April 1999 Issue

The Lord's Supper...

What about...

Thursday evening observances???

By Charles Law

This question has to be settled in the light of authority.

Mt 21:23 “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?”

It can be observed from the example of Jesus in his dealings with those of his day that authority for the things that we do is important. It is not only important, but essential that we act by God’s authority.

Col 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Matt. 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

Eph 1:22 “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”

The Father has given power to the Son, the Son in turn has given power to the apostles to make known His will by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:2 “Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:”

Mt 18:18 “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matt. 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Therefore we look to their teachings and examples for our authority in the things that we do.

Phil. 4:9 “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”

There is no command or example to authorize the observance of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening. What we do have is Acts 20:7, an approved example of when an apostle of the Lord observed the Lord’s Supper in the kingdom.

“ And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”

To go beyond this example is to go without the authority that the Lord through his apostle has given us. The challenge would have to be “by what authority doest thou this?”

Thursday evening is the occasion of Jesus instituting the supper, but this is not the church observing the supper as the Lord commands. Acts 20:7 is the day of observance under the New Testament.

[Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Charles Law for good article written above! Charles can be reached via email at belindalaw@juno.com ]

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com