21 Jan 2015
Worship
January 21, 2015 Chris Martin

Why we celebrate Communion weekly

Communion

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE COMMUNION WEEKLY AT FATHOM?

This is a fantastic question, and one that deserves more time than one blog post can adequately deliver, but I’ll try to give a quick apologetic for why we are celebrating The Lord’s Supper weekly [note: “Communion” and “The Lord’s Supper” will be used interchangeably] .
We’ll look at three reasons:

1. IT’S BIBLICAL

There seems to be a pattern in the New Testament where at the weekly gathering of the early church Communion is celebrated every time they gather. Consider these references:

  • Acts 2:42 – “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The reference to ‘breaking bread’ likely refers to The Lord’s Supper.
  • Acts 20:7 – “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” Again, another reference to weekly gatherings, and Communion.
  • 1 Corinthians 11:26 – “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” This is less explicit, but ‘as often as you eat…’ seems to suggest a regular frequency.

2. IT’S CHRIST-CENTERED

After hearing worship lead by people, and a sermon preached by a person (even though the messages will be Christ-centered), it is monumental to center our focus off of people, and on to Christ and the cross. There are many things to digest and apply from our time together, but those things are secondary. The primary reason we gather is to glorify Christ.

3. IT’S GOSPEL-CENTERED

There is something very wonderful about ending each sermon, each week, with a distinct call to remember the Gospel. When we celebrate The Lord’s Supper together we proclaim, again, the Lord’s death. It is a physical and tangible reminder of Christ’s perfect life, lived for us; Christ’s death on the cross, in our place; and Christ’s resurrection, offering us the only hope of salvation. In weekly Communion, we get the great privilege of sharing the Gospel with the unsaved, and reminding ourselves of the Gospel again!

 

– Adapted from The Gospel Coalition