Breaking of Bread
The early church in Acts 2 did not limit their “remembering the Lord” in the breaking of bread to Sunday only. They did it on other days as well. However, as the gospel spread and many local churches were established the practice of doing it once a week on the Lord’s Day developed. This is shown by the following Scripture: “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.” Acts 20:7
Paul had been in Macedonia and was now going to Troas in Asia Minor with eight companions. They had been delayed in their trip and arrived sometime during the week. They stayed for seven days because they wanted to include a “first day of the week” in their visit. This demonstrates their desire to be with the church in Troas when they “gathered together to break bread,” Paul’s primary purpose in going to Troas was not just to teach. He wanted to be there on the first day of the week to participate in their weekly pattern of breaking bread. Luke uses the pronoun “we” in describing this visit. This means that the eight believers traveling with Paul were also welcome to participate in the breaking of bread. This is why our web-site invites visitors who are believers whose lives are of a godly character and free from serious moral sin to participate in the Lord’s Supper with us.
It is well to note that, though Paul himself was there, his presence was not allowed to overshadow the claims of the Lord. For it was primarily the breaking of bread that brought them together, showing what supreme control it had over their hearts, and that even the ministry of the great apostle himself ranked but as a secondary matter. When the breaking of bread meeting was finished, then the apostle Paul was given the opportunity to speak and the congregation stayed to listen to him.
Paul was not in Troas to preside over the breaking of bread.He was not there to conduct a “communion service” and pass out the elements to the congregation. The truth is that the breaking of bread is the action of the whole assembly of saints at which the Lord in the person of the Holy Spirit and no one else presides, not even Paul. He declared himself to be the less than the least of all saints. When it was a question of communicating the truth of God, he did so as an apostle and a prophet, as a teacher and a preacher. When it was a question of remembering the Lord he mingled with the rest.
The pattern for the breaking of bread meeting is not defined specifically in the New Testament. However, it is clear that singing hymns of worship and praise (psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord- Colossians 3:16}, prayer, the reading of Scriptures should be a part of it. The Lord should be the focus of the Scriptures read and the thoughts shared.
When we come together for this meeting we should bring something. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14, “when you come together, every one of you has a psalm”…I would encourage our brothers that if you feel the Holy Spirit is prompting you to participate, do not hold back or you may be “quenching the Spirit”. Even sisters play a big part in this meeting. We sat close to Bev Boettcher for many years and she often had her hymnbook or Bible open to a song or Scripture she was thinking about.
The early church set the pattern for the weekly breaking of bread. It is a time for remembering from our hearts what Christ did for us on the cross. Christ deserves that we devote this time to Him more than once a month or once a year. The only church membership required to participate in the breaking of bread is that you are a member of His church that He loved and gave Himself for. Whether you are young or old, you will bring great joy to the Lord Jesus by remembering Him in the breaking of bread.
Author: John Spence