There are 4 disciplines that the early church practiced.
1.Apostles teachings
2. Fellowship
3. Breaking of bread
4. Prayer
This episode we will cover the second two of the 4 disciplines found in Acts 2:42
#3 Breaking of Bread (communion)
1. The ordinance of communion (breaking of bread)
Communion was first initiated at the last true Passover—Matthew 26:19, 26-29
What was the Passover?
Answer: Exodus 12:12-14 - On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
3 main elements to the Passover:
1. Lamb
2. Matzah (bread)
3. Wine
Ask, When Jesus implemented Communion, He took bread. Was this bread Christ’s flesh?
Answer: No, because Christ was with them.
Ask, When Jesus implemented Communion, He took a cup of wine. Was this Christ’s blood?
Answer: No, it was the fruit of the vine (verse 29) and again Christ was alive, with them.
Bread is one element of the communion, but wine is the second:
4 cups come from promises of God found in Exodus 6:6-7 - “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
4 cups of Passover (Ex 6:6-7)
1. Cup of Sanctification – “I will bring you out”
2. Cup of Deliverance – “I will deliver you”
3. Cup of Redemption – “I will redeem you” (Matt 26:27-28 -Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.)
4. Cup of Restoration – “I will take you” (Rapture/ Matt 26:29 - I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”)
Note: The celebration of the Passover was transformed into the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, to celebrate the sacrifice of the true Passover Lamb, namely Christ.
Review: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 - For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 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.”25 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.”26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
The warning in taking Communion
Ask a student to give the warning stated in 1 Corinthians 11:27-31 - Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. 32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
Q: Why is it important to do a self-examination every time one takes Communion?
A: We want to take the representation of the meal with a sober and understanding spirit. We want to take it in a worthy manner. Deal with the issues of your sin as you prepare to take the communion.
There is a second ordinance of the church that we will discuss that is not mentioned in Acts 2:42 but because we are told to do this in Matt 28 and we see it being done in the church throughout the book of Acts, we will include it as part of the disciplines.
Baptism:
Jesus commands us to be baptized: Matt 2819-20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
In short there are 2 baptisms described in the NT: Water baptism & Baptism of the Holy Spirit:
Water: The believers confession that they belong to the Risen Lord!
Holy Spirit: God’s witness that the believer belongs to the Risen Lord!
Verses that deal with water Bapt:
Romans 6:1-7 - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
2 Cor 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Col 2:12 - having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
#4 Prayer:
We can use Matt 6 and what is commonly known as the Lords prayer as a model of prayer for a new believer. This is not the only way to pray but since Jesus uses this as an example of “how” ...
