____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ January 26, 2003 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Lord's Supper: A Weekly Communion (Clarence R. Johnson) 2) Blind Faith and the Eye of the Octopus (Steve Klein) 3) Why Some Will Not Accept The Truth! (Tim Johnson) 4) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Lord's Supper: A Weekly Communion by Clarence R. Johnson One thing that distinguishes churches of Christ from other religious groups is their practice of weekly communion -- observing the Lord's supper each first day of the week. We are frequently asked our reasons for this practice. In keeping with 1 Peter 3:15, we are glad to give an answer. Our practice harmonizes with that of the church in the first century under inspired leadership, and thus, we are convinced, is the will of God. We will consider three areas of evidence: (1) the testimony of the theologians, (2) the evidence of history, and (3) the teachings of the Scriptures. Testimony of the Theologians The first line of evidence we want to examine is the testimony of some well known theologians and scholars from a number of different religious denominations and backgrounds. Methodist scholar Adam Clarke says of the first century church, "They were accustomed to receive the Holy Sacrament on each Lord's day." Anglican bishop A. C. Hervey in The Pulpit Commentary wrote of Acts 20:7, "This is also an important example of weekly communion as the practice of the first Christians." E. H. Trenchard of the Brethren Church referred to the same passage, saying "We understand v. 7 to indicate that the Breaking of Bread on the first day of the week was customary during the apostolic period." F. F. Bruce, another Brethren scholar, in the book, Answers to Questions, agrees that a "weekly celebration is probably indicated." Greek scholar W. E. Vine, author of An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, writes in his commentary on 1 Corinthians, "as to the time indicated by `as oft as' [1 Corinthians 11:25], there is sufficiently clear intimation in Scripture that the first day of the week (while not the subject of command) was the regular day upon which the Lord's people met for this purpose. The observance was certainly not less frequent." Several Presbyterian scholars have recognized the importance of weekly communion in the early church. Reformer John Calvin believed that this practice of the early church should continue to prevail. Andrew W. Blackwood writes, "Ideally, many think with Calvin, we should follow the apostolic church in observing Communion every Lord's day." Albert Barnes recognizes, "It is probable that the apostles and early Christians celebrated the Lord's Supper every Lord's day." Finally, Clarence Edward Macartney, author of over 30 books of sermons and one-time moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., wrote in one of his sermons on the Lord's supper, "Nineteen centuries have passed since then, and yet never a week has passed in all those years that his followers have not remembered him in the Lord's Supper." To these testimonies, many more could be added. The Evidence of History The second line of reasoning we want to pursue is that of history. Religious writers of the early days of Christianity and those who have studied their writings agree with what we have learned from the pens of the theologians. Oscar Hardman in A History of Christian Worship writes, "By the end of first century, however, the first day of the week had come to be generally observed as the Lord's day, and to be invariably marked by the Passion, which had taken to itself as the commonest of its titles the name Eucharist.... " "The Didache," an early treatise dating from about 120 A. D. admonishes, "On Sunday, the Lord's own day, come together, break bread, and give thanks...." Justin Martyr, who wrote about 140 A. D., recorded, "On the day which is called Sunday, all who dwell either in town or country come together to one place. The memories of the apostles are read for a certain time ... And then the distribution of the bread and wine over which the thanksgiving has been offered, is made to all present, and all partake of it." Additional evidence from history could be gathered, but this is sufficient for our purposes. What Does the Bible Say? Let us now examine the most important witness of all -- the word of God. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He commanded His disciples to observe it in His memory, Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. His wording indicates that He intended them to observe it often. "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). It is evident that the church in Jerusalem observed the memorial supper frequently, for the Scripture states, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). Since the same doctrine, worship and practice was taught in every congregation, we may be assured that this practice prevailed in all the early congregations, 1 Corinthians 4:17; 7:17; 14:33. Also we might note that all the memorial feasts God ordained in the Old Testament had a set time to be observed. There were such memorials as Passover, Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the weekly Sabbath. Each of these had a specific time, ordained by God for their observance, and they were observed regularly at that time. See Leviticus 23. For instance, when God said, "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest..." the Jews correctly understood that He meant every seventh day (Saturday) was a Sabbath. We no longer live under the Old Testament law, nor do we observe its memorials, but we have a memorial commanded us by Christ, and a careful study of the Scriptures tells us that it should be observed on a certain day. When he instituted His supper, the Lord spoke of "that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (Mark 14:25; Matthew 26:29). Once the kingdom or church of God came into existence, there would be a set day when Christians would eat the bread and drink the cup in memory of Jesus, and Jesus Himself would commune with them in a new manner on that day. Perhaps the clearest