The Lords Supper - A Feast of Love

The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.(John.4.23) Some people may wonder why God is not present in full manifestations of powers, as He did in the past, when His people gathered to worship Him. Some, on the other hand may argue that His presence is obvious. Some people may see a little power, little faith and cold love amongst modern believers, some may be overwhelmed by powerful worship especially when rock band is adding lots of emotions and powerful speakers into the scene. People see worship with different angles, and thats why that paper is addressed to both sides, with an attempt to examine what the worship in spirit and in truth is and what isnt. We will also have a closer look on an example of the worship in the spirit and in truth that is Lords Supper The time of worshipping God in the literal form of a religion was ended when the Messiah died. Now, instead of liturgy, ceremonies, rituals, practices, services and sacraments we should serve God in the spirit and in truth i.e.;

with a holy life (Rom.12.1); and a pure conscience (2 Tim.1.3); not once per week, but 7 days a week and 24 hours a day (Gal.4.9-10; Rom.14.5); not by belonging to any particular denomination but by belonging to the Body of Christ
Eph.2.19-22);

(1Cor.12.13;

not in any kind of rite or celebration, but in holy life

(Col.1.9-29; 1Cor.6.19) and by sharing love with others (Jn.13.34); with the spiritual Truth of the Bible (as per John 6.63 Your words are spirit) John.14.17; 16.13; or spiritual understanding(Col.1.9;)

Jesus did not take away one religion or some religious ritual and establish another one. He took away every kind of religion, together with their rituals by saying; neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem (Jn.4.21;) Since then instead of just following literal commands, or rituals He established the possibility of doing Gods will (Heb.10.5-9). He gives us the possibility of living a holy life, and serving God just by living and walking before the presence of our Lord with holiness and righteousness (Lk.1.74-75; Eph.1.4; Col.1.10).

Consequently the Lords Supper is to be treated not as a ritual in its literal form of a Passover ceremony - but spiritually (in the spirit) - as a concept (Col.1.1-10;) There will be
more on that a bit later. Another way to look at those values is that attaining Gods attitudes called by the scripture a "divine nature". (2Ptr.1.4;) is the only way to enter Gods family. Divine nature includes Gods love (1Jn.4.8;) but to perform Gods kind of love we must firstly understand what Gods love is. Jesus gave us some clues by saying that we must die first to ourselves (1Jn.3.16), we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke.9.23). It simply means that we should no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus and others in the Body of Christ. The Bible says we are not our own (1Cor.6.19); we do not live for ourselves (Rom.14.7); we belong to the Body of Christ, we are His family, we are His bride, we are His Body. Only then we are capable to love one another, when we stop being selfish, and become free, even from ourselves Eph.4.20-24; (In other words, when our heart is circumcised Rom.2.29; Mar.7.21; ) Being His Body it may be helpful to have a closer look at the functions of the human body.

How does our body function?

There is no organ in the body, which lives just for itself, separately. In the human body is a perfect community. Whether liver, stomach or heart, any part of the body functions for the benefit of others. Each organ of the body serves one another, their life means to share. Their only purpose is to serve. It is impossible for the body to live without a heart, a stomach, or a liver. And thats the picture of perfect community. We have to act in the same manner, if we want to live as a spiritual Body of Christ 1Cor.12.13; But If we want to live as the Body of Christ we should first act as a body and second act as a His Body. To act as a body we should share our needs. If we do not do that, we are dead as a body. To

be His body we have to do His will, as wife that is obedient to the will of her husband, ( Eph.5.22-33). Sharing and subordination goes together, because even if we share our needs but do not do His will, we are not His Body.

Love is the key point of Gods works.

Sharing love was the purpose and cause of Gods creation, because Love is Gods nature (1Jn.4.8); and God expects us to be partakers of that nature. Unfortunately love doesn t come naturally; we do not know what Gods Love (agape) is until we really know God. Thats why Jesus came and through His life and teaching show us and taught us exactly what God and God s Love is. Besides words and miracles, one significant point of His teaching was His death (Jn.3.16; Eph.5.25). It is so, because part of the meaning of word agape is devotion, and even through death God was teaching us His kind of love, responsible love rather than emotional love 1Jon.5.1-3;

