the spiritual. The natural and the supernatural merged as one as the believers received the Holy Spirit.
It is written, “the Kingdom of God is not food and drink (tangible elements), but righteousness, peace and joy (intangible elements) in the Holy Spirit.” (Rm. 14:17) However, there are undeniable times when God chooses to use physical, tangible elements of the earth to connect with spiritual, intangible elements of Heaven – the wooden cross of Christ, the water of baptism, the hands of impartation, the oil of anointing, and … the bread and wine of the Lord’s supper.
The Case for Communion
Introduction Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread,…. Acts 20:7
Are we seeking: Religion or reality? Symbolism or truth? Tradition or a living relationship? Religion, with all its rituals and practices, brings a satisfaction and comfort to the soul; spiritual reality brings brokenness, a thirst and longing to the spirit. Symbolism with all its various acts and icons and brings a form or security and attachment to the natural man, truth establishes the heart with an inward “knowing.” Tradition brings familiarity and continuance of the old to the “old man,” a living relationship brings progressive change and newness to the “new man.” We must flee the deception and grip of all religious practices, regardless how it makes us “feel.” It has no value before God. In religion the outward man is engaged to the pacifying of the conscience while the inward man still lies in darkness and wantonness.
It seems almost contradictory to say, “Bring your Christian religion to the altar of sacrifice (the cross) and leave it there.” Walk away from the altar embracing only that which is of Christ – living, real and true. You will have no outward law to walk by, no icon to look upon, no program to follow, no assigned activity to accomplish, no title to your name, no planned agenda, no special garb to wear, no special place to sit, no assigned task to accomplish, no special holidays, and no prescribed sermonettes. You will have “count(ed) all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” Phil. 3:8-9 Spiritual reality is Christ, Himself. Embrace Him in the reality of His presence in the Word, fellowship, worship, and in …. the breaking of bread.
Yes, the Apostle Paul and the disciples at Traos gathered on the first day of the week… to break bread. The case has already been made that Paul had absolutely no interest in rituals and traditions. He had been delivered from such, including circumcision of the flesh. He knew, however, that embedded in the act of breaking of bread was a reality beyond the natural. Yes, Paul physically held the bread in his hands, broke it, and ate with the disciples. He held the cup, blessed and drank from it as well. But the reality present was Christ. Physically he held the broken bread in his hands; spiritually he was holding the broken body of Christ. A threshold had been crossed from the natural to the supernatural. The cup he held and drank from looked and tasted as wine, but again the natural became the spiritual as he and the disciples partook of the blood of Christ. Oh how sobering, how sacred, how holy, yet how necessary the breaking of bread.
Institution of the Lord’s Supper And He(Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:19-20
“This… is… My… body! Oh what a declaration. He did not make a symbolic gesture such as “as My body” or “this represents My body” but an emphatic statement “is My body.” Perhaps His disciples could not comprehend then, as many believers now cannot, the spiritual magnitude of the gift being given here.
Such people of little understanding were those of the 5000 who were miraculously fed barley loaves. This multitude followed Jesus and His disciples to a mountain, as the feast of Passover drew near. He multiplied 5 barley loaves and two fish a lad had, enough to feed the multitude. The following day many of that multitude pursued Jesus to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Who knows what was in the hearts of those who wanted to make Him king. Surely the miracles they witnessed and the teachings they heard prompted them to act as such. Within each man, woman and child there is a longing for something beyond the natural. But their understanding was little and desires superficial (as many are so today.) Jesus declared pointedly to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.4Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. John 6:53-57
Do you see what Jesus was saying? Do you understand His message? He could not say it any clearer. To each and every one He was declaring all acts self-righteousness is insufficient. All attempts to change to change one’s heart by resolve and determination will fall short. Jesus was not establishing here a religion or some belief system centered on a ritual. Nor did He mean to study Him, His teachings and behavior, and emulate them as much as possible. No, He was straight forwardly declaring that life, that eternal vitality and quality of Godliness, is in Him; and anyone desiring such must feed upon Him. As the vine feeds the branches by transferring its life giving essence to its branches, so must the spirit of man be fed the life essence of Jesus Christ. “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” John 6:66 Those of such little understanding remained in their little religious worlds, never tasting the essence of Christ.
Spiritual Reality of the Lord’s Supper “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (are dead).” 1 Cor. 11:26-30
This particular passage of Scripture brings some sober reality to mind. It demonstrates the spiritual reality between the breaking of bread (or communion) that is a natural act, and partaking the essence of Christ, that is something supernatural. Physically the bread is eaten and the wine is drunk. The body is fed. Spiritually, the body of Christ is eaten and His blood drunk. The heart and spirit is fed. Here there is here the union, or meshing together, of the physical and the spiritual, the natural and the supernatural, the earthly and the heavenly. One may not sense the working of food physically strengthening the body. This “Bread of Life” continues to work in our spirits (hearts.) The warning in the above quoted scripture may well be heeded. This is not simple a memorial meal, or some symbolic act. In it is a touching of the divine and the human. Soberness of mind and heart must prevail and eaten with proper intent – without which it may well have an adverse effect – “for this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (are dead).” If partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner – perhaps casually, superficially, or without proper discernment – being the spiritual act that it is, cause such weaknesses in one’s being, how much more beneficial will the partaking of the Lord’s Supper be to those who eat of it in proper understanding and attitude.
