1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Introduction:

Announce Text:

Please open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Help find:

1 Corinthians is one of the first letters of the New Testament, placed right after the book of Romans. Be sure to check if you are in the First Corinthians letter and not the second one!

Scripture Introduction:

As you turn, I’d encourage you to consider you have your favorite meal in front of you. A meal that you love, that tops all other meals. What emotions are associated with that meal? Who made it? What other memories begin to arise as you think of it? As you are considering all this, who do you want to tell about this meal? If you had a huge portion, who are you wanting to eat this with? To tell them about all the emotions and memories behind it?

Paul is going to walk us through instructions of the best meal. A meal that may seem simple, but Paul will show us how it is truly the most important meal we will eat.

Read the text

So please stand with me as we read The Lord’s good instruction.

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 (ESV)

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. 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, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 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.

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

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. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 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.

Prayer for Illumination

Lord, we thank you that your Word is God-breathed. That, while Paul lay down the ink, you were the one speaking through him. We thank you for guidance, and we praise you for your mercy. Help us to understand your word and how it impacts our church today. Amen.

Illustration

Bond to textual situation

Paul is emphasizing that there is a difference in meals at home and the meal of the Church. He is explaining that this meal taken as a church surpasses all cultural ideas of what a group is because it directly links us to a meal of eternity.

FCF

You see, Paul knows we are fallen people. He knows we will act in ways that are not how it is supposed to be. We spend most of our time out in the world, living in the general social guidelines of our culture; but, while Paul understands this reality, he is unwilling to let us be guided by the world’s social standard and he is unwilling to allow the stain of sin in the world stain the church. He calls us to live by the biblical social guidelines.

NOTES FROM CLASS:

what is my FCF? fallen— social discrimination

zooming in on the sin will help with near application

COR

In the first century Corinth was a popping place. It was like

NOTES FROM CLASS:

Disunity

The Arch

Big Idea

God has established a meal of unity for the church.

Analytical Question

What, then, does this meal teach us?

Main Points:

It teaches us to remember what has come and what is to come. (v23-26)

It teaches us to be repentant. (v27-34)

Remember what has come and what is to come (23-26)

Remember to be repentant (17-22; 27-34)