In Acts 20:6, we find Paul joining his fellow workers in Troas where he stayed seven days. Paul stayed there for seven days though we are told in verse 16 that he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. Paul had arrived on a Monday and planned to leave on the following Monday (confirm, verse 7). Why would he spend seven days in Troas?

Verse 7 tells us. On the first day of [every] week (our Sunday), the disciples came together to break bread. The expression “to break bread,” with no qualifying expressions, was a figure of speech used in the institution of the Lord’s Supper to represent the Lord’s body. The early church adapted this to indicate all of the acts of worship on the Lord’s Day. The universal testimony of the second century churches, and for a long time after, was that this was the teaching of the apostles to be practiced every Lord’s Day. For the first several centuries of the church’s existence, the writers of the time show this to be the best attested to practice on every Lord’s Day.

Most denominational churches fail to observe communion every Sunday. Since 1946 most modern speech translations have properly translated 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2, showing that a contribution was placed in the common treasury each, or every first day of the week, as they worshipped. 1 Corinthians 11 and Acts 20:7 shows that their worship also included the Lord’s Supper.

We are commanded by Jesus to “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The church was begun on a Sunday (Acts 2) and, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, they worshipped “in the breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42), establishing the practice we see continued in 1 Corinthians 11:20-26; 16:1, 2 and Acts 20:7.

1 Corinthians 16:2 requires a weekly assembly. Matthew Henry speaks of this verse requiring putting a contribution into a “treasury,” as does Lipscomb, Winton, and others. 1 Corinthians 11:20 shows the obligation of communion. Acts 20:7 shows when they assembled to do that. Should we not actually follow the scriptures if we claim them as our standard of faith and practice? To fail to do so is to follow the authority of men, not God.

Questions To Aid Your Spiritual Growth:
1. For what purpose did the disciples come together on Sunday?
2. 1 Corinthians 16:2 is properly translated “each” or “every” first day of the week. T or F?
3. To fail to follow the example given by the Holy Spirit is follow the authority of men, not God. T or F?