In Remembrance of Me
It is upon my heart to write a few words about the breaking of bread. The following references to the Holy Scriptures are relevant: Matthew 26 v 26-29, Mark 14 v 22-25, Luke 22 v 19 and 20, Acts 2 v 42, Acts 20 v 7-11, 1 Corinthians 10 v 16, 17 and 21, 1 Corinthians 11 v 23-32
Let us consider our subject under the following headings:
1. The IMPORTANCE
2. The INSTRUCTION
3. The IMPORT
4. The IMPLICATIONS
1. The IMPORTANCE
It is true that the references in the Holy Scriptures to our subject are comparatively few. The total number of such verses is comparatively small. We must not conclude, however, that the subject is comparatively unimportant. Divine emphasis is placed upon the breaking of bread. This emphasis is apparent from the following facts.
I. The Holy Spirit in the Word of God has given no less than four accounts of the institution of the Lords Supper. Few events are recorded historically in the Bible so frequently. Many events recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke are not recorded elsewhere. The institution we have referred to is recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and 1 Corinthians 11.
II. From 1 Corinthians 11 v 23 we learn that the institution of the breaking of bread was the subject of a special revelation from the Lord to Paul. Eleven disciples were present when our Lord Jesus gave the simple instructions as to breaking bread in remembrance of Himself. Eleven disciples could spread abroad the truth received. Nevertheless the Lord deemed it necessary to give Paul a direct revelation of the same simple instructions. This is very significant.
III. The breaking of bread was instituted in the night of our Lords betrayal, the very night before He died. At such an hour, beneath the-shadow of the cross itself, as it were, our Lord had in His thoughts the breaking of bread in remembrance of Himself. How we should cherish the record we have of the words spoken by our Lord in that night. How we should value and lay hold of each opportunity afforded us of breaking bread, in assembly, in remembrance of Him.
Working for our Lord and Master must have its place in our lives, but we must not allow such working to keep us from breaking bread.
2. The INSTRUCTION
Our Lords instruction, This do in remembrance of Me, is recorded in the Scriptures no less than three times. The references are Luke 22 v 19 and 1 Corinthians 11 v 24 and 25. The words are repeated without any variation, and thus particular attention is drawn to the simple and direct commandment the words constitute the word. This would refer us to the context, and the context in the two passages is almost identical.
In Luke 22 we read, And having taken bread (or a loaf), when He had given thanks, He broke, and gave to them…. In like manner also the cup, after having supped…. In 1 Corinthians 11 we read, the Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread (or a loaf) and having given thanks broke…. In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying … this do, as often as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of Me. How concise is the instruction. The Lord wants to be in the minds of His people.
In remembrance of Me, He said. For the calling Me to mind is the significance. (See footnote in J. N. Darbys translation.) The simple purpose of the remembrance meeting is not to be obscured by any detailed instructions. Had such been given, our Pharisaic hearts would have prided themselves on the observance of the letter and more easily the spirit would have been unobserved. If we recognise the true purpose of breaking bread, we recognise that there is no need for detailed instructions.
Some have argued that, as the instruction is to break bread, we should at once obey the instruction and begin the meeting thus. It is thought that a sounder argument is that, as the instruction is to break bread, we should make that the climax of the meeting and lead up to that climax.
3. The IMPORT
The loaf is a symbol of the Lord’s body, which was given for us. The cup is a symbol of the Lord’s blood, which was poured out for us. In eating this loaf and drinking this cup we announce the death of the Lord.
To the question, What is the purpose of breaking bread? the answer of the Holy Scriptures is very clear. This do in remembrance of Me. We need to have this simple and blessed purpose constantly before us. Let us ensure that our minds are occupied with Himself. May we recognise and avoid inappropriate themes.
(i) May we break bread with befitting reverence and humility, but, as we do so, let us remember not our sins, but Him Who died for them (1 Corinthians 15 v 3) and took them away. Let us not be occupied with our sins.
(ii) We must not be ungrateful for our blessings, but as we break bread, let us remember not our blessings, but Him Who brought them. Many worship hymns contain references to our position in Christ. May we guard against taking up, perhaps from a hymn sung, some theme relative to our blessedness in Him. Let us not be occupied with ourselves.
(iii) The meeting for breaking bread is sometimes called The worship meeting. If our hearts have some appreciation of Him, we cannot remember Him without worshipping. On the other hand, it is possible to have a time of praise without remembering Him, without having Him as the Object bright and fair filling our contemplation. May the subject of our praise be Himself.
(iv) A further danger is that, as we meet to break bread, we exhort one another to remember Him, instead of simply remembering Him. It is possible to speak about the proper purpose of the gathering without fulfilling that purpose. There is no need for any of the Scriptures shown at the beginning of this booklet to be read at the breaking of bread meeting providing the terms of those Scriptures are being practised.
(v) Let us recognise that certain teachings, although they are indeed essential and precious, do not form appropriate themes for the breaking of bread meeting. We may name as examples The Trinity, The Second Coming of Christ, The Love of God and The Presence of the Lord among His gathered people. We can be occupied with things closely related to Him without being occupied with Himself.
(vi) The loaf and the cup speak of the Lord’s death. We must remember the Lord’s death as we take these symbols, but our remembrance is not to be of His death exclusively. Our Lord did not say, This do in remembrance of My death. We must remember Him, as manifested to us in His words, works and ways. We shall need to repair constantly to the four gospels. No doubt as the eleven disciples remembered the Lord in the breaking of bread, they remembered, among other things, words and works of His recorded for us in the gospels. As J. G. Bellett wrote, All that He did and said was a real truthful expression of Himself, as He Himself was a real, truthful expression of God. And again in the words of the same writer, Every expression of Himself in every measure, however small, and in whatever relationship it was rendered, was incense. As we remember these expressions, we remember Himself.
(vii) There is the danger that in our expressions of praise we shall emphasise our love, our adoration, our thanksgiving. We cannot say much in that respect without being guilty of exaggeration. While we speak of HIS greatness, HIS worth, HIS love, HIS beauty, we shall never exaggerate.
The loftiest language will always come far short of the truth. It is a blessed thing when each week a number of brethren acceptably lead the thanksgiving of the company. As brethren do this, they will seek to address God in fact and reality and to refrain from, in fact, addressing instruction, however Scriptural, to the saints.
(c) The one loaf also symbolises the one mystical body, the church. As we all partake of that one loaf we demonstrate the unity of that body. (1 Corinthians 10 v 17). The cup speaks too of the new covenant. (See Hebrews 9 v 13-15)
4. The IMPLICATIONS
Let us consider three implications:
I. As we remember Him, we worship, and we worship by the Spirit of God. (Philippians 3 v 3, J. N. Darbys translation) May each assembly gathered to break bread be subject to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
II. We must heed the solemn warnings contained in 1 Corinthians 10 v 27-32 and not eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily. We have to search our own hearts and recognise the sacred import of the loaf and the cup. The divine purpose is that as we drink the Lords cup, we have fellowship with the Christ in the matter of His precious blood. Similarly as we break the bread, we should have fellowship with the Christ in the matter of His precious body. We cannot have fellowship with the LORD and with that which is opposed to Him. 1 Corinthians 10 brings these truths before us.
III. It is impossible to spend an hour or so on a Lords Day in occupation with Him, unless we have had some such occupation during the previous week. FINALLY, let us continue in breaking of bread (Acts 2 v 42), and let us please our blessed Lord by fulfilling His desire in breaking bread truly in REMEMBRANCE OF Him.