Common Union

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 M:BCL

17 Regarding this next item, I’m not at all pleased. I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best! 18 First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. I’m reluctant to believe it, but there it is. 19 The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it. 20 And then I find that you bring your divisions to worship—you come together, and instead of eating the Lord’s Supper, 21 you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I can’t believe it! 22 Don’t you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating God’s church? Why would you actually shame God’s poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And I’m not going to stand by and say nothing. 23 Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. 24 Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. 25 After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me. 26 What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt. 27 Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of “remembrance” you want to be part of? 28 Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe. 29 If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. 30 That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. 31 If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. 32 Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later. 33 So, my friends, when you come together to the Lord’s Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. 34 If you’re so hungry that you can’t wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual meal—a love feast. The other things you asked about, I’ll respond to in person when I make my next visit.

Humans are social creatures. We have a need to connect with others. To belong. To have a sense of community.

This is hardwired in us—God created us this way.

Studies have shown that people who are socially isolated are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and other mental health problems. Not only that, social isolation can lead to physical health problems as well.

I want to talk to you about how being in Christ brings us into union with God and community with others.

Despite having a biological imperative for community the messaging of this age is one that creates a mentality that limits our ability to experience it. Things like, “You do you” and “look out for number one” set the focus on self.

But when we come to faith in Jesus, we are brought into the kingdom of God and the fellowship of the saints.

Made for Community

According to Dr. Mark Rutland the biggest idol in America is friendship. People will do many things, or not do them, because they want friends. It is that fear of being excluded that often motivates us to act. But fear doesn’t truly bring us into community.

Illustration: From First Impressions: What you don’t know about how others see you by Ann Demarais and Valerie White.

Sometimes, we go about things the wrong way. We go into things selfishly, looking to gain or for what we can get out of community. This too can be because we fear to be alone. Or because we want to badly to belong.

But there is another way, a better way that Jesus models for us to find community.

Proverbs 19:6 ESV

Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

One important key to experiencing true community is being others minded. There is something powerful about selflessness and generosity that brings people into a greater level of intimacy and fellowship.

This pattern is something that is of the Way of Jesus. We see it pictured in communion and even the membership of the body. Communion brings us into the life and work of Jesus. It is a gift of God to the church and it points us to the gift of God (John 3.16). It is an essential practice for all who have trusted Christ for salvation.

Communion

Communion is a shared union. Throughout history it means “fellowship, mutual participation, a sharing” and “community” and religiously a union in worship, doctrine, or discipline.

The invitation of Jesus is for us to join His community. It is to have fellowship with God and with His people.

This text offers us some important insight into how we join in and enter into the community of faith.

Recognize the Body

1 Corinthians 11:17–22 NKJV

17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? 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 do not praise you.

1 Corinthians 11:27 NKJV

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:33–34 NKJV

33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

The apostle was correcting the believers for their lack of honor towards one another. He connected the unworthy way in which they shared communion with despising the church of God and ultimately judgment.

The body of Christ was a term used as a metaphor for the church. Christ is the head of the church and His people are the members of the His body (cf. Ephesians 4.15-16, 1 Corinthians 12.12-27). Since we are united in Christ we should honor one another and live in unity with each other.

To maintain the unity of the Spirit, we need to be others minded just as Jesus was (Hebrews 12.1-2).

Philippians 2:1–4 NKJV

1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Let us pursue unity in the church. Let us choose to honor one another and serve one another in the love of God. This is pleasing to God and recognizes His headship. And when we do this, in one sense, we are not guilty of the body of the Lord.

Remember the Son

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NKJV

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Whenever we take communion the elements are meant to bring us into a place where we remember and receive what Jesus did to bring us into union with Himself and the Father. Our sins separated us from God but the body and the blood of Jesus bring us near (Isaiah 59.2, Ephesians 2.13).

Just as we recognize the body of Jesus and honor one another as members of that body, we need to remember the Son. We remember the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We remember that He bridged the gap to bring us into community with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (John 17.20-23).

The Sacrament of communion is meant to bring us to a place where we remember Jesus and His love and sacrifice so that we could be with Him (John 14.3). It is a reminder that He will not leave us orphans but has adopted us into the family of God (John 14.8, Romans 8.15-17). We belong. We are chosen and accepted (Romans 8.29-30).

Examine Ourselves

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 NKJV

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

To maintain the unity of the Spirit and live in community with others we need to examine ourselves (Ephesians 4.3).

Are we right with others? Are we right with God? Are we truly living according to the faith (2 Corinthians 13.5)?

The key to repairing relationships is repentance and confession.

Conclusion

We were created for community and as we enjoy fellowship with God and others we will begin to flourish (Psalm 1.1-3).

Let us recognize that those of faith aren’t just anybody, they are the Body of the Lord and we are a part of that body.

Let us remember that Jesus gave Himself so that we could be brought into family of God (Galatians 6.10).

And if we are feeling disconnected from God or from His people then let us take time to examine ourselves.

Because we choose to do these things, we will come into a deeper unity with God and the church and receive the blessing that God commands (Psalm 133.1-3).