Purpose of the Passover

God was always hiding the truth (Prov.25.2;) Mostly because of the devil (1Cor.2.7-8;) but also because of us of our development (2Tym.3.16-17;) Thats why Jesus' mission was in shadows, in parables ( Mrk.4.33-34;) Those shadows were present even in Jesus works us well, such us; opening eyes of the blind, or resurrecting the dead or Passover. Through the picture of the Passover ceremony, God show the essence of Gods nature that is the love. (Another purpose was to prepare believers to recognize the real Passover Lamb (1Cor.5.7-8) but I will explore that later). The main point of Passover ceremony was that by sharing the flesh and blood of the Passover lamb we will be saved from the death (physical death at the time of Moses Exodus.12., but spiritual death during the time of Jesus' Kingdom Rev.20.6) Flesh and blood means nature (Jon.15.1-12); and sharing means love. When Jesus became that Passover Lamb for us, He took the wine and shared the cup saying divide it among yourselves (Luke.22.17); in that same way He shared the bread. The question is; when He said do this in remembrance of me, was He talking about the ceremony itself or about the sharing, - the meaning of that ceremony? Was Jesus commanding us the letter or the spirit? All four Evangelists give us theirs relations from that ceremony but somehow John, in his Gospel omits such a significant point of the Passover feast, which was the breaking the bread. But omission is only literal not spiritual. In chapter 13 John describes that same Passover feast during which Judas left the supper and betrayed Jesus (Jn.13.21-30); so, by that we can be sure that it was the last Passover Supper before Jesus death. And John somehow, did not mention breaking and sharing the bread, but mentioned washing the feet. Why? Perhaps, because for John it was that same idea of sharing and serving each other, or perhaps he considered washing feet as more appropriate example for the purpose of the Last Supper. We know that Jesus served God in spirit and in truth and He did not introduce any particular ceremony. If He did, we would have to wash each others feet. But we do not do this, because we understand that this was an example that we should do as He has done to us (Jn.13.15). Is there any difference between saying do as I have done to you Jn.13.15; in Jesus example of washing the disciple s feet, and do this for my remembrance in relation to the breaking of bread? For John, it made no difference, because he wrote only about washing feet, which is the key point of breaking and sharing the bread anyway. It is really very interesting sign of our times that we need a long lecture to understand that the sharing the bread mean living as a close community.

How early believers understood the purpose of the Passover feast

As one Body, they serve the Lord serving each other in their needs with love ( Eph.4.1-16); As Jesus wife (bride) we have to serve the Lord with full obedience always ( Eph.5.22-32); not once a week only, but 24 hours a day (Rom.6.16; Phlp.2.8; Heb.5.9;) The wife is one with the husband and it is the closest relationship that could be imagined. Thats why family life, just like the function of a human body is an example of functioning for us as a community, unlike any kind of religious, business or army practices or rituals. But do we (from the western culture with the increasing number of childcare and nursing homes) know how an extended family with many brothers and sisters function? And do we really want it?

Being part of the Body of Christ (Eph.1.23-24); having become a family, one bread, we all are partakers of that one bread (1Cor.10.17). So, the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1Cor.10.16). As Jesus break His body and shared it among His followers, Christians, as one bread should also ought to lay down their lives for the brethren (1Jn.3.16); The Body of Christ have to serve to each other with a time, abilities, gifts, money, food, with all our life because we do not belong to ourselves, but to Jesus. And as we see in Acts.4.32; 2000 years ago it worked, believers were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that any of the things, which he possessed, was his own, but they had all things common. And what was the result of that? A great power, great grace, and none among them that lacked (Acts.4.33-34); Why was this possible? Because they understood the meaning of Gods love, because they understood the purpose of Lords Supper. How far away modern Christianity depart from that example?!

