Is there something wrong with the way communion is done in christendom ?

[mrsnacks]

I know that the communion was originally a meal Jesus had with His disciples. The Lord's supper was just
that - a supper. The breaking of bread.  Christendom has taken communion and made it so formal and made it so ritualistic and gloomy. A tiny cracker and a tiny thimble sized glass of grape juice.Not wine God forbid. This is done usually the first Sunday of the month. Now is this biblical ? Is this what Christ commanded His church to do and in this way ? And is the pastor the appointed one to perform this act ? I have never seen this done in home amongst believers getting together.  Appreciate your comments.

[Craig]

Now is this biblical ? Is this what Christ commanded His church to do and in this way ? And is the pastor the appointed one to perform this act ?

No, No, and No

Craig

[mrsnacks]

Why ,why and why ? 

[UncleBeau]

It was my understanding that the Savior of the World conducted this physical act that was an example for our admonition. In what sense does anything else qualify as scriptural?

[Deborah-Leigh]

Mrsnacks

You answer your own question with the following observation that you make : Christendom has taken communion and made it so formal and made it so ritualistic

Jesus said Mark 7:13 THUS you are nullifying and making void and of no effect the authority of the Word of God THROUGH YOUR TRADITION which you in turn HAND ON. AND MANY THINGS OF THIS KIND YOU ARE DOING. 15. And He called the people to Him again and said to them LISTEN TO ME AND UNDERSTAND WHAT I SAY.15. There is not even one thing outside a man which by going into him can pollute and defile him: (So do you think there is something you can eat that will make you clean before God? Nonsense! There is not even one thing. Why? ) but the things which COME OUT of a man are what defile him and make him unhallowed and unclean.....like TRADITIONS, MAN MADE LAWS, AND OTHER SUCH THINGS YOU PASS ON.....as Jesus admonished us to note, believe and adhere to understanding.

Peace to you

Arcturus

[YellowStone]

Hi MrSnacks,

You have been given some wise counsel and there is not much more that I can add.

But let's look at what Paul has learned from the gospels.

1Cr 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Cr 11:25  After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me.

It would seem that the Last Supper, was preceded with a prayer of thanks, in much the same way a prayer is offered today before beginning a meal. Do you see what I see? It is not the wine nor the bread, it is the act of eating and drinking that should be dedicated to the memory of Christ. It is not a ritual, rather it is acknowledging that while food and drink that we consume keeps one physically alive, it is the sacrifice Christ that Christ made that keeps us alive spiritually, lest we should ever forget.

These are my thoughts as I am given to understand,

Love in Christ,
Darren

[musicman]

Why ,why and why ? 

It's spiritual and not physical.  It's spirtual and not physical.  He's a heritic and not spiritual.

[mrsnacks]

Thanks for all the wonderful and truthful input.

So Christendom is doing communion the first Sunday of each month as to imply by doing this little cracker and grape juice thing- we are being obedient to what Jesus has asks us to do. By taking part as a whole we are acknowledging the upper room event in which Christ commanded us to do this ritual in remembrance of Him. But the church has missed the point as all of you have stated in that Jesus spoke in parables. What comes out of a man is what defiles him and not what is on the outside. Meaning by doing this ritual doesn't mean we are making ourselves holier for doing it. What has come from within and out of ourselves has been man made traditions and rituals.

It is the acting of eating and drinking that is taking in physical food to nourish ourselves and keep us alive in the physical as we should be reminded of the food and drink of God's Word that will feed us and keep us alive spiritually. Man cannot live on bread alone but by the very Words of Jesus which is the true bread.

What it really sounds like is that Christ really wanted us to perform this ritual and doing this as honoring and remembering the last supper. The church is deceived by the true meaning.

[Oblivion582]

Well, I know one thing, I can't stand the way Christendom does communion. Like you said...pooney crackers, tiny, tiny glass of grape juice. Even shot glasses are bigger than that! It makes me mad! I've had a problem with it for quite some time.

[Kat]

Hi mrsnacks,

I found this email that might help.

http://bible-truths.com/email16.htm#prison

[Ray Replies]

Dear Almon:

Is it the fact that you find a Scripture stating something in the Word of God that you conclude that we should "do it?"

I have absolutely nothing against anyone who wishes to keep the Lord's supper. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to be circumcised or be baptized. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to sacrifice animals or offer sin offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings and the like.

Gen. 6:14 commands:  "Make THEE an ark of gopher wood...." I have nothing against anyone who wants to follow this command and "Make an  ark of gopher wood."

There are hundreds of things commanded in the Scriptures. I have nothing against anyone who wishes to do ALL OF THEM. I don't. I never made an ark of gopher wood, and never intend to. 

Any just why don "I" do any of these things? Well, actually I used to do some of them. I used to pay my THREE tithes (oh you didn't know that there were THREE tithes?). I was water baptized. I used to wash my brothers feet, and I used to partake of the Lord's supper once a year. And now I don't. Why not? Because there is absolutely nothing physical that can make one spiritual.

Paul baptized at one time in his ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

Paul used to circumcise in his early ministry and then he quit. Why? Because he put away childish things and went on to spiritual maturity.

All physical rituals are CARNAL ordinances, and we are no longer under carnal ordinances. We are now under the "Law of the Spirit of Life." "We know longer know Jesus after the FLESH." Jesus HIMSELF said: "The flesh profits NOTHING." "The words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT and they are LIFE."

Although it was mighty important in Christ's time to worship in THIS mountain or in THAT mountain, Jesus Himself said that the time would come (and so it has) that we no longer worship here or there or in this manner or in that manner, with this set of physical rituals, or with that set of physical rituals, but rather WE WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

We are to WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH! Now then, does anyone think that we can add to those instructions by adding a few physical, carnal, rituals? I think not.

I hope this helps your understanding a little better.

God be with you,

Ray

[Robin]

I'm just going to throw this out there and feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong.

I believe they were having the passover meal that night. During the passover meal they go through the story of the exodus from Egypt and the bitterness of their slavery and all the wonders that God performed to free them. They killed the passover lamb and put the blood on the door post. This was the shadow of things to come.

I believe that when Jesus said do this in remembrance of me he was saying he is the passover lamb and the spiritual fulfillment of the passover. They should look to him now as the sin offering and freedom from slavery. The new covenant. I know I haven't worded that quite right.

Luke 22
14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.


Hebrews 10

1For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21And having an high priest over the house of God;

22Let 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.

23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)