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Glory · The Church
The New Testament does not fix an exact frequency. Its own words are 'as often as' you eat the bread and drink the cup, so that you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. The first church broke bread regularly and gathered to do so on the first day of the week, and Paul's warning to examine oneself governs how we come more than when. Celebrate it often, worthily, and in remembrance of Him.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/how-often-the-lords-supper · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
1 Corinthians 11:23-34
As you read: Paul hands down what he received from the Lord: 'do this in memory of me... as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death.'
23For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
24When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
25In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
30For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
31For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
32But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.
Acts 2:42-47
As you read: The first church kept teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer: the Table belongs to the gathered life.
42They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
43Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44All who believed were together, and had all things in common.
45They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
46Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,
47praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 20:7-12
As you read: The disciples gathered on the first day of the week to break bread: a picture of the church's gathered rhythm.
7On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.
8There were many lights in the upper room where we were gathered together.
9A certain young man named Eutychus sat in the window, weighed down with deep sleep. As Paul spoke still longer, being weighed down by his sleep, he fell down from the third story, and was taken up dead.
10Paul went down, and fell upon him, and embracing him said, “Don’t be troubled, for his life is in him.”
11When he had gone up, and had broken bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even until break of day, he departed.
12They brought the boy in alive, and were greatly comforted.
Luke 22:14-20
As you read: Jesus takes the bread and the cup and gives one command: do this in memory of me.
14When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.
15He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
16for I tell you, I will no longer by any means eat of it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”
17He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves,
18for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of God comes.”
19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”
20Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Matthew 26:26-29
As you read: At the last meal, Christ gives thanks, breaks the bread, and gives it to His disciples with the cup of the new covenant.
26As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
27He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it,
28for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
29But I tell you that 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.”
At the last supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, 'This is my body... Do this in memory of me.' The word He left is a word of remembrance, and there is no record of Him dictating a calendar. What He commands is that His people keep coming to the bread and the cup, doing this, in memory of Him, until He comes.
“He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.””Luke 22:19
“When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.””1 Corinthians 11:24-25
Paul's own words about the Supper point to regularity, not to a number: 'For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.' The emphasis is on the doing and the proclaiming, and the frequency is left to the church's faithful ordering. The New Testament is far more concerned that we come than that we count.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”1 Corinthians 11:26
The earliest believers devoted themselves to 'the breaking of bread' as one of the steady marks of their life together, and Luke says they broke bread at home day by day. When the disciples gathered on the first day of the week, it was to break bread. The New Testament's trajectory leans toward frequent celebration, woven into the ordinary rhythm of the church's gathering.
“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.”Acts 2:42
“Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,”Acts 2:46
“On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.”Acts 20:7
Paul's warning is not about a schedule but about readiness: those who eat and drink 'in a way unworthy of the Lord' are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, and each one is to examine himself and discern the body. If we discerned ourselves, he says, we would not be judged. The Lord's Supper is for those who come in faith, confession, and love, not merely for those who show up.
“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.”1 Corinthians 11:27
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.”1 Corinthians 11:28
“For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.”1 Corinthians 11:29
“For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.”1 Corinthians 11:31
Given the New Testament's open rhythm and early practice, churches faithfully order the Supper on their own gathered pattern, many weekly and others at intervals, all in remembrance and proclamation. The point is not to maximize frequency for its own sake but to keep doing this until He comes, in faith and love, so that the Table remains a living center where the church remembers its Savior and proclaims His death until He returns.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”1 Corinthians 11:26
“On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.”Acts 20:7
“They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.”Acts 2:42