The Gathering

Communion Sunday • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Notes

Transcript

Reading:

1 Corinthians 11:17-22 “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. 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, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 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.”

Introduction:

If you grew up in Chicago and loved baseball you would probably route for the Cubs.

You were destined to be an upset fan for the bulk of your life.

If you had been born in 1909 you would’ve celebrated just like everyone else since the Cubs won the world series.

From that year on you would be proud of the Cubs, teach your children to route for the Cubs, and their children too.

It would be a legacy to pass on to each generation; but the Cubs wouldn’t win a world series and continue to disappoint.

That is until 2016 when the Cubs finally won a world series.

This a true fan: they stay loyal for 107 years until finally they succeed.

The Cubs fans loved their team and every game day they cheered hoping for the best.

I bet along the way they had some fans who abandoned their loyalty and adopted a new team to route for.

Point:

They gathered to celebrate the Cubs often, when they met together with others, the why they did what they did wasn’t misunderstood.

Transition:

Communion is a celebration for all believers to enjoy together, and it was also personal at the same time.

I wonder if there were some along the way for the Cubs who just enjoyed the gathering and celebrated that more than the Cubs playing?

I ask that question since here in 1 Corinthians 11:27-34 we are privy to a similar thing happening.

The churches were missing the point of gathering for the celebration.

Paul is wrote to the Corinthian church to give:

A Rebuke.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 “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. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

Paul had been disappointed to hear of the congregations flippant attitudes towards communion and the passover celebration.

What was the reason people gathered together?

There were:

Two reasons

To celebrate the passover meal together.

The meal that reminded all who secured their lineage’s salvation.

Why the Israelites were even alive.

Celebrate and thank the Lord loudly and sing to Him thanksgivings.

Eat the meal to know how they felt before they left all for a long journey.

Dedicated and relying on the Lord.

2. To celebrate and make an observance for Christ’s sacrifice.

Christ commanded that they remember as often as they eat and drink in this celebration.

Christ wants us to approach communion with a tender heart.

Soft and mold able, ready for the Lord’s will to shape and direct it.

Connection:

Those celebrating weren’t approaching communion or passover for these reasons.

Maybe it just became a celebration with family.

Maybe it became an annual church picnic.

Point:

The rebuke is coming from a place of love. To guide them back on track.

1 Corinthians 11:27 “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.”

"guilty of the body and the blood”.

This isn’t a curse on someone taking part unworthily;

It is the connection and portraying of similarities between:

Those who crucified Jesus and the unworthy partaking of communion.

What this is revealing is that:

They both are making a mockery of Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross.

The people mocked Jesus while dying.

The people aren’t observing the sacrifice that was made for them.

Transition:

Paul loves God’s people and realizes they are his brothers and sisters.

He want’s them to grow as disciples.

Paul doesn’t just call them out here, He acts like an older brother that cares very much.

He helps them understand how to approach communion properly.

Reflection

1 Corinthians 11:28 “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

This process doesn’t involve anyone but yourself.

Illustration:

If pursued a professional boxing career; your mind would have to be the strongest part of you.

Stronger than your speed or endurance, or your punch.

A boxer will spend many hours watching films of their previous fights.

The benefits for this is the refinement of your skills.

If a boxer is going to improve their skills they must know their shortcomings and bad practices.

Connection:

Each and every one of us can constantly refine our daily disciplines.

reflecting our mindsets (Are they holy)

reflecting on our time spent (Is it on the things that build up our faith)

reflecting on our desire for God (do we love Him and want more of Him each day)

reflecting on our compassion for the church (do we really care and love one another)

Point:

Communion is for remembering the great sacrifice that was made for you and I.

We examine ourselves in light of Christ’s sacrifice for all. (His sacrifice changed us!)

presenting ourselves clean to Him and for His use.

Looking for the constant ways God is trying to grow our faith and build our fellowship.

Transition:

The evaluating of ourselves may reveal why we have sickness or why some have died.

These may be the:

Reasons

1 Corinthians 11:29-30 “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”

All throughout the bible we can read of how some have brought judgment on themselves.

Cain: He decided to ignore the opportunity that God presented to have self control and seek God instead of allowing his jealousy and anger have control.

Genesis 4:6-7 “The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.””

God provided a subtle rebuke and in doing so a request that Cain evaluate his desires.

They were not of the Lord, they were self-centered.

He did not heed the word’s of the Lord and decided to Kill his brother instead.

Genesis 4:8 “Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

The Lord gave the opportunity for repentance to Cain, and he didn’t take it.

He sat back into his pride acting as though he was in control.

Genesis 4:9-15 “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.”

God sees to be probing Cain.

Maybe hoping that he would admit his pride and repent.

Here in the Corinthian church:

An amount of un-named people had become sick or acquired physical ailments.

As a direct result of taking part in communion unworthily.

