QUESTION:
Is it scriptural to meet at two services on
Sunday and partake of the Lord’s Supper twice?
ANSWER:
All Christians are commanded to observe the Lord’s Supper. In 1Corinthians 11:25
Paul wrote “For as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me…” The word (hosakis) “as
often as” implies that the Lord’s supper was regularly observed. From Acts 20:7 we
learn that the disciples gathered every first day of the week to “break bread.” That
the Corinthian church had such an assembly seems apparent from 1Corinthians 16:1-2.
There fore we may conclude that early disciples gathered weekly to participate in
this spiritual feast. The scriptures also indicate that early Christians gathered at
other times to pray, study, and encourage each other Acts 15:4-6, Acts 4:31 etc, yet
there is no record of their having the communion at those times. We learn from Acts
2:42 that the Christians continued in the “breaking of bread,” Acts 20:7, however,
is the only example of the church gathering for that purpose on the first day of the
week. There is nothing in the scripture that indicates anyone partook of the Lord ’s
Supper except when the church assembled for that purpose on the Lord’s day. We have
no bible example of any Christian partaking of the communion twice on Sunday. We
have no bible command indicating that a Christian should partake twice. We have no
inference that anyone ever partook more than once on any given Sunday. Most, I’m
sure, would agree that there is no authority for any congregation of Christians
observing the Lord ’s Supper more than once on any given Sunday. But what about
someone who has communed at a congregation on Sunday morning and later in the day
they attend another congregation that regularly meets in the afternoon. This church,
as a part of its worship, will observe the Lord ’s Supper. Is it permissible for
this visitor, who has already communed, to commune again a second time? I have
searched, but I can find no scriptural justification for such a practice. If one can
do so twice, why not three or four times, if indeed he/she could find and get to
that many assemblies where the supper was being observed? There are two things that
are distinctive about the Lord’s Day assembly. We commune and give. We do neither at
any other time. If one may commune twice should they not give as they have been
prospered twice? If not why not? To argue that one couldn’t sing, teach, or pray
misses the point. We may sing, teach, pray, at any gathering. However we may not
commune or give at times other than the weekly assembly of Acts 20:7 and
1Corinthians 16:1-2. One might think of a number of reasons why they believe no harm
is done by communing twice on Sunday, especially in mission work areas, however, the
question has to be what scripture or scriptural precedent justifies such a practice?
We all commune as individuals, however, the Lord’s supper involves congregational
action. It is congregational in nature. When I assemble with a congregation and
discharge my duties of remembering Christ in the communion and give as I have been
prospered, I have fulfilled my duty in that regard for that Sunday. To do so twice
or three times is to act without scriptural justification, in my view. All of us
know it is right to commune once, why take a chance on something we don’t know? I do
not question the motives or sincerity of those people who communes more than once on
Lord’s Day. I do, however, question it being justified by the Scriptures.