Eating the Supper in a Second Assembly on the First Day of the Week 1 Cor. 11:17-22

22

The Issue is Not…Whether or not Christians must eat

the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week in the worship assembly – we must, 1 Cor. 11:18, 20– Matt. 18:18-20Matt. 18:18-20 does not approve does not approve

individual worship services apart individual worship services apart from the assembly of the local churchfrom the assembly of the local church

– Authority of the apostles to bind and Authority of the apostles to bind and loose what heaven has bound and loose what heaven has bound and loosedloosed

33

The Issue is Not…Whether or not the church “serves” the Lord’s Supper; the church does not “serve” the Supper; it eats it

The local church does not perform a ceremony called the Lord’s Supper

The local church provides the occasion for the disciples to eat and drink in memory of the Lord’s death

44

The Issue is Not…Christians “drink the cup of the Lord” and “partake of the Lord’s table” when we eat the Lord’s Supper, thus having communion with the blood and body of Christ, 1 Cor. 10:21 (16-17); 11:20

“Serving” the supper is incidental to eating it

55

The Issue is…Does the local church have

scriptural authority to provide an opportunity for saints to eat the Lord’s Supper at a second assembly on the first day of the week when some or most of the saints have eaten the Lord’s Supper during an earlier Lord’s day assembly? (Col. 3:17; 1 Cor. 4:17)

66

The Issue is…Put another way…Does the local church have Bible authority to prevent a Christian from eating the Lord’s Supper during a Lord’s Day assembly? 1 Cor. 11:28, 33

77

““When you come together to When you come together to eat”eat” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Correct RealmCorrect Realm: Kingdom, : Kingdom, Lk. Lk. 22:1822:18

Correct ArrangementCorrect Arrangement: Assembly of : Assembly of the church, the church, 1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33-1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33-3434

Correct TimeCorrect Time: First day of the : First day of the week, week, Acts 20:7Acts 20:7

Correct ElementsCorrect Elements: Unleavened : Unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, bread and fruit of the vine, 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 11:23-25; Lk. 22:18-20; Matt. 11:23-25; Lk. 22:18-20; Matt. 26:26-2926:26-29

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““When you come together to When you come together to eat”eat” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Correct ParticipantsCorrect Participants: : Christians who have not eaten Christians who have not eaten the supperthe supper– A stated purpose of assembling,

Acts 20:7 (1 Cor. 14:26, 15-16; 16:2)

– Necessarily implies those assembling who have not eaten the Lord’s Supper bear the responsibility to do so

99

““When you come together to When you come together to eat”eat” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Correct ParticipantsCorrect Participants: : Christians who have not Christians who have not eaten the suppereaten the supper– Although eaten in the

assembly, the Lord’s Supper is an individual act of worship that each Christian is commanded to obey, 1 Cor. 11:27-29

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““When you come together to When you come together to eat”eat” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Correct ParticipantsCorrect Participants: Christians : Christians who have not eaten the supperwho have not eaten the supper– The opportunity to eat at a second

assembly allows them to obey the Lord’s commandment to eat

– Also commands to give, to sing, to pray and to be edified by hearing the word

Correct Conduct of ParticipantsCorrect Conduct of Participants, , 1 Cor. 11:23-291 Cor. 11:23-29

1111

1 Corinthians 11:17-221 Corinthians 11:17-22 Abuse of the Lord’s SupperAbuse of the Lord’s Supper

– Being associated with a Being associated with a common meal,common meal, 11:18-2111:18-21

Class divisions arising Class divisions arising among themamong them– Apparent as they abused the Apparent as they abused the

purpose of the Lord’s purpose of the Lord’s Supper,Supper, 11:20-2211:20-22

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1 Corinthians 11:22-341 Corinthians 11:22-34 Properly distinguish Properly distinguish

between the practice and between the practice and purpose of the Lord’s purpose of the Lord’s Supper and a common meal, Supper and a common meal, 11:22-32, 3411:22-32, 34– Assemble for worship, Assemble for worship, 11:2211:22– Nature & purpose of supper, Nature & purpose of supper,

11:23-2711:23-27– Proper heart, Proper heart, 11:28-3211:28-32

1313

1 Corinthians 11:22-341 Corinthians 11:22-34 Be united in your eating of Be united in your eating of

the Lord’s Supperthe Lord’s Supper– Do not despise one another, Do not despise one another,

11:2211:22– Wait for one another, Wait for one another, 11:3311:33

Individual responsibility is Individual responsibility is fulfilled when the church fulfilled when the church comes together, comes together, 11:27-11:27-28 (18, 20, 33)28 (18, 20, 33)

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““Wait for one another”Wait for one another” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

““Wait for one another” Wait for one another” ((ekdechomai)ekdechomai) (wait, tarry): “1) (wait, tarry): “1) to receive, accept 2) to look to receive, accept 2) to look for, expect, wait for, await” for, expect, wait for, await” ((ThayerThayer, 193), 193)

Part of the remedy for the Part of the remedy for the division that existed among division that existed among them them (11:21-22)(11:21-22)

Look for, expect Look for, expect (1 Cor. 16:11; (1 Cor. 16:11; Heb. 11:10) Heb. 11:10)