An amount of un-named people had died from an un-worthy celebrating.

Point:

Beware! You all know now why some have died and are now sick; you are warned to take care how you approach the Lord and represent Him.

Transition:

Paul really doesn’t mince words when it comes to how we approach the Lord.

It is a serious matter; not to be taken lightly.

He may rebuke the church; but through it you can hear his hope that we take part in communion with a proper mindset and heart.

He even provides what may seem like a way to:

Be Set Apart!

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 “But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

It is possible that we cast judgment rightly.

We can only

Judge Ourselves

1 Corinthians 11:31 “But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.”

It isn’t always easy to accept what people say to you about yourself.

Criticism.

Sometimes it is from a person that loves you and wants the best for you and sometimes it isn’t.

They may judge situations correctly and sometimes they don’t know all the facts so they are incorrect.

? Who knows you better than God?

You know yourself better than anyone else.

There is no one else that could judge your decisions as accurately as you.

The challenge is to judge yourself “truly”.

? How can one judge or evaluate themselves truly?

Use the correct measuring stick:

Christ and His word.

Pray and ask as David did:

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Ask the Lord to shine light into the dark areas of your life that your hiding or maybe don’t know are there.

When you are made aware of them:

Ask forgiveness of them.

Repent from them:

Repent means that you earmark those things and build barriers to keep you from them.

Transition:

When you judge yourself truthfully no one else has the opportunity to judge you.

Listen to the Holy Spirit and follow Him 1 step at a time.

The life of sanctification isn’t usually instant or easy, It is a lifelong endeavor.

The proper perspective of ourselves before the Lord is accepting of His:

Discipline.

1 Corinthians 11:32 “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

Discipline is defined as:

“To instruct or educate; to inform the mind; to prepare by instructing in correct principles and habits; as, to discipline youth for a profession, or for future usefulness.” -Noah Webster 1828

Discipline is the Lord’s education tool.

Discipline can be harsh or subtle.

Harsh:

The Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years until a whole generation died off.

Subtle:

This moment here where Paul delivers a message of rebuke to the church in Corinth.

Discipline, if you allow it, can be a good teacher.

It can create a marker in your life for you to have a constant reminder to stay away.

Point:

Those hard moments sometimes are for your discipline.

Evaluate them to rightly judge yourself.

Repent of them, no matter how much it may hurt or be uncomfortable.

Transition:

This can spare us from outwardly being:

Condemned.

1 Corinthians 11:32 “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

Illustration:

There were some christian comedians who made skits.

They are called the “Skit Guys”.

Their skits were good at making funny points with a very strong convicting message.

In one of their skits they were friends.

One was an Atheist and the other was a soft christian.

(Continue illustrating the skit).

The last statement was the Atheist telling His christian friend:

“the only difference between you and I is that I get to sleep in on Sundays”.

Point:

He was condemned by his friend because of his own lack of judgment.

He failed to evaluate what his testimony looked like.

Transition:

When we judge ourselves we can avoid a bad testimony.

So that when we speak of God to others our lives line up with what we are saying.

When we are gathering together the focus is Jesus and His sacrifice; but it is also for:

The Fellowship.

1 Corinthians 11:33-34 “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.”

There were some in the Corinthian church who had adopted this mindset that the passover celebration and also the gathering for communion was for the meal.

One commentator states:

“Paul offers some practical solutions that could possibly accommodate all parties. In this case, he tells those who were arriving early or who were consuming the best food too quickly simply to consider the situations of others and patiently await their arrival.”

- Then goes on further: “he once again suggests that these people go ahead and consume their luxurious food in the privacy of their own homes, with the assumption that they would still get there for the common gathering when most everyone else did.”

- William Baker, 1 Corinthians; Cornerstone Biblical Commentary

Connection:

Do you look forward to our time here with one another?

Are you loving one another throughout the week or are we only falling into the appearance on Sundays?

The fellowship amongst a church is something that Christ died for.

We are all given the opportunity to be of like mind.

Point:

The fellowship is among those who:

Believe that Jesus dies for them and His sacrifice was worthy to cover our sins.

Believe that He wrote the Bible to us as the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. And it’s 100% accurate.

Believe that each and every saved person is part of the church and are my family.

As a result are working out their faith with fear of God.

Is a disciple of Jesus.

Transition:

Some Cubs fans lost their zeal for the team and traded it for the getting together with food and partying with friends and family.

Not so different from the Church at Corinth here where they were more concerned about the food and partying then they were for Jesus’ sacrifice.

Conclusion:

The rebuke of Paul to Corinth is just as valid today as it was back then.

We can sometimes be part of communion while entirely neglecting the point of it.

The wisdom for Self Evaluation and judging will change you, if you allow it.

Seek the Lord and ask for His revealing and seek the wisdom to repent permanently from it.