How the Corinthians Understood the Purpose of the Passover

For them it was regular meal eaten together at any time they meet together as a congregation. They took to the Lords Supper platter of their own food ( 1Cor.11.21). Some a lot, - those who were rich, and some a little, - those who were poor. Because they spent a huge part of the day together (not one hour like us) they have plenty of time to eat as well. However, because they were not perfect in sharing, the result was that one was hungry and another was drunk, but from the food point of view it was an ordinary supper. (Eating obviously was not the only reason for their gathering as Paul explains in 1Cor.14.26; but that is not the subject of that paper.) The failure of the Corinthians wasn't eating or drinking wine, but lack of sharing, they were not perfect in love (Eph.1.4; 1Jn.4.12;) They did not wait for others (1Cor.11.33); they despise those who have nothing (v.22); and by doing so, showing that they did not discern Jesus in each other, what Paul called, not discerning the Lords body (v.29). "Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me" (Matt.25.45). If I do not consider Jesus in my brother, I do not consider Jesus Himself. If I do not love my brother whom I see, how can I love God whom I do not see? (1Jn.4.20) Because the Corinthians failed in the purpose of the Passover Feast, which was love through sharing, Paul rebuked them by quoting Jesus from the Last Passover, saying exactly what Jesus did (1Cor.11.24-25); that He took the bread and wine and shared it among the disciples. Jesus did not take the bread and wine for Himself, as did the Corinthians, but firstly He shared. And Paul stressed nothing but sharing. Verses 24-25 do not reflect what the Corinthians did or should perform; these verses are quotations of what Jesus did. It is also very important to understand that Jesus lived during the time of the First Covenant, under the Law of Moses; So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Gal.4.3-5; "Under the Law", during the time of the First Covenant everything was shown in pictures, ceremonies, parables, etc. everything was shadow of things to come (Col.2.16-17). The time of the Second Covenant began after Jesus resurrection; so, all Jesus mission was during the time of the First Covenant (Gal. 4.4). This is the reason why Jesus performed the literal ritual of the Passover, being a picture with a spiritual meaning, similarly as washing feet. The only bit that He reviled at this time was that He is the Passover Lamb who is just about to be killed and shared amongst believers. For everything else what Jesus said and did He was always referring to Holy Spirit that; when He come He will revile everything to them John.16. So, the eating habits of the Corinthians did show a lack of their spiritual understanding of the meaning of the Last Supper. It was just about five years after Paul s preaching to them and they failed. Now, a hundreds years after, how much more our failure is possible?

How do we take the Lords Supper now?

The bread and wine reflect exactly the level of our communion and our attitudes. The smallest as possible amount of bread and wine that we use in communion, reflects the very exact level of our communion - our things in common. (The word (koinonia) means fellowship, partnership (as in Acts.2.42; 2Cor.6.14; Gal.2.9; Phil.3.10; 1Jn.1.3); participation, communion 1Cor.10.16; aid, relief (Heb.13.16); contribution in aid

(Rom.15.26 -

NOT A FOOD!. It should be used in that context only

The difference between a brother and a colleague is the same as between vine and a grape juice, as practiced by some communities in attempt to be more righteous than required. Christian's meetings look more like a process of bringing a dead body back to life in an intensive care ward. That is why there is need to fire up meetings by music, by emotions, by guest speakers, etc.

We come to the table, altar or pulpit during Sunday meetings to be spiritually fed. For many this is the only time they make themselves available for receiving spiritual food. Although this is better than nothing (try feeding your human body only a once a week and see the effect), but really (despite of preaching) emblems (or waffles) are not a source of spiritual food. So, people in that category are really spiritually dead as in Rev.3.1 There are two kinds of Spiritual food, the first one is the milk of the Word (1Peter.2.1-2; Heb.5.9-14). When Jesus spoke of eating His flesh and blood, He meant (Jn.6.48-63); becoming partakers of His divine nature by absorbing the words that are spirit and life (Jn.6.63); not by eating the emblems, or bits of bread like most of the Christians including Catholics do. Another kind of spiritual food is the solid food (Heb.5.14); which is doing the will of God. (This was actually the spiritual food of Jesus (Jn.4.34).) To be fed by this kind of food we have to take the Lord s Supper spiritually as sharing the love (that's why it was called feast of love or charity by Jude 12) and share among the brothers whatever is needed, including food of course. Sharing feeds us spiritually, (because it is more blessed to give than to receive Acts.20.35), but never physical food 1Cor.8.8; Rom.14.17; When we partake in communion on Sunday we do not share anything, we do not meet our brother s needs, we dont even know who our brother is, and we have no idea about his needs. We are no less than strangers to ourselves united only in singing or clapping. Our brotherly love, that should shine attracting the unsaved, love that should be the mark of Jesus disciple is very cold or not present at all. In the present form Lords Supper makes us all "unworthy" to partake in His feast; Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1Cor.11.27-30) There is no spiritual food present at current version of Lords Supper, the Supper is not the Lords Supper and there is not even a Supper!!! And thats not only in the Baptist Congregations but in all Christian Congregations. When I begin to see Jesus in my brother, to see help and salvation in uncovering my sins, blessing and grace in the possibility to give, then I will receive spiritual blessing, and God will feed me with spiritual food! Only then we will be one Body, one family, one communion not just another denomination. August 1996 Edward Solecki