1515

““Wait for one another”Wait for one another” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

When you assemble, When you assemble, receivereceive or or acceptaccept each other so that each other so that your coming together is for your coming together is for the better rather than for the the better rather than for the worse worse (11:17)(11:17)– That is, so that you will be able That is, so that you will be able

to to “eat the Lord’s Supper”“eat the Lord’s Supper” decently and orderlydecently and orderly (11:20-21)(11:20-21)

– This is a This is a UNITYUNITY argument, not argument, not a a TIMETIME argument, argument, 11:18-11:18-2121

1616

““Wait for one another”Wait for one another” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Commanded of Commanded of allall who are who are presentpresent in the assembly in the assembly– Not to those who are PRESENT Not to those who are PRESENT

waiting for some who are waiting for some who are ABSENT to arriveABSENT to arrive

– When you When you “come together to “come together to eat”eat” – wait for one another! – wait for one another!

– Have an orderly arrangement Have an orderly arrangement that receives all and remedies that receives all and remedies divisiondivision

1717

““Wait for one another”Wait for one another” 1 Cor. 11:331 Cor. 11:33

Then, properly eat the Then, properly eat the supper; it is not a supper; it is not a common meal, common meal, 11:3411:34– A memorial, A memorial, 1 Cor. 11:23-25 1 Cor. 11:23-25

(Matt. 26:26-28) (Matt. 26:26-28)– A proclamation of the Lord’s A proclamation of the Lord’s

death, death, 1 Cor. 11:261 Cor. 11:26– A communion with the Lord, A communion with the Lord,

Matt. 26:29; 1 Cor. 10:16, Matt. 26:29; 1 Cor. 10:16, 2121

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The ObjectionThe Objection::The NT Pattern Offers the The NT Pattern Offers the

Supper Once on the Lord’s Supper Once on the Lord’s DayDay

No No exampleexample of more than of more than onceonce

Consistency of argument Consistency of argument demands only one assembly demands only one assembly on the Lord’s day, period.on the Lord’s day, period.– Some have done away with Some have done away with

second service for this reasonsecond service for this reason

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Defense of No Second Defense of No Second Assembly SupperAssembly Supper::

“You can’t give an example of “You can’t give an example of it”it”

Cannot produce an example of Cannot produce an example of accepting contribution, praying, accepting contribution, praying, singing or preaching at a second singing or preaching at a second assemblyassembly

Why can these be done by the Why can these be done by the person who was absent from the person who was absent from the first assembly, but he cannot eat the first assembly, but he cannot eat the Supper? (Where is this NT pattern?)Supper? (Where is this NT pattern?)

There is a pattern for all who are There is a pattern for all who are present in the assembly to present in the assembly to receivereceive or or “wait for one another”“wait for one another” 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 11:3311:33

2020

Multiple Lord’s Day Multiple Lord’s Day AssembliesAssemblies

and forand for Making Supper Available at Making Supper Available at

eacheach Authority is established by Authority is established by

command, approved command, approved example or necessary example or necessary inferenceinference

NT pattern for this practice NT pattern for this practice exists in exists in necessary necessary inferencesinferences

2121

Multiple Lord’s Day Multiple Lord’s Day AssembliesAssemblies

and forand for Making Supper Available at Making Supper Available at

eacheach 1 Cor. 11:18 1 Cor. 11:18 necessarily implies necessarily implies

the right and the ability of the the right and the ability of the church to church to “come together”“come together” more than once on Lord’s daymore than once on Lord’s day

1 Cor. 11:20, 331 Cor. 11:20, 33 necessarily necessarily implies the church can make an implies the church can make an orderly arrangement that allows orderly arrangement that allows Christians to eat the supperChristians to eat the supper– This is This is “waiting”“waiting” on one another on one another

2222

The Lord’s Supper is an The Lord’s Supper is an individual responsibility that is individual responsibility that is fulfilled when the church fulfilled when the church comes together, comes together, 1 1 Cor. 11:28 (18, 20, 33)Cor. 11:28 (18, 20, 33)

Instead of preventing Instead of preventing Christians from remembering Christians from remembering the Lord’s death by eating the the Lord’s death by eating the supper, churches have the supper, churches have the authority to provide the authority to provide the occasion for this communion occasion for this communion with the Lordwith the Lord

2323

Correct RealmCorrect Realm: Kingdom, : Kingdom, Lk. Lk. 22:1822:18

Correct ArrangementCorrect Arrangement: Assembly : Assembly of the church, of the church, 1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33-1 Cor. 11:18, 20, 33-3434

Correct TimeCorrect Time: First day of the : First day of the week, week, Acts 20:7Acts 20:7

Correct ElementsCorrect Elements: Unleavened : Unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, bread and fruit of the vine, 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 11:23-25; Lk. 22:18-20; Matt. 26:26-11:23-25; Lk. 22:18-20; Matt. 26:26-2929

Correct ParticipantsCorrect Participants: Christians, : Christians, Acts 20:7Acts 20:7

Correct ConductCorrect Conduct,, 1 Cor. 11:23-29 1 Cor. 11:23-29