THE TABLE

Story Mesada (Unity, Remember, & Reflect)

[Rome was about to break through.]

Israel’s army swears

“Mesada shall not fall again”

Christians

“Never shall Jesus die again”

The sermon is titled today “The Table”

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 (ESV)

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

1. At the Lord’s Table we Unify

1 Corinthians 11:18–22 (ESV)

18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

What is supposed to a be a holy spiritual moment around the table has become utter chaos.

They are supposed to be having a beautiful time of remembering the Lord’s sacrifice.

A Time when they are to proclaim the realities of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

A moment of examining themselves to make sure their hearts are postured toward God.

A time where they are completely unified by Jesus’ shed blood on the cross.

But instead of pure worship at the table,

it has become a moment of offensive behavior before God.

Instead of the table bringing unity it is bringing division.

Instead of people gathering as one body,

they are being separated by the classes of wealth.

It is helpful to understand,

that it was common for the wealthy to make the point that the poor were inferior to them.

(Invite the poor over)

[Different classes]

Paul of course has made the point many times that we are all one in Christ.

Jew or Greek

Slave or Free

male or female

In the Kingdom we all come together no matter what your background. (All sinners saved by grace)

Instead of the church being one in Corinth,

they are being separated by their position’s of wealth.

Instead of the church in Corinth being different and set apart from the culture,

they looked and acted just like everyone else around them.

Gordon Fee states,

“Although they were the Christian church in Corinth, an inordinate amount of Corinth was yet in them, emerging in a number of attitudes and behaviors.”

The Lord’s table is to bring unity and not division.

That is why Paul says this...

1 Corinthians 11:20 (ESV)

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.

Elaborate… Drunk funny (Dad’s uncle drink a little wine)

[some eat others go hungry]

Example today.... (Communion separated by wealthiest people)

The Lord’s table is to bring unity because our singular focus is on Jesus Christ.

Paul brings correction to what is happening in Corinth,

and then gives guidance in how the Lord’s table is actually supposed to be conducted.

At the Lord’s table we unify....

To be in unity we need to check our hearts.

2. At the Lord’s Table we Examine

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 (ESV)

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

The church in Corinth is experiencing judgement from God because they have profaned the Body of Christ.

Paul says some are weak and ill, some have even died because they have defiled the table of the Lord. (DO NOT TAKE IT LIGHTLY )

Paul highlights the important matter of before you partake at the Lord’s table you need to examine your heart...

Is there sins of commission?

meaning sins you know that you are committing that you need to repent of.

Is there sins of omission?

meaning sins of not doing what God is calling you to do.

Paul is saying you need to check yoursel!

examine your motives, your intentions,

ask God to show you things that you need to get right.

How many know we can do the right thing with the wrong motive?

We can also do the wrong thing with a sincere motive?

Another thing to think about is that we can be gifted and still have character that does not align with our gifting.

But because we are carrying out our gifting we don’t see that our hearts are not postured right.

Pastor affair

Church in Corinth… (Gifted)

Before we take the bread and wine (grape juice) we need to examine ourselves to make sure our hearts are postured toward Christ not our own agenda’s

When our hearts are all focused on Christ

there will be unity as we remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us.

3. At the Lord’s Table we remember

1 Corinthians 11:24–25 (ESV)

24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Jesus said...

Luke 22:19 (ESV)

19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

AT the Lord’s table we remember the great price that was paid on our behalf.

As anyone seen the passion of the Christ?

Isaiah 53:5–6 NLT

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

At the table we remember the one who gave it all for us...

Compelled by love Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins.

When we take communion let us not forget the pain that Jesus endured for you and me.

Before Jesus went to the cross he was tied to a whipping post.

D. A. Carson explains what it would have looked like for Jesus.

The Gospel according to John d. Jesus Sentenced (19:1–16a)

the favoured instrument was a whip whose leather thongs were fitted with pieces of bone or lead or other metal. The beatings were so savage that the victims sometimes died. Eyewitness records report that such brutal scourgings could leave victims with their bones and entrails exposed.

Jesus broke the bread and said… “this is my body which is broken for you”

The physical pain he would have endured is hard to fathom.

(He had is gaze set on the mission)

When Jesus arrived at Golgotha (the place of the skull)

He stretched out his arms in love to be pierced for our transgressions.

As the hammer rang,

nailing Jesus to a wooden cross.

His blood poured out of his body for you and me.

Jesus took the cup and said

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

There is unity at the table as we remember the price that was paid for you and me.

4. At the Lord’s Table we Proclaim

1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV)

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

How many know that we can give a message without saying anything?

We can refer to things as a symbolic message...

The Father in the practical son… when he ran out...

Symbolic messages sometimes have a bigger impact than a message proclaimed with words...

Word series 2001 (Yankees vs Diamondback)

9/11/01 = 10-30-01

George Bush

We will not live in fear

Paul is highlighting that there is a message that is being communicated when we participate in communion.

There is a message that is greater then mere words when we come together to partake at the Lord’s table.

There is a symbolic message that is being proclaimed.

This message is that Jesus Christ came....

hearts are washed pure…

we are unified looking out for one another...

we remember Jesus...

This morning as we partake of the Lord’s table may we be...

1. Unified

2. Examine (Singular focus)

2. Remember

3. Proclaim

Prayer....

Father, we come before you today to celebrate the Lord's Table.

Before we do this Father, we ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts for anything we need to get right before you, Lord.

Forgive us for any sins of commission that we need to repent of in our lives.

Forgive us of any sins of omission that we may be blinded to in our lives.

Father, if there is any unforgiveness in our hearts toward others, we lay that down at the foot of the cross and choose to forgive those who have wronged us.

Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit's work that helps bring things to light in our lives so that we may break the bread and drink from the cup that we do it in a worthy manner that does not sin against the Body of Christ.

Father, as we break the bread and drink of the cup, may we remember the great price that your Son Jesus paid that we may receive forgiveness.

As his Body was broken and his blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins, may that not be taken lightly.

We ask all things in Jesus' mighty name, Amen.