The Setting for the Lord’s Supper<\/a>.<\/p>\nHowever, one passage the article doesn\u2019t cite, one I\u2019ve never thought about myself until recently, is I Corinthians 10:16-17. By saying \u201cwe\u201d instead of \u201cyou,\u201d Paul teaches that the Lord\u2019s Supper involves communion with all members of the \u201cone body\u201d \u2014 the universal church of our Lord \u2014 not merely the local church one attends. In extending the communion we share across the universal church, does I Corinthians 10:16-17 provide authority to partake of the Lord\u2019s Supper in times we\u2019re unable to attend? I\u2019m open to thoughts on this. Thank you!<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n\t
Answer:<\/h2>\n
It is true that I Corinthians 10:16-17 expresses the fact that the partaking of the Lord’s Supper by all Christians everywhere is a common sharing of Christ’s sacrifice. However, this doesn’t change the passage in the next chapter that states\u00a0how<\/em> the Lord’s Supper is to be taken. The Lord’s Supper is taken together as a church (I Corinthians 11:17-34) that is assembled in one place.<\/p>\nThis command has caused problems recently because the pandemic has caused government leaders to issue orders limiting the number of people gathering and, in some cases, forbidding all assemblies. Some of us have adapted by pulling up in the parking lot to assemble while remaining in our cars, others have divided the congregation into smaller groups and “assemble” virtually. In no case is this seen as a permanent change. The methods are not quite what God wants, but we must hope for God’s mercy in this deviation until the present distress passes.<\/p>\n
I’ve seen people on both sides of the issue. Some desire to partake of the Lord’s Supper as best as they can despite the circumstances. Others have decided to wait until the distress is over and then resume the observance of the Lord’s Supper, citing that they are being hindered by circumstances that are not in their control. We need to be patient and understanding with each other.<\/p>\n
“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this — not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way<\/em>” (Romans 14:10-13).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\tResponse:<\/h2>\n
Hello Jeffrey,<\/p>\n
Thank you for your reply! The general rule is definitely to partake while gathered as a church. However, when this present distress creates an exception, we should make the best judgment we can under the circumstances, being mindful of biblical principles from passages such as Romans 14. This makes sense to me.<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Hello, I have a question: Since many church services are canceled due to COVID\u201019, I\u2019ve been thinking about a relevant question: When church services are canceled, can a Christian partake of the Lord\u2019s Supper by himself? My answer has been \u201cNo\u201d because we \u201ccome together\u201d to do it (1 Cor. 11:33; Acts 20:7). This…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[356,146],"class_list":["post-21315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-attendance","tag-lords-supper"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":16551,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-the-lords-supper-be-taken-to-a-shut-in\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":0},"title":"Can the Lord’s Supper be taken to a shut-in?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 10, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In our home Bible class last evening, one in the class asked if it is wrong to take the Lord's Supper to a member of the church who is a shut-in if the one, who is a shut-in, requests it. Answer: I have difficulty with this because Paul stated,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49584,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-should-the-table-of-the-lord-be-treated-after-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":1},"title":"How should the table of the Lord be treated after services?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question about the Lord's Supper. To be more specific, it concerns the Lord's table itself. How should it be looked at? Is the table seen as just a table during and after the Lord's Supper is conducted or services have ended? I attend a small church.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37946,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-it-be-called-communion-or-lords-supper\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":2},"title":"Should it be called communion or Lord’s Supper?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day brother Jeffrey, I'm here to seek your advice or comments and suggestions regarding the phrase \"Lord's Supper.\" My question is: Can we still use the phrase \"Lord's Supper\" as part of the worship? Which phrase is appropriate to use: communion or Lord's Supper? I ask because the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":65447,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-the-lords-supper-taken-only-once-a-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":3},"title":"Was the Lord’s Supper taken only once a year?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day. A friend of mine told me that the breaking of bread in Acts 20:7 is not the Lord's Supper or Passover because it is only a breaking of bread without the grape juice as stated in the context. The breaking of bread is a celebration of Jesus'\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38693,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-the-lords-supper-be-passed-forward-from-the-back\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":4},"title":"Should the Lord’s Supper be passed forward from the back?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 1, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am concerned with the way our church serves communion.\u00a0 The elders decided to no longer place the communion plate on the table that says in Remembrance of Me and will pass it from the back of the church. First, they pass the contribution basket and then the wine\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":39085,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-need-to-look-for-another-job-but-the-ones-in-this-area-require-working-every-other-sunday-what-should-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":21315,"position":5},"title":"I need to look for another job, but the ones in this area require working every other Sunday. What should I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Minister: I am a married woman in the church. As much as I want to not work or work part-time, it is not what my husband wants me to do. I currently have a job that allows me to be off on Sundays. 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