Appropriate Action
class=MsoNormal>1) 8-6-06 / Sun AM / CBC…2) 4-10-11…AM…SBC“Appropriate Action”
Introduction: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Picture with me a night at the Opera. Proper attire is suit and tie and dresses. You enter the Opera to the sound of classical music playing softly in the background. People are shuffling past you in a very dignified and quiet manner. The lights are dimmed all around you as you find your seats in the balcony. You softly thank the usher for helping you to your seat and settle in for a night of dignified entertainment. All is going as expected until shortly into the opera you hear a rather annoying cracking sound. As you peer over the balcony you notice 5 jokers in the front row cracking peanuts and drinking pop. All of a sudden, the 5 brothers, I mean these five jokers just start chanting, “Here we go opera, here we go, clap clap.” Then if that wasn’t enough one of them starts running across the front row yelling, “Come on; Do the Wave, everybody up.” At last, it is time for intermission, as you are leaving your seat you see these same 5 guys stand up and begin to sing, “Take me out to the Opera…” Finally, after an evening of torture through inappropriate action of these 5 jokers you are ready to go home. During the final curtain call the main actor enters again to the roar of the audience and over all that you hear these 5 guys chanting in unison, “MVP, MVP, MVP.” What you have just been a witness of is a classical case of inappropriate action.
Transition: This must have been the same way Paul felt about the report he received of inappropriate behavior in Corinth
Background
1- Disorder in the Church of Corinth 1:11
2- Paul’s purpose is to correct serious doctrinal—moral sins—disorderly conduct in worship within the church
3- Paul addressed false views about the resurrection of Christ and the body (ch15)—sexual misconduct (ch 5)—Christians taking Christians to court (ch6)—ch11-14 deal with problems connected with Worship with Ch11 dealing specifically with disorderly conduct at the Lord’s Supper
Transition: What we want to examine this morning what is the appropriate behavior and heart attitude that we are to take to the Lord’s Table and to do that we must first see what Paul identifies as…
1) The Problem v17-22
A- Paul’s first statement to the Corinthians regarding the conduct at the Lord’s Table is v17
1- cf:11:2 he just praised them for remembering him and for holding to the teachings he gave them earlier
2- The Agape Meal cf: Acts 2:46
a- common meal eaten together—LT at end— Passover deliverance—permanent spiritual deliverance of Christ—Love Feast (Jude 12)
b- Those were congregational meals stressing fellowship, affection, and mutual caring among the believers.[1]
c- The emphasis on oneness led very readily into a celebration of the unifying action of the Savior on the cross.[2]
d- And when the meal was connected to the bread and cup remembrance, their actions were a flagrant desecration of the sacred ordinance.[3]
e- The Corinthians’ actions leading up to the LT were “doing more harm than good” v17
B- There were divisions among the believers v18
1- (v21) Paul gives 2 extremes of the division in the church
C- Paul’s point is that the LT was a remembrance of the selfless act of Christ’ death on the behalf of others and the Corinthians had taken that memorial and turned it into just the opposite—selfishness—making a mockery
1- (v22)This is why Paul couldn’t praise them and said they were doing more harm than good
Transition: Once Paul identifies the problem, then he tells them, with apostolic authority, what their need was
2) The Need v23-36
Ø As an apostle, he teaches its members the significance and proper manner of celebrating the LT[4]
Ø ONLY FOR BELIEVERS—MEMBERS OF A CHURCH—SALVATION—REFLECT ON CHRIST
Ø Believers must understand that when they partake of the LT, they are guests at his table.[5]
Ø If Christians partake without loving their fellow church members, they are dishonoring the Lord himself. [6]
Ø not just when you are partaking of the LT but leading up to it in our lives together
Ø v27-32—chastisement not condemnation/damnation—v32—disciplined by the Lord—v30—Divine intervention
· unworthily—going through the motions w/out emotions—imparts grace—keeps one saved—bitterness—sin
· If a believer comes with anything less than the loftiest thoughts of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and anything less than total love for his brothers and sisters in Christ, he comes unworthily.[7]
· loving one another as a requirement for taking the Lord’s table—we dishonor Christ Himself
· Place for purifying the church—get right with an errant brother/sister/h/w/child if you need to
Prayer of self-examination
A- The Institution of Lord’s Supper v23
Have RJ Pass Out the Bread
The Bread v23-24
a- Matthew 26 tells us that the Lord’s Supper was celebrated in connection with the Passover Meal Celebration
b- this symbolic nature of the Jewish Passover meal further demonstrates that Christ was speaking in a symbolic fashion and not about the bread turning into His physical flesh
c- the bread symbolized his upcoming physical death and once-for-all selfless sacrifice—spiritual deliverance
d- bread now symbolizes X—he wasn’t broken—symbolism of spiritual deliverance
Application – In the same way we are to focus on God’s great sacrifice for us – forgiveness, grace, mercy
· FOR YOU
· The incarnation—he did it not for Himself (Agape Meal)—paid the ransom our sin demanded
Have RJ Pray
v23 - Do this in remembrance of me
The Cup v25
Have RJ Pass out the Cup
1- Back to the PO meal—blood on door posts—redemption—OT covenant ratified by blood sacrifices forsin
2- The cup represents the new covenant that Jesus ratifies with his blood.[8]
3- It is important to realize that this was not new in the sense that it was a covenant of grace replacing one of works. It is new in that it is the saving covenant to which all the Old Testament shadows pointed.[9]
4- Christ’s shed blood is a deliverance from sin to salvation—death to life—newness of life—committed discipleship
5- We now eat the bread and drink the cup not to remember the Red Sea and the Exodus but to remember the cross and the Savior.[10]
Have RJ Pray
V25 – Do This in Remembrance of me
“Proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes again” v26
· It is more than a remembrance for our own sakes; it is also a proclamation for the world’s sake.[11]
· It is a testimony to the world that we are not ashamed of our Lord or of His blood, that we belong to Him and are obedient to Him.[12]
· Communion is also a reminder of the Lord’s coming again, for He tells us to proclaim His death by this means until He comes.[13]
· It helps keep us looking forward to the day when we will be with Him. [14]
· It is a celebration of His present life and of His future return in glory.[15]
Deacon’s Fund Offering
The Church’s One Foundation
Beloved, Let us Love One Another
Soon and Very Soon
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[1] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (267). Chicago: Moody Press.
[2] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (267). Chicago: Moody Press.
[3] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (267). Chicago: Moody Press.
[4] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 18: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary (392). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[5] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 18: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary (392). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[6] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 18: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary (392). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[7] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273–274). Chicago: Moody Press.
[8] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 18: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament Commentary (397). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
[9] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (272). Chicago: Moody Press.
[10] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (272). Chicago: Moody Press.
[11] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273). Chicago: Moody Press.
[12] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273). Chicago: Moody Press.
[13] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273). Chicago: Moody Press.
[14] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273). Chicago: Moody Press.
[15] MacArthur, J. (1996). 1 Corinthians (273). Chicago: Moody Press.