Holy Union Through Communion • 1 Cor 11:17-34

Review & Overview

1. Previous Study’s Review

Now we said that Chp.11: deals with 2 more questions:   1. Worship Services.     &     2. Communion Services.     

Last time together we looked at Worship Services that involved Men & Women:       

Paul uses Head Coverings to drive home an important point about the Divine Order between Men & Woman…        Not only in the Church Setting…                 but           also in the Marriage Setting…

He also points out a great truth that Hierarchy & Equality are not mutually exclusive terms…

2. Current Study’s Overview

Now in vs.17 Paul deals with the 2nd question…     it’s about      Communion Services…      Read..

As you can see in our quick reading of todays scripture, the Corinthian believers are not observing the Lord’s Table as they should.

So Paul exposes their problem and then shows them how what The Lord’s Communion is all about.

If you’re taking notes 5 things we want to look at as it pertains to Lord’s Table or the Communion Service…

1. The Problem Vs. 17-22

1.1 They Were Divisive Vs. 17-18

Division: schism, 8,    tearing apart…     or     cutting away…  

We looked at the problem division back in chp.1:10 - 4:21, I’m of Paul, Apollos, Cephes… Christ…

Division stems from Prid`e…   I’m right & you’re wrong kind of attitude…  selfish & self-centered…

ILLUSTRATION: look into division illustration

1.2 They Were Heretical Vs. 19         

Faction:   hairesis,  9,    heresy,   It’s a circle of people w/ a comon purpose who come from another group.   which is the result of division… 

But God will use this behavior to point out who is really approved or who is a faithful saint.

1.3 They Had The Wrong Motive Vs. 20

1.4 They Were Selfish Vs. 21-22    

11:21 In the early days of the church, Christians celebrated the “agapē,” or love feast along with the Lord’s Supper. The love feast was something like a common meal, shared in a spirit of love and fellowship. At the end of the love feast, the Christians often had the remembrance of the Lord with the bread and wine. But before very long, abuses crept in. For instance, in this verse it is implied that the love feast lost its real meaning. Not only did the Christians not wait for one another, but the rich ones shamed their poorer brethren by having lavish meals and not sharing them. Some went away hungry, where as others were actually drunk! Since the Lord’s Supper often followed the love feast, they would still be drunk when they sat down to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

11:22 The apostle indignantly rebukes such disgraceful conduct. If they insist on carrying on in such a way, then they should at least have the reverence not to do it in a church meeting. To practice intemperance at such a time and to shame one’s poorer brethren is most inconsistent with the Christian faith. Paul cannot but withhold praise from the saints for acting in this way; and in withholding praise, he thereby condemns them strongly.  

Ultimately their behavior was disgraceful because they turned Godly Fellowship into a Wild Party…

They were only concerned about their own appetites…     their own wants…   their own desires…

Jude 12 calls communion a Love Feast… but  they were not showing any love for others or for the Lord…

2. The Pattern Vs. 23-25

2.1 The Pattern Is Received from the Lord Vs. 23a

Communion is not a tradition of man it’s not a religious right or ritual, it’s Received from the Lord…

Jesus took the Passover meal commemorating the 10th plague in Ex.12: when the death angel passed over the house saving the 1st born because of the blood of the lamb…  so Israel was freed from the bondage of Egypt…

Jesus used it to point to the fact that death has passed over us & that we are free from the bondage of sin, death & hell…  by His shed blood…  John 1:29 behold the Lamb.  1 Peter 1:18-19 we’re not redeemed…

2.2  The Pattern Represents the Lord Vs. 23b-25 (in 2 ways)

By His Body Vs. 23b - 24a - during the Passover meal the bread was broke in two & one piece was hid & the other put back into the linen cloth & pulled out later…   afikomen or desert…     the bread points to His Body in 3 ways…

1. Without Leaven:  leaven is a type of sin,  1 Cor.5:6 a little leaven leavens the whole lump…      Jesus was sinless:  2 Cor.5:21 knew no sin…      Heb.4:15 without sin…    1 John 3:5 in Him is no sin…

2. Striped: Isa.53:5 by His stripes… also in 1 Peter 2:24…      

3. Pierced:  Zech.12:10 look on Him…

By His Blood Vs. 25a - there are 4 cups in the Seder:  

Kaddush, blessing, 

Makkot, plagues,

Ha-Geulah, redemption, 

Halel, praise…       

after supper comes the 3rd cup, Ha-Geulah, redemption … 

Because through His blood we have been redeemed…    

Eph.1:7 we have redemption thru His blood… 

Heb.9:22 without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin

But the blood of bulls & goats only covered our sin…      but     Jesus’ blood took away our sin… 

Psl.103:12 East / West…         

Heb.10:17 I’ll remember your iniquities no more…

3. The Purpose Vs. 26 & 28

3.1 Is To Look Backward to the Cross Vs. 24b, 25b, 26a

This speaks of His Death: We remember all the suffering Jesus went through…     

Isa.53:3-12

The mocking’s…  scourging’s…  being nailed to the cross…   &  probably experiencing the worst thing of all, that momentary separation between Him & the Father…    

Matt.27:46

3.2 Is To Look Inward to the Conscience Vs. 28

Now we can’t come to the table in our own worth or righteousness…  

Isa.64:6 filthy rags… 

But when we come to faith in Christ, 1 John 1:9 confess… now we have the righteousness of Christ…

But the problem is that we sin daily so we need to get right with God daily… we need to examine our lives…    

Psl.139:23 search me o God, know my heart, try me & see if there is any wicked way in me.

3.3 Is To Look Forward to the Crown Vs. 26

This speaks of His Coming:   this speaks of Him coming for His church…   the rapture… 

1 Thessalonians 4:16

John 14:3 

Acts 1:11

Jesus could come back for His church at any moment… 

4. The Penalty Vs. 27, 29-30

If we come in an unworthy manner we’re guilty of not discerning the value of the Lord’s body & blood.

the result of not taking the Lord’s Supper seriously can be sever physical affliction…

Weakness…          Sickness…          &        Even Death… 

5. The Profit Vs. 31-34

5.1 It Can Be Used to Judge Ourselves Vs. 31-32

You know it’s really easy to judge others…     I mean they’re so messed up, amen?… 

But we should judge ourselves…    we should evaluate our own actions & attitudes…

But if God judges us He will chasten us so we won’t be condemned like the world…

Heb.12:6 whom the Lord loves He chastens…   

5.2 It Can Be Used to Control Ourselves Vs. 33-34

We need to exercise self-control & wait for one another when we come to the Table of the Lord… 

Staying focused on Jesus and all He has done…     &     all He is going to do… 

I like what Pastor Clark says, “it’s not about coming to the Table of the Lord…  it’s about coming to the Lord of the Table”

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