“When Church is Not Good”

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 CSB

Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For at the meal, each one eats his own supper. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.

I. When Attending Church is Not Good – (11:17-22)

(v.17) – Two reasons for the negative impact of attending the Corinthian congregation:

A. DIVISIVENESS – (vv.18-19)

There were “…divisions, …factions” in the church – (cf. 1:10-11)

We tend to focus on the NEGATIVE aspects of “divisions,” and there are many!

However, according to Paul, there is at least ONE positive result of haireseis – αίρεσεις—“…so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”

From φανεροι – Used in (1 Corinthians 3:13; 14:25) – “…revealed”

How do divisions reveal the “approved?”

In a CONFLICT, what’s INSIDE a person is MANIFEST!

John 13:35 CSB

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

1 John 4:17–21 CSB

In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

B. SELFISHNESS – (vv.20-22)

One group (the “haves”) were sharing the “love-feast” (to the point of drunkenness), while the others (the “have-nots”) were going hungry!

David K. Lowery writes, “The Lord’s Supper should have been the remembrance of a preeminently selfless act, Christ’s death on behalf of others. Instead, the Corinthians had turned the memorial of selflessness into an experience of selfishness and had made a rite of unity a riotous disunity.”

Paul’s summation is that their actions are not worthy of praise—Church is NOT GOOD!

II. When Taking Communion is Dangerous – (11:23-34)

A. The SERIOUSNESS of their Situation – (vv.29-32)

Their partaking of the love-feast/communion) resulted in JUDGMENT and DISCIPLINE from the Lord!

(v.30) – “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.”

The act of receiving Communion WAS (and IS) so serious, that God was physically punishing them and sometimes causing their deaths for their selfish, callous approach to the table!

Someone might OBJECT: “God would never do that!” – (cf. Acts 5:1-11)

Just because they were “disciplined,” this does not mean they were “condemned” – (v.32)

B. The SOLUTION to their Situation – (vv.23-34)

How do we correct keep from making the same mistakes as the Corinthians?

1. We Should LOOK BACK – (vv.23-25)

Jesus wants us to remember that HE DIED! It’s a part of the Gospel – (15:3-4)

It is not the LIFE of Jesus, nor the TEACHINGS of Jesus that saves us. We are saved through the DEATH of Jesus!

(Isaiah 53)

Romans 5:6–11 CSB

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

W. Wiersbe – “However, this “remembering” is not simply the recalling of historical facts. It is a participation in spiritual realities. At the Lord’s table, we do not walk around a monument and admire it. We have fellowship with a living Savior as our hearts reach out by faith.”

2. We Should LOOK UP – (v.26)

Not only is the communion a time to remember the PAST, but a time to anticipate the FUTURE!

Matthew 26:29 CSB

But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Pack your bags, baby! Jesus is COMING!

3. We Should LOOK WITHIN – (vv.27-32)

NOTICE that we do not have to be worthy to partake of communion, but that we are to partake in a WORTHY MANNER!

How? – (v.28) –

1 John 1:9 CSB

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

4. We Should LOOK AROUND – (vv.29b, 33-34)

Compare (v.29b) to (10:16-17) – “…recognizing the body” is NOT just a reference to the body of our Lord as He hung on the cross, but a reference to the His Body, the CHURCH!

It means that I consider my BROTHERS & SISTERS IN CHRIST!

WHICH, by the way, is a DIFFERENT paradigm from what I was taught (and what I’ve taught)!

I was taught that communion is a PERSONAL time of worship and reflection—a time when I shut off everything around me and (v.28) – “Let a person examine himself…”

NOW THAT IS STILL TRUE, but according to (vv.29, 33-34), I’m also to take a few moments in my examination and reflect on my position in the Body of Christ!

· Am I rightly relating to my brothers and sisters?

· Are there some unresolved issues among the brethren?

Matthew 5:23–24 CSB

So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

· Are you ticked off at someone this morning?

· Are we taking care of one another’s needs?

· Is anyone hungry this morning?

· Does anyone have needs that we can meet?

James 2:14–17 CSB

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

· Are we bearing one another’s burdens?

CONCLUSION

As we close this message by sharing in Communion, I want to encourage you to look BACK, look UP, look WITHIN, and look AROUND!