The Christians very soon after Christ’s resurrection began meeting together on the first day of the week. Jesus himself appeared to the apostles and ate in their presence on the first day of the week (Acts 24:36-43). The first day of the week was incredibly significant for the believers because that’s the day that Jesus rose from the dead, it’s the first day of creation and, because of the resurrection, was the first day of a new creation. There is very early evidence that the Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper every Sunday when they gathered (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2, Didache 14:1, Pliny letter to Emperor Trajan).
Christians “gathered together” on Sunday to break bread. This fellowship at the table is repeated throughout scripture: “On the first day of the week, when they were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them. . . ” (Acts 20:7 ESV). Paul used similar language when he said, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat” (1 Cor. 11:20). Paul was chastising the Corinthian church because their “coming together” for the Lord’s supper was actually causing division. Acts 2:44 says that “all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
It is still significant that we “gather together” to celebrate the Lord’s supper each week. When we celebrate, we participate in fellowship with one another. This togetherness is not just something we do, it is an integral part of reclining at table with Jesus to celebrate the resurrection and proclaim his death until he comes again.