Oft we come together
Be United! Book of First Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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· 19 viewsAim: To look at the problem with church in celebrating the Lord's supper then, and our examination today when taking it.
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Don’t be contentious!
Don’t be contentious!
Oft we come together, and today we are going to look at some things about that, and survey this chapter in First Corinthians. Now, we don’t want to be contentious, we want to be of one accord, so lets look at a couple of things as we go.
Question: What does contentious mean? What do you think it means?
Contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial; involving heated argument. Given to arguing or provoking argument.
There are things that can cause contentions, that can be contentious in nature, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church on just such things that can cause contention
Don’t be contentious (1Cor11:16)
16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.
Things to consider
Are things that we can get contentious about
that are non-salvation issues?
Are the things that are being addressed to the Corinthian church applicable today?
Are the things being addressed cultural or universal? Or could it even be both?
When we come together let there be no division, no reason for contention (1Cor11:18)
18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
We need to be careful when we make comparisons to one another, or to one-time (generation) to another; one culture to another. Paul is going to draw some comparisons in this chapter, there is much we can learn. Much of what he addresses is in a negative sense, but again look again at (v.16) let’s not be contentious about it. Here is another version (NLT)
16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
When we compare our life today, our culture today with that of the Corinthian church in the first century there is still much we can learn from them.
Godly order
Paul addresses Christ is the head
God’s order avoids contentions
Godly order comes with the right heart and motive
Commonality
When we come together we need to be of one accord, that there be no division
When we come together remember common traditions
Commonality, is bound in love! Let love bind us together;
Comparing/examining
Our focus this morning will be on (vv.17-34)
There is a problem in the Corinthian church (vv.17-22)
A problem that calls for an examination (vv.27-32)
An examination that has an intended application when set in order (vv.33-34)
I don’t want us to be contentious now, I do need to briefly go over (vv.1-16) first.
Proper Order given
Proper Order given
Paul still addressing concerns for the Corinthian church. Looks at the proper order of how God established things. Again, keep in mind who he is addressing, a certain church at a certain time regarding certain issue.
(we are going to some fill in the blanks in this first section, but hold time for discussion and questions when we get to our focal passage)
Proper order - Remember and keep (1Cor11:1-2)
1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. 2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
Paul calls for them to be imitators of Christ!
Paul calls for them to hold firmly to the traditions
Proper headship (1Cor11:3-12)
3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.
5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.
7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;
9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.
Head of every man is Christ (v.3)
Head of every woman is man (v.3)
Head coverings, men, don’t for dishonors Christ (v.4)
Head coverings, women, do it or you dishonor her head (v.5)
Proper order: Woman is the glory of man (v.7)
Proper order: Woman was created for man (v.9)
Proper order: We need each other, we are interdependent not independent (v.11)
Proper order, Christ honored God; man is to honor Christ; Woman is to honor man (v.3) - but be careful, let’s not get contentious about this. In no way does this scripture say that women are inferior to men, or men are the final authority for all authority belongs to Christ who honors God. Let’s take a quick jaunt over to Eph5:21-23 just for a minute
21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.
(to keep things in context maybe mark down Ehp5:18-23; and you will see about honor, and purpose; with direction given).
(Transition) - There is more that could be said regarding proper order and more discussion on women and men’s issues, but I believe our time should be spent on the rest of this chapter this morning, so let’s move on.
The problem (1Cor11:17-22)
Examining the problem (1Cor11:27-32)
Application after examination (1Cor11:33-34)
Time willing the Supper (1Cor11:23-26)
The problem
The problem
Before you can fix a problem, or get it fixed you need to identify that there is a problem in the first place, right? Paul is pretty bold in his words here.
17 But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
19 For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,
21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Question: In looking at (v.17) it says “these instructions” but what are the instructions?
Be honest to have the answer to that, you need to be a good bible student, you need to look back, in fact look back to (vv.1-2)
The instructions are found in (vv. 1 and 2) and they are imitate, remember and keep.
Question: In your own words what is the admonishment that Paul gives in (vv.17-18)?
Stop, listen, discuss the admonishment.
Paul goes on to say I these division, cause factions where others are looked at differently (vv.18-19)
Question: Paul continues with more admonishment (vv.20-22); what elements do you see, can learn from there, notice that it says “is not to” in there, what does that mean?
They seem to be coming together for a love feast not for the Lord’s supper for if it were the Lord’s supper they would eat together, wait for one another.
If it were for the Lord’s supper one would not be hungry and another drunk.
Look closely at (v.22) Paul is pretty harsh about what they are doing, it is not honoring God and not honoring one another.
Paul is addressing the shame that is happening as it surrounded the Lord’s supper tradition that is deep rooted and should be revered and it was not.
For a few minutes I want to continue on, and then come back to a section.
Examining the problem
Examining the problem
We have seen proper order, we have seen the problem displayed and described. Now we get to looking in more to the heart of the problem is a heart problem. Paul calls for a heart examination and redirection.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Question: what is the subject being addressed in (v.27), and how do you know?
It is the bread, the cup, it is the Lords’ supper for that is what was being discussed (vv.23-26).
It is the Lord’s supper that we proclaim the Lord’s death til He comes (v.26).
Question: what is man to do according to (v.28) and why, according to (v.29)?
He is to examine himself, then eat in worthy manner, for eating in unworthy manner is eating, drinking (bringing) judgment upon self.
(expand on examine, on worthy manner)
It is not about not taking it, it is about taking it! Taking in celebration and proclamation of the Lord’s death.
Question: What is the judgment coming upon the person according to (v.29)?
Not discerning the Lord’s body?
expand on discerning, discernment
According to Wikipedia when it comes to spiritual discernment it means:
The fundamental definition for Christian discernment is a decision making process in which an individual makes a discovery that can lead to future action. In the process of Christian spiritual discernment God guides the individual to help them arrive at the best decision.
(Transition) Now when it comes to (vv.30-32) we do not know the definition here of the weakness or sickness. IF it has to do with judgment from God for not discerning and taking properly, many have made that leap. thinking all sickness, all weakness is due to sin or some shortcoming that brings judgment from God upon a person. May we be satisfied that it seems to be a judgment, to what extent we do not know. So let’s not assume more that what the scripture says.
Application after examination
Application after examination
Coming together, come together with a purpose, remember the purpose, celebrate the purpose.
33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Question: So, now having addressed everything so far, what is the coming together to eat mean here in (v.33)?
It is for coming together to eat, to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
This is not a common meal (love feast)
It is not for the elite; it is for all
It is not about a person’s worthiness it is understanding, discerning God’s worthiness and Jesus sacrifice on the cross and the new covenant because of that sacrifice. (vv.23-25).
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which 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.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
It is about proper order, godly order that brings no division, that honor’s one another
Some bonus material about when we come together, or how we can come together in honoring one another today.
Honor one another by:
Edifying, encouraging, building up one another (Eph4:11-16)
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
By loving one another (Jn13:33-34)
33 “Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By being devoted to one another (Rom12:10)
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
Serve one another (Gal5:13)
13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
By stimulating, encouraging one another (Heb10:24)
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
So now, in closing in reflection may we consider comparing the Corinthians, the instructions and our lives today.
Are we imitating, remembering and keeping the standard delivered to us through God’s word?
Are we thinking of others before ourselves?
While the culture maybe different then and now, head coverings, etc, the traditions do not need to be, nor should they be different. When we come to the table may we reflect take take in a worthy manner, in reverence and in celebration, in proclamation to what God has done through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
(Prayer) (Exit)