Ask RC- How often should we celebrate the Lord’s Supper?

It should not surprise us that this remains an issue of dispute. It has been at least since the Reformation. John Calvin, serving in Geneva, wanted the church to celebrate weekly. The elders of the church disagreed. Calvin submitted to the elders. As he should have.

They, however, should have agreed with Calvin. There is considerable evidence, though not overwhelming evidence, that weekly communion was the practice of the early church. That in itself is not compelling, but it means something. My conviction, however, is grounded in something else- the joy of the celebration. I have no interest or need to answer the question as to how often we should celebrate. I am happy to affirm that we get to celebrate every week. And if we get to do so, why in the world wouldn’t we?

There are three answers that are typically given. The weakest is that the celebration is a hassle. Someone has to fill those tiny cups. Someone has to clean up the spills. Someone has to set up, in some way, the feast, even if it comes hermetically sealed like a c-ration. Such is true, but is true of the whole service. We don’t complain that someone has to put together the order of worship, or the slides with the words we sing together. No one says, “Let’s meet once a quarter for worship. It’s such a hassle putting together the parking team and finding volunteers for the nursery.” “Too much hassle”= “Not important.” But it is important.

The second reason is much like, but slightly better than the first. It says celebrating the Lord’s Supper takes away time from the sermon. First, no it doesn’t. It only does so if you have already determined you have a limitation on the time you gather for worship. Second, even if that is the case, it could “take away” time from some other part of the service, like the singing. Third, why would we think protecting time for the sermon is a greater priority than saving time for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper? “Too much time” = “Less important.”

The best reason to not celebrate weekly, which is like being the tallest guy at a Little Person gathering, is that when we do so the Supper will lose its power and meaning, that it will become common. Once again, I’m left wondering why we don’t apply the same reasoning to other parts of the service. No one says, “Let’s have a sermon quarterly, you know, to keep it special. We don’t want to just go through the motions.” Or, “We should take up an offering just once a month. More often than that and people will just give by rote, without their hearts in the right place.”

The great blessing of communion is that we draw near to our heavenly Father. We eat, in peace, at His table. A second great blessing of communion is that we draw near to our heavenly Father, and each other. The union in communion is not just me and the Father and you and the Father, but me and you. Which means, if we hunger for weekly communion and don’t have it, and grumble and complain, we’re the one missing the point. Love your brothers, love your fathers, and know, however often you are able to come to the table, your Brother brought you there, and your Father loves you.

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