Scripture with regard to the appointed time for observance of the Lord's supper is Acts 20:7. "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them...." The practice of the church in Corinth is also significant. They were supposedly observing the Lord's supper on a regular basis, but the division within the congregation caused them to abuse it to the extent that Paul wrote to them: "When, therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord's supper: for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper" (1 Cor. 11:20-21, ASV). Though he rebuked them for their abuses, he taught that they should come together to one place, examine themselves to see that their minds did not stray from the significance of the memorial supper, and then eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord, vs. 17-18, 20, 28, 31. Note carefully that they were to come together in one place to eat the Lord's supper. To learn the time of their gathering, we need only to turn to 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. Like the churches throughout the Roman province of Galatia, the Corinthians assembled on the first day of the week. Thus we conclude that the church in Corinth and the churches in the province of Galatia had been taught to do what the church in Troas had been taught to do: come together on the first day of the week to break bread, Acts 20:7. This was the universal practice of the congregations we read of in the New Testament under inspired leadership. History records that this was the practice of the early church for several centuries. Scholars from many denominations agree that this is so. Can you think of any good reason Christians should not do the same today, and until the Lord returns? "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). -- Via The Susquehanna Sentinel, January 5, 2003 ____________________________________________________ -2- Blind Faith and the Eye of the Octopus by Steve Klein "A startling coincidence" and "amazing almost beyond belief." These are the words which evolutionary scientists use to describe the similarity between the eye of the octopus and the eye of man. According to evolutionists, the octopus and the human are about as far apart on the evolutionary tree as two species can get. Supposedly, their only common ancestor was some primitive organism that existed millions and millions of years ago. Yet their eyes are amazingly similar. What are the chances of that happening? Just imagine -- the marvelous human eye, evolving from pond scum, not once, but twice! It is interesting to see the way evolutionists ignore facts and mathematical probability when it comes to things like the eye of the octopus. In The Life of the Ocean, a book published by McGraw Hill and written by evolutionists, the authors admit that the eye of the octopus and the eye of man "are more than just similar--they are virtually identical in every detail." They say that "either of these eyes, considered by itself, is one of the most wonderful of all objects in the natural world. That evolution could produce such an object twice is amazing almost beyond belief" (pgs. 68-69). Evolutionists indeed believe that the creation of a human-like eye occurred twice through evolutionary chance. They admit that this is "amazing almost beyond belief," and yet they believe it anyway. Then they turn around and accuse Christians of having "blind faith." Whose faith is really blind? If the evolutionist would open his eyes to the facts, he could see the plainly visible holes in the general theory of evolution. Even an octopus could see them. -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, July 28, 2002 ____________________________________________________ -3- Why Some Will Not Accept The Truth! by Tim Johnson In our modern society, telling the truth is not as valued by some people as it was in the past. Consequently, when people tell the truth, some will not accept it. Jesus taught, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). The word of God is "truth," but so many reject it. Why do people disregard God's word? Why will they not accept it? First of all, people reject the truth because of ignorance. Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Jn. 8:32). How can you accept what you do not know? This is why God desires all to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Some believe that ignorance will be excused or overlooked in some way. The Bible plainly teaches that ignorance will not be overlooked (Acts 17:30). If you are ignorant of the word of God and desire to learn it, then simply study your Bible (2 Tim. 2:15). Others will not accept the truth because they cannot comprehend HOW God does something. The Jews are classic examples of this principle. They, through their traditions, believed that the Messiah would come and set up an earthly kingdom, yet to their dismay, Christ established a spiritual kingdom that was not of this earth (John 18:36)! The Jews could not comprehend HOW Christ could have been the Messiah of prophecy. Such is a common attitude today! Some will not accept what Jesus says concerning baptism (Mark 16:16): "Preacher, I just can't see HOW baptism saves people!" Let us remember that it is not ours to ask, "How?" We must simply obey every command of God that applies to us! Some will not accept the truth because it is not what they want. For others, the truth does not appeal to them, or, they are not willing to pay the price (Lk. 18:18-27; 14:26-33). I am truly sorry to see people who have this attitude, but nevertheless it exists. If this is your attitude, I hope that you will change your desire and accept the truth, which is the power of God to salvation (Rom. 1:16). What is your attitude toward the truth? Our plea is that you will love the truth (2 Thess. 2:10), trust in God's word and obey its commands. -- via Pathfinder, April 15, 1993 ____________________________________________________ -4- News & Notes Let us continue praying for Carol Music (of Ashland, Kentucky) in her ongoing battle with cancer of the liver. ________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ________________________________________