Lord's Supper

Today we will be partaking the Lord’s Supper, one of two ordinances given to the church. The other is baptism.

It is interesting that Jesus commanded us to remember His death, not his birth!

*Before we get to our main text in 1 Cor. chapter 11 we need to grasp the biblical understanding of God’s Chastening!

Let’s Turn to Hebrews Chapter 12:5-11

V. 5-6 Chastening has two degrees or levels: Rebuking (expose, reprove, convict) and Scourging (to whip or flog)

V. 7-10 Chastening is an assurance of your salvation! If you are not being chastened you are illegitimate!

V. 11 Chastening brings forth fruit of righteousness for Holy living. Witch is living a life pleasing unto the Lord. (show definition)

Repentance is the ONLY THING to stop God’s Chastening!

Let’s turn to our main text 1 Corinthians 11:17

Context:

The church at Corinth was a church infested with sin. They were babe’s in Christ. Having divisions among them.

Arguing of who they would follow, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos. They argued over everything.

They valued worldly wisdom and many inside the church were sexually immoral. They even were suing each other in the courts of the pagan world!

Let’s pick up in verse 17 through 21

**Describe the “love feast” that was common during this time, a meal that was to end in taking the Lord’s Supper. WE WOULD CALL IT A “POTLUCK DINNER”

1. There were divisions among the wealth and the poor. The wealth would come with their food and wine and eat without waiting on others and NOT SHARE WITH THOSE WHO HAD NOTHING. SOME WOULD EVEN GET DRUNK! PLACING SHAME ON THOSE WHO WERE LESS FORTUNATE. *WE ARE EQUAL IN CHRIST!!

Paul responds in verse 22: WHAT!! WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING??

V. 27 UNWORTHY MANNER?

1 Corinthians Original Meaning

In an unworthy manner” in verse 27a translates the Greek adverb anaxios (“unworthily”). Paul does not use the adjective “unworthy,” which would have referred to a person’s character, but highlights instead the nature of their actions.

This is referring to one’s core heart issues, your attitude towards others:

1. Clicks inside of the church 2. The haves and the have nots 3. jealousies of others 4. Bitterness 5. Unforgiveness! 6. No order 7. No unity 8. Selfishness

**They did not honor the body of our Lord!

V. 28-33 Examine Yourself Examine” (v. 28) means “test and find approved.” If their behavior towards their fellow-Christians is appropriate, then they qualify to participate themselves.

CHECK YOUR HEART! CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE! IF YOU HAVE THE ABOVE LIST IN YOUR HEART LET IT GO! ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND MOVE ON! IF YOU DO THEN YOU CAN PARTAKE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER WITH JOY AND GLADNESS!

**IF YOU DO NOT EXAMINE YOURSELF AND PARTAKE YOU EAT AND DRINK JUDGEMENT UPON YOURSELF

V. 30-33 CHASTENED BY THE LORD

***SOME OF YOU ARE WEAK, SICK AND SLEEP (DEAD)!

3 Levels of God’s Chastisement

1. Some are WEAK (Spiritual Lethargy- No Spiritual Power, No Joy, No Awareness of the power of Holy Spirit)

2. Then they get SICK ( Spiritual sickness that becomes Physical Sickness)

3. Because it leads to Physical DEATH (James 5:19)

If we would examine/judge ourselves then it would NOT BE NECESSARY for the Lord to Chasten us!

REMEMBER in Hebrews 12 God disciplines those he loves, to protect them from further damage to themselves and/or others in the church!