Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
LORD'S
SUPPER
533. The church at Jerusalem, established and set in order
by Christ's apostles, was designed to be a pattern to churches
for all time. The first converts, having heard and obeyed the
gospel, "continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42).
Similar observances were obligatory in all the primitive
assemblies of Christ's disciples.
To the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:2) Paul wrote: "Now I
praise you that ye remember me in all things, and hold fast the
traditions, even as I delivered them to you."
Much apostacy would have been prevented if only churches
had continued to observe the ordinances as delivered to them,
and contended unceasingly "for the faith which was once for all
delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). But men imagined that they
could improve upon the divine order; hence, the Lord's Supper
is observed monthly, quarterly, and sometimes yearly, the excuse
for not partaking of the emblems weekly being that the ordinance
would thus become too common. Common ! ! Surely the
truly thankful soul is incapable of that argument. Can penitent,
grateful souls remember their Lord too often? Those who
excuse themselves thus must not forget that their attitude is in
reality an impeachment upon the mind of God and the plan He
has devised.
To observe the Lord's Supper was the main reason for the
assembling together of the early church. Hebrews 10 represents
the forsaking of assembling themselves together as one of the
causes of the apostacy of many, for then there was no more
sacrifice for sins, because they fell into the hands of the living
God.
The Lord's Supper is in memory of Christ : "This do in
remembrance of me" (Luke 22: 19).
It is declarative: "Ye proclaim the Lord's death, till he
come" (1 Cor. 11:26).
It points backward to Calvary, and forward to glory, when
the redeemed shall sit around the heavenly board.
534. The second chapter of the Acts records the first gospel
preaching under this dispensation; the first baptisms into the
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