Practices Taught or Endorsed by Jesus – Conclusions

We have examined fasting, foot washing, Sabbath Day, and the Lord’s Prayer, and consider these are to be observed not in literal detail; but the spiritual principles they represent should certainly become ours too. None of these should be observed in a legalistic sense, i.e. with a feeling that one has achieved some meritorious position in the sight of God by doing them. Where they are of spiritual benefit, they should be carried out, but the literal carrying out is not in itself a basic Christian requirement. Jesus gave his commandments to people at a certain time in history. To the Jews who kept the commandments but forgot the spirit he said:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith;  these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”                                                                 (Matthew 23:23)

By his death the observances of the Old Covenant were abolished as requirements.  Jesus’ commandments in this verse apply to us today, not in the observance of the Mosaic Law but in observing justice, mercy and faith.

Baptism, however, and remembering Jesus in bread and wine are to be observed (as practices) because he specifically asked us to do so. They are distinguishing features of the Christian Way.

Some Questions for Thought and Discussion

(1) Fasting used to be a regular practice.  Have any of us fasted, except when too ill to eat?

(2) When Jesus said, “and then they will fast in that day” (Mark 2:20), when did he mean?

(3) What kinds of things can we do which show humility in service in our modern situation?

(4) Do we allow God to be squeezed out of our lives by our not having set days, set fasts, set prayers?

(5) Do we in fact use set prayers by saying much the same thing each time in our impromptu prayers, but perhaps in a less well thought out manner?

(6) Is it a good idea to write out our prayer beforehand?

(7) Should we make a practice of writing out prayer lists, so that we can more carefully remember the items we wish to bring to God in prayer?

(8) In Matthew 6:7 the Lord’s Prayer is given after Jesus has criticised long prayers: “Do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do;  for they think that they will be heard for their many words”.

How can we deliberately aim at variety and freshness in our prayers, public and private?

(9) What did Jesus mean when he said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  (Luke 11:13)?

(10) Do we put more emphasis on the actual Breaking of Bread than the New Testament intends?

(11) Would it matter if we used white wine rather than red, since white does not so readily look symbolic?  Would it matter if we used Ribena (which is red blackcurrant juice), the right colour for blood but not wine and not alcoholic?

(12) Does the order matter? In Luke 22:17-20 the order is: prayer, cup, prayer, bread, cup. We usually do: prayer, bread, prayer, cup. 1 Corinthians 11 gives: prayer, bread, cup. (Or does “likewise” mean that he said a prayer before the cup?) 1 Corinthians 10:16 lists cup, then bread.

(13) Does there need to be a president at the Breaking of Bread? If so, does this need to be a brother, or can a sister do it?

(14) Who should say the prayer of thanks before the bread or the wine? In the New Testament, it was Jesus. Amongst us, the president usually calls on one of the congregation to pray.

(15) Can you make any positive suggestions for improvement in how we organise the Breaking of Bread, in accordance with New Testament principles?

(16) Do we remember Jesus enough in the other ways he put forward: hearing his words and doing them (Matthew 7:24)?