Problems in Public Worship

1 Corinthians 11:2–34 (NLT)

2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.

3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying.

5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.

6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.

7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory.

8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.

9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.

10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.

11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.

12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.

13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head?

14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair?

15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering.

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.

17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.

18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it.

19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper.

21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk.

22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread

24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”

26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.

32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other.

34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

INTRODUCTION:

I- BELIEVERS ARE TO BE SENSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL IN ACTS OF PUBLIC WORSHIP. (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)

1 Corinthians 11:2–16 (NLT)

2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.

3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying.

5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.

6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.

7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory.

8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.

9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.

10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.

11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.

12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.

13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head?

14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair?

15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering.

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.

A- It is important to respect Godly leaders and follow their teachings. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

1 Corinthians 11:2 (NLT)

2 I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.

Ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς ὅτι πάντα μου μέμνησθε καὶ καθὼς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν τὰς παραδόσεις κατέχετε.

1- The Corinthians supported Paul through respect and prayer.

2- The Corinthians held fast to the oral teachings (τὰς παραδόσεις κατέχετε) Paul had given them.

The only use in 1 Corinthians, this word normally refers to stories and critical information handed down from one generation to the next. Traditional teaching in the NT usually refers to Jewish or rabbinic teaching (Matt 15:2–6), and Paul’s use of the word in Gal 1:14 also points in this direction. It can also refer to Christian tradition, as here, and even more narrowly to Christian tradition associated with Paul (2 Thess 2:15; 3:6). Paul’s use of the cognate verb, “I passed on to you” (paradidōmi [TG3860, ZG4140]), in this verse increases the impact of his action to connect the Corinthians to established Christian teaching. The verbal form also reappears in connection to the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23) and the resurrection reports (1 Corinthians 15:3).

(2 Thess 2:15; 3:6)

2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT)

15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NLT)

6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.

(1 Corinthians 11:23)

1 Corinthians 11:23 (NLT)

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread

(1 Corinthians 15:3)

1 Corinthians 15:3 (NLT)

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

B- It is important to remember and be sensitive to God-ordained authority. (1 Corinthians 11:3-10)

1 Corinthians 11:3–10 (NLT)

3 But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

4 A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying.

5 But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.

6 Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.

7 A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory.

8 For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man.

9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man.

10 For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.

1- Paul’s teaching on headship refers to authority in divine order.

See: Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 2:10,

Ephesians 1:22 (NLT)

22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.

Ephesians 5:23 (NLT)

23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.

Colossians 2:10 (NLT)

10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

2- Head coverings had to do with:

The failure of both me and women.

Men were used to worshipping in pagan temples where men who prayed or prophesied or sacrificed wore a covering on their head (toga). They were not to do so in the worship of Christ.

Women wore head coverings as a sign that they were under the authority of their husband or father and were “unavailable” for other men. In pagan temples women were “uncovered” and many times had har shaved or cut to signify they were “available” for any man to use in ritual sex.

3- Paul appeals to God’s order as the principle to give order of submission.

C- It is important to be sensitive and respectful of cultural expectations for the sake of the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 11:11-16)

1 Corinthians 11:11–16 (NLT)

11 But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.

12 For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.

13 Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head?

14 Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair?

15 And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering.

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.

1-

II- BELIEVERS ARE TO BE SENSITIVE AND LOVING IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC WORSHIP THROUGH THE MEMORIAL SUPPER. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 (NLT)

17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.

18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it.

19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper.

21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk.

22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread

24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”

26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.

32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other.

34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

A- It is possible to do harm to the cause of Christ through our behavior in public worship. (1 Corinthians 11:17)

1 Corinthians 11:17 (NLT)

17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.

1- Through division in the fellowship. (1 Corinthians 11:18-19)

1 Corinthians 11:18–19 (NLT)

18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it.

19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

2- Through a bad attitude toward the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:20)

1 Corinthians 11:20 (NLT)

20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper.

3- Through mistreatment of fellow believers. (1 Corinthians 11:21-22)

1 Corinthians 11:21–22 (NLT)

21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk.

22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!

B- Believers are to be sensitive to the significance of the Lord’s Memorial Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (NLT)

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread

24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”

26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

C- Failure to respect the Lord’s supper can result in discipline from God. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

1 Corinthians 11:27–30 (NLT)

27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

D- Believers are to examine themselves and change behaviors and attitudes that are displeasing to God. (1 Corinthians 11:31-34)

1 Corinthians 11:31–34 (NLT)

31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way.

32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other.

34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

CONCLUSION: