Tag Archives: Lord’s Supper

HE DRANK IT ALL! A Communion Meditation

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As the King James Version translates Matthew 26:27, this happened during Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper: “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink ye all of it.’” (The 1901 American Standard Version puts it the same way.) “Drink ye all of it.” What does this mean? How should we understand it? This English translation is ambiguous. Some have taken it to mean, “Drink every drop of juice out of your cup!” Years ago I heard of a local congregation where an elder patrolled the aisle as communion was passed, sternly checking … Continue reading →

Christmas Lord’s Supper Meditation: The Greatest Gift

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Christmas Lord’s Supper Meditation: The Greatest Gift by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 4:27pm THE GREATEST GIFT: ACTS 20:35 — “ REMEMBER THE WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS, THAT HE HIMSELF SAID, ‘IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE.’” LET’S GET ONE THING CLEAR: JESUS DOES NOT SAY IT IS BAD OR WRONG TO RECEIVE GIFTS. HE JUST SAYS THAT THE ONE WHO GIVES IS MORE BLESSED THAN THE ONE WHO RECEIVES. BUT YOU ARE STILL VERY MUCH BLESSED IF YOU ARE ON THE RECEIVING SIDE OF A GIFT. THIS IS GOOD TO KNOW, … Continue reading →

IS THE LORD’S SUPPER “MORE THAN AN MEMORIAL”?

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IS THE LORD’S SUPPER “MORE THAN AN MEMORIAL”? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 3:55pm My friend, former student, and fellow Kingdom-worker Tom Lawson has written a very provocative article on the Lord’s Supper:  “More Than a Memorial,”  in the 1/29/12 issue of Christian Standard (pp. 6-8).  He challenges the view that the Supper is “merely symbolic” and that the bread and juice are just “emblems” of the body and blood of Christ. Instead, Brother Lawson suggests that eating the loaf and drinking the cup are a real partaking of the actual body and blood of … Continue reading →

Does It Matter What Church We Attend?

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Does It Matter What Church We Attend? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 12:43pm QUESTION: Is it a sin to attend a church that is not a Restoration Movement church? E.g., Baptist, Presbyterian, inter-denominational? ANSWER: A couple of years ago (September 2009) I wrote a note explaining the difference between the visible church and the invisible church (just published in the August 2011 Restoration Herald). The invisible church is the universal body of Christ, the total number of those who have obeyed the gospel and are thus in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. All who … Continue reading →

SHOULD WE TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER EVERY WEEK?

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SHOULD WE TAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER EVERY WEEK? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 2:45pm QUESTION: Why do so many denominations serve the Lord’s Supper only once a month? ANSWER: Most Protestant churches do not acknowledge any definitive New Testament teaching on how often to take the Lord’s Supper. Even in the Restoration Movement we recognize that there is no specific command to celebrate the Supper every week; our choice to do so is at best an inference. That said, I think it is a very GOOD inference, and one that I believe can be defended … Continue reading →

CRANBERRY JUICE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER?

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CRANBERRY JUICE IN THE LORD’S SUPPER? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, November 19, 2010 at 12:53pm QUESTION: Is it “necessary,” or is it just “tradition,” to use grape juice (or wine) for communion? Is “fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:29) limited to the grape vine, or is any juice allowed? Someone told me they went to a church that used cranberry juice, because they got a deal on it at the store! What do you think? ANSWER: Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper [LS] during the yearly Passover feast (Matt. 26:17ff.), which God established for Israel on the night of … Continue reading →

APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

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APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 12:06pm QUESTION: Regarding NT teaching on church worship, I have a question about how apostolic precedent relates to singing praises as an act of public worship. Regarding apostolic precedent, you have said, “Since the apostles were the primary authoritative teachers in the early church, we accept the practice of these acts of worship [‘musical praise, prayer, the Lord’s Supper, and giving’], as perpetually binding upon the church by the authority of apostolic precedent” (Cottrell, The Faith Once for All, pp. 449-450). Now, most church music … Continue reading →

Should the Emblems of the Lord’s Supper Be Taken by Christians Only?

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Should the Emblems of the Lord’s Supper Be Taken by Christians Only? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:09am QUESTION: Our small group has been discussing communion, and what it means when we partake of the Lord’s Supper each week. We were always taught that you do not partake of communion until you are a baptized believer. Does that come from Scripture or from tradition? Does “partaking in a worthy manner” (1 Cor. 11:27) mean that you must first be able to understand baptism and its meaning? ANSWER: I take it that your main question is … Continue reading →

Is Baptism a Sacrament?

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Is Baptism a Sacrament? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 7:54am QUESTION: Is baptism a sacrament? ANSWER: The short answer is NO, because there is no such thing as a sacrament. From a Biblical perspective, the category of “sacraments” does not exist. From an historical perspective, though, quite early in Christian history the Latin term “sacramentum” was used to translate the Biblical (Greek) word “mysterion,” or “mystery.” Since in the NT a “mysterion” refers to divine truths hidden to man, the word began to be used for sacred things in general, especially those with mysterious and … Continue reading →

IS HOME COMMUNION NECESSARY?

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IS HOME COMMUNION NECESSARY? by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 12:13pm INQUIRY: The question has been raised about the necessity of home communion. If Christian brothers and sisters cannot attend a regular Sunday service, is it essential that the Lord’s Supper be taken to them in their homes or in the hospital or wherever they may be? Is there some “sacramental” blessing bestowed in the taking of communion that they will miss if communion is not taken to them? ANSWER: This inquiry raises the question of WHY we take the Lord’s Supper in the first place. … Continue reading →