The Lord’s Supper is Not a Pot Luck - by Ryan Higginbottom

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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We would hope the author demonstrate his premise from the Bible but he doesn't. In fact, he only manages to quote one Scripture, though a relevant one. 

What is more important, however, is that the author is actually defending traditional church ceremony. He objects to the pot luck idea, not because it's unbiblical, but because it's not the solemn ritual in a church service.

He provides two reasons why a potluck can't be the Lord's Supper, but neither actually speaks to this. Both reasons are related to the spiritual nature of communion, not to a potluck. It seems the author intended to write another article about what communion means, rather than why a potluck doesn't cut the mustard (pun intended).

The NT does not contain a solemn communion ceremony, or in fact, any ceremony at all. Communion was a meal, with the whole church participating in fellowship.

The first mention of a meal after Pentecost is

Ac. 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

So the early church was particularly committed to eating together, praying together, fellowshipping together, and they wholeheartedly devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles. The emphasis is on community - being together. They probably communed nearly every day. This is much different than our contemporary practice, and it is our opinion that the church has suffered for not maintaining this practice.

Paul broached the subject of the Lord's Supper for the first time in 1Co. 10:16-17:

Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

Partaking of a meal together speaks to us being one body. The sharing of bread is symbolic of togetherness, unity, and a singular identity. Eating together means we belong together as the family.

This is a critical understanding, that communion is a representation of the body as one entity. It is with this understanding that we approach the author's quoted passage regarding the practice of communion and what our obligations are:

1Co. 11:20-30 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

Notice that this was a full blown meal, deemed "the Lord's Supper" (the author's quote omits this verse). Supper" is deipnon (δεῖπνον, ου, τό) From the same as dapane; dinner, i.e. The chief meal (usually in the evening) -- feast, supper. Clearly they were not just introspectively eating a little cracker and a tasting a bit of grape juice while sitting in a church building. The early church was eating together. It wasn't a sacrament, it was a time of regular fellowship together with a meal.

And we find out that the Corinthian church was in fact despising the Body (Jesus' sacrifice, and by extension, the Church body) by neglecting those who were there, and by getting drunk.

Next we read:

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Paul was directly telling the Corinthian church what the elements mean. His Body, the church, was to remember the great sacrifice Jesus gave at the cross.

26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 

"Whenever." Every time we eat together we must proclaim His death. Every time we eat together it is communion. Every time we eat together we must consider His body and blood.

28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

Thus this examination is regarding not only His body broken for us, but also His Body the Church as well. And in fact are rejoicing over Christ's victory over death.

If we don't recognize the Body we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves. If we eat and exclude, diminish, or dishonor our brothers and sisters, we tear down the Body. It isn't about considering the state of our own souls in relation to unconfessed sin, it instead is about our regard for the Church and Jesus' sacrifice, as well as our care and honor for the Body!

Communion is the interaction of the body of Christ one with another in honor when it gathers together to eat. To dishonor the body (the church) is to dishonor Christ.

It seems clear that communion is more accurately represented by the church potluck than by the little cracker and splash of grape juice during a solemn church service. Communion speaks of a much higher purpose for the church than is currently practiced, a togetherness and unity of vision and purpose that far exceeds the ritual. 

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Churches in the United States may have a number of problems, but we often feed our people with generosity and abandon. Families that are experiencing sickness, grief, or other life-disrupting events are usually not lacking for casseroles or pasta.

U. S. churches also shine when it comes to gathering for meals. Though our offered dishes tend to lean in predictable directions—meat and cheese: yes, leafy greens: not so much—the Sunday pot luck is usually a hearty feast.

However, a pot luck meal is decidedly unlike another vital, Christian meal—the Lord’s supper—in at least two important ways. 

Seeing these differences will help us better appreciate both kinds of meals.

We Don’t Bring Food to the Lord’s Supper

Part of the beauty of a pot luck is that everyone who is able contributes. There’s no concern about matching serving plates or coordinated side dishes. We make food at home and take it to share.

But, not to put too fine a point on it, the Lord’s supper is the Lord’s supper. He instituted it (Matthew 26:26–29) and he provides the meal. Jesus sets the table and determines the guest list. He even gives those who are invited the inclination to attend. 

We could never cook well enough to earn a seat at this table. We couldn’t do anything to deserve a reservation. This is the wonder of the Lord’s table—Jesus gathers his people around this sustaining meal by grace through faith.

We Know What’s on the Menu at the Lord’s Supper

At a true pot luck meal, the menu is a surprise. (The stuffiest among us might push for a phrase more like “pot providence,” but that introduces an entirely different set of questions these days.) We pick from among the dishes offered, but those dishes are made at the whim and inclination of someone else in the fellowship. Though it’s not likely, it’s possible such a gathering may produce 14 giant bowls of spaghetti and three trays of brownies.

At the Lord’s supper, we know exactly what’s available. We get Christ himself! 

Read these words carefully.

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23–26)

There are many different views on exactly what’s going on when we take the Lord’s supper. However, Paul indicated that the bread and cup were offered by Jesus to his apostles as his body and blood. We also are to “eat this bread and drink the cup.” We are to take in Christ and all of the nourishment he provides.

Jesus’s use of a meal here is illuminating. However much we depend on eating food and drinking water, we depend much, much more on Christ! Do we understand our need for Jesus to be this deep and desperate?

We know—at least intellectually—what happens to us if we do not eat for a time; we may have read about what happens to the human body when it goes too long without water. What would happen to you without Christ? How dramatically would your soul shrivel, spasm, or seize without the work and grace of Jesus? If we could not come and be nourished by the very Son of God, where would we be?

Come and Proclaim

What generosity our God shows by regularly feeding us and providing what we need! We are welcomed, loved, and nourished at his table.