A Common Meal
Lessons From 1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians
Hope: To draw closer to God by better understanding the various doctrines found within this Q&A from Paul the to church in Corinth.
Last week, we finished up 1 Corinthians 11:2-17 by looking Paul’s explanation of wearing “Head Coverings.”
How, if the custom and/or culture dictate a certain practice that, if not done would hinder one’s ability to be an effective light to the world and it was not sinful to follow, then it would be sin “not to follow” that custom and/or culture.
Why, because you would be hindering the cause of Christ by seeking a liberty not a doctrinal stance.
As I mentioned last week, what Paul is discussing was not to do with collective worship but individual worship done in public.
I bring that up because of our text today, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, wherein Paul is going to shift to the collective worship of the saints and will continue with that until chapter 15.
So in our text now we find Paul going from that which he had praised them for to an area that needed correction.
Remember, Paul had commended them for “maintaining the traditions that had been delivered to them.”
1 Corinthians 11:2 (ESV)
2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.
Now, however, he was not commending them but condemning them.
1 Corinthians 11:17 (ESV)
17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
Yes, for the most part they were “maintaining the doctrine of Christ” but on the vary issue the church is to come together specifically for in worship and focus on each week there was a problem.
A problem that was so bad that them being together and doing this “act” was making their “coming together a detriment to their soul.”
So what happen that was so bad?
Well, when it came to worship…
They Were Divided
They Were Divided
There Was Discord Between Them.
There Was Discord Between Them.
Paul begins by pointing out in 1 Corinthians 11:18…
1 Corinthians 11:18 (ESV)
18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part
This of course was not something that was new with the church or just not being mentioned.
It is a consistent theme throughout the letter and an obvious problem the church in Corinth had.
1 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV)
10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 12:25 (ESV)
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
The reality is, God has always hated division amongst his people.
It is that which he abhors and he hates those that cause such.
Proverbs 6:16 (ESV)
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
Proverbs 6:19 (ESV)
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
This is why God teaches that those that cause division are to be dealt with swiftly and severely.
Romans 16:17–18 (ESV)
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Titus 3:9–11 (ESV)
9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Paul then points out why division is so dangerous in the body of Christ.
Why, because…
There Was Disorder Between Them.
There Was Disorder Between Them.
Notice what Paul then writes in verse 19.
1 Corinthians 11:19 (ESV)
19 for there must be factions among…
How does Paul know there are factions among them?
1 Corinthians 11:19 (ESV)
19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
Paul knew there were those that that not only knew the word of God but were wise in it.
The genuine or approved of God will always stand with righteousness and they unrighteous will always fracture from the righteous causing factions.
Summary
Summary
Division begets disorder and disorder begets destruction.
These situations in the local church will infiltrate every aspect of the church eventually making it unrecognizable to Christ himself and when that happens he will remove himself from it.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
So, what is Paul so upset with the church over here specifically?
It is their worship when they came together “in one place.”
As we will see over the next several chapters, there were many issues in their worship that they were divided over, but Paul begins by pointing how they were perverting the focus of the coming together in one place.
To the church in Corinth the…
Lord’s Supper Became Generic
Lord’s Supper Became Generic
It Wasn’t Recognizable.
It Wasn’t Recognizable.
The church in Corinth had turned the Memorial Feast into a common meal.
They had so converted it from what is was intended that what they were doing could not even be considered the Lord’s Supper any more.
20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
So what were they doing?
It appears they had combined the Lord’s Supper with the “love feast.”
Jude 12 (ESV)
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts…
We usually call them “fellowship meals” around here.
They also were taking their fill and consuming it all before others could get there fill.
1 Corinthians 11:21–22 (ESV)
21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in…
What was the end result of their actions here other than their worship being a deteriorate to their soul?
1 Corinthians 11:22 (ESV)
22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
The end result is that their actions demonstrated that instead of having love for each other they were demonstrating disdain for each other.
Summary
Summary
By demoting the Lord’s Supper to a common meal they desecrated Jesus’ sacrifice.
On top of that, butchering the Lord’s Supper, they managed to humiliate their brothers and sisters by implying they were somehow second class brethren not worthy of the food provided.
Paul them reminds them of what Jesus said about the Supper on the night he was betrayed.
Honoring The Supper
Honoring The Supper
Paul Recounts What Happened.
Paul Recounts What Happened.
Paul then tells the church what the Lord himself told Paul about that night he was betrayed by Judas after they had eaten the Passover meal.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:25–26 (ESV)
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Every Sunday when we come together in one place and partake of the Memorial Feast it is meant to honor the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior.
It isn’t a time to reflect on our lives but on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior.
To focus all our attention for that time on our beloved Lord and glorify him.
This is why Paul would tell them in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Summary
Summary
The Lord’s Supper is its own act of worship.
It is special, select, and set as our time each week to collectively honor our Lord by remembering his sacrifice.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, though we might not make a full blown meal out of the Lord’s Supper we can, if we are not careful, make it common.
By that I mean if we do not give it our complete and utter focus we do a disservice to the only begotten.
Before we enter those doors our mind should be ready to worship and therefore memorialize our Saviors sacrifice.
We must not be focused on what is for lunch, what we have to do after we walk out the doors, or anything else.
Brethren our souls are on the line here.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.