The Essence of Communion Your fathers ate the bread in the wilderness and are dead. This (referring to His body) is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” Jn. 6:50-51
In the above passage Jesus is contrasting the physical with the spiritual and the natural with the supernatural. Though the manna given to the Israelites in the wilderness had its supernatural origin, its effects were natural, sustaining only the body. It had no lasting value. The Israelites ate of the manna daily, continuously, and the food nourished them physically. The manna supplied their bodies with all the nutrients necessary for growth and health. But now Jesus is saying, there is a spiritual food that, when eaten continuously, provides the essences for the growth and health of the spirit, everlastingly. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. John 6:56-57 It must be noted that in this passage the word for eats in verse 56 and for feeds in verse 57 are in the Greek present tense expressing ‘continuous or repeated action.’ Thus, the emphasis is feeding upon.
Granted, the believer may feed upon Christ by:
- Reading and meditating upon His word – “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Mt. 4:4.
- Prayer
- Worship and adoration
However, all of the above acts are simultaneously and integrally a part of the Lord’s Supper, and in a unique experience.
When the Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper, or communion, His only direction was, “…do this in memory of me.” Lk. 22:19 He did not say how often to do it. In Acts 20:7 The apostle Paul specifically mentions “the first day of the week (Sunday)” as a day specially set aside for the Lord’s Supper. However, in Rm. 14:5 Paul also states “one person esteems one day above another; another esteems all days alike.” How often do you do it? How hungry are you?
We must nourish and feed our bodies on a regular basis. This is how we remain alive, grow and mature, and function. Without food we soon become weak, sick, even die. Food repairs, strengthens, protects, and enables us to live a healthy life. In communion we feed upon Christ, who is our life. In this He is our food. He is our nourishment that heals our failures, faults, wounds, and sins.* He is our bond with one another. He is our union with the Father. He is our future hope of glory. *I know an individual that was even healed of a physical ailment during communion.
We may not sense the working of food physically while it’s strengthening, healing, and giving growth to our bodies – but it continues to do so. In like manner, this “bread of life” continues to work in our hearts even though we may be unaware of its working. We grow and mature in things of the spirit. We are forever being changed. In the natural we need to have a well balanced diet without which, even though we may be full we remain deficient and are subject to certain diseases. Though we may attend many meetings, Bible college, understand Greek and Hebrew, have prayer time, worship, and so forth, but never (or seldom) come to the Lord’s table and assimilate His Divine substance, we remain spiritually undernourished.
A Holy Convocation For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep(die.) For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
1 Cor. 11:26-32
There is something uniquely holy about coming to “the Lord’s table.” We stand as with one foot on this earth and one foot in Heaven. Well holding the bread and wine in our hands we embrace the living Christ who manifests in that bread and wine. We eat and drink of the natural but assimilate into our beings the supernatural. The bread and wine nourishes our bodies and our souls are nourished with the essence of Christ. We find enjoyment in the taste of the food and our hearts delight in His presence.
The breaking of bread, communion, is a most holy assembly. It must never be approached light-heartedly or without forethought but with sober reflection on this time of holy communion with Christ and with our Father with whom He brings us into living union. The above quoted scripture warns against partaking the bread and the cup of the Lord’ supper unworthily, by not discerning or discriminating what they represent. The passage also speaks of trying oneself, discerning one’s condition, and so judging any evil before the Lord (Vine’s Expository Dictionary.) It is a solemn admonishment. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord – chastening, a kind of training by the Lord that involves reproving and admonishing, that may have spiritual as well as physical ramifications.
Perhaps the greatest evils before the Lord involve both past actions and the present condition of the heart. Past actions reveal the results of many tests in our walk before the Lord. Daily, even hourly, we are tried in situation after situation. Each time of testing ends in either sin or failure or in righteousness and overcoming. The present condition of the heart reveals our true attitude towards these evils. Sins and failures may be acts of commission, what we did, as well as omissions, what we should have done. There may be a true sorrow over our past actions and desire for forgiveness, but there must also be an equal desire and expectation to have such sin and acts purged from our hearts, that our walk before the Lord be holy.
Communion is a time of forgiveness. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:7-9
…how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:14
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. John 6:56,57
Yes, the Lord’s supper, communion, is a time of true forgiveness, of the highest nature, i.e., absolute forgiveness and acceptance. Forgive, in the Greek, means to send away. The Divine consequences of sin, even the evil thought of the heart (Acts 8:22), are remitted. As David is quoted in Romans 4:7,8: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” Such forgiveness and acceptance cannot be earned, but can only be received in supernatural measure as a gift in Christ.
Note how, in the first passage quoted above, that the blood of Jesus Christ, and cleanses and confess and forgive are intimately related – and it is in the Lord’s supper where they come together in a living and real experience. For this is a time of reflecting, of humbling, of sober contemplating one’s relationship with God and with others in the Body of Christ. Yes, this forgiveness must, and does, extend in both the vertical with God our Father and in the horizon with our brethren – remembering in the Lord’s prayer – “…and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Mt. 6:12 Such a cleansing of the soul is beyond the natural, for no amount of inspirational encouragement or psychological “feel good” dribble can bring such true cleansing. Supernaturally the blood of Christ, applied to the Heavenly mercy seat of God, effectually reaches deep with our being to the uttermost reaches of our hearts. The blood of Christ does what is humanly impossible, it enables to “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
If certain conditions are fulfilled there are no limitations to Christ’s law of forgiveness. The conditions are repentance and confession. Both of these acts occur in the natural and are not spiritually “automatic,” i.e., they require the volitional changing or amending of the mind and the verbal utterance of confession – which may or may not be silently to God our Father, but always vocally to a brother offended. If one lacks the desire to repent or confess he or she must realize there is no other way. These physical acts must precede the touch of Divine forgiveness. And this Divine forgiveness supernaturally touches the heart of man. One senses “I am free” and “I am accepted” simultaneously as the burden of sin and the weight of failure is lifted.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Communion is a time of forgiveness healing.
