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1 Corinthians 9-11

1. How often should Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper? (1 Corinthians 11:25)

This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me (1 Corinthians 11:25).

This is the closest thing to a command with respect to how often to practice the Lord's Supper/Communion. Believers have understood this in different ways throughout the centuries. Some have taken this to mean daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally, and annually. 

Since the frequency is not clear, others have looked to its actual practice in the Scriptures. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper during the Passover meal (cf. Mark 14:12-25), which occurs once a year for Jews; therefore, some have taken this as the occasion for practicing the Lord's Supper once per year. In Acts 2:46 Luke records that the church in Jerusalem met daily to "break bread," which is traditionally an expression signfying the Communion. Some have used this verse as justification for a daily practice of Communion. Others have considered Acts 20:7 as being normative: "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread". While admitting that the early church first met daily, these people argue that over time this gathering for meeting became a weekly event on Sundays, and this then was also the occasion to practice Communion. It appears that the majority tradition recorded from the days of the early church fathers in the centuries following the apostles held to a weekly celebration of Communion.

What is Communion? It is a reminder of the death of Christ for our sins. His body was broken for us. His blood was shed for us. The one loaf that is broken and divided also represented the one church. 

How often should we practice it? We cannot be dogmatic; however, if we are to follow the biblical tradition and that of the early church fathers, we would do well to practice it weekly. Therefore, whatever else is preached or taught from week to week, the Gospel will always be preached as well.

Many churches practice Communion only on certain holidays. I think this is too infrequent and does not well reflect the words "often as you do it" in 1 Corinthians 11:25. Such an infrequent practice also does not reflect biblical and early church traditions, about which Paul writes,

So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

As an additional comment, the practice of Communion would be better served in symbol if one loaf was used rather than many pre-cut tiny wafers from a box. Paul deliberately emphasizes the one loaf in Communion as representative of the one body of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:17.

Further, there is nothing in Scripture to forbid the practice of Communion in smaller settings, like a House Church. There's nothing in Scripture requiring a pastor or priest to administer the elements or explain their significance. For my part, I think Communion could be more meaningful and practical if celebrated in a smaller setting like a small group rather than by a congregation of hundreds or thousands. 

Finally, Communion in the Bible was always celebrated in conjunction with a meal:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, 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.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts (Acts 2:46).

There is very little for which Paul commends the Corinthian church; however, in one point he did commend them:

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you (1 Corinthians 11:2).

Paul considered biblical traditions important. I wonder if he would commend our practice of Communion today as being faithful to the tradition that he passed on to us?