Guidance Concerning Communion

Guidance Concerning Communion (17-34) - The Corinthian believer’s are not observing the Lords Supper as they should.

      I.        Perversion (11:17-22)

a.     They separated into their own little groups (11:17-20)

                                          i.    1:10-12

                                         ii.    Come together as a church- not an edifice, a building – the true church

                                        iii.    When the Corinthian believers came together, the divisive or party spirit that we saw in chapter 1 carried over into the Lord’s Supper.

                                        iv.    In verse 20 speaks to the division and critical spirit, it is impossible for then to celebrate the Lord Supper in the manner they were doing it.

                                         v.    Our hearts need to be careful not to be divisive or a party spirit.

b.     They shared with no one else (11:21-22)

                                          i.    What a comment that is! Some poor fellow couldn’t afford to bring food. He’s hunger and isn’t given anything to eat. While next to him was a rich person with fried chicken and ice cream and was too selfish to share. And then the town drunk came in and drank all the wine.

                                         ii.    The fellowship was broken, how can a church participate when there is such selfishness and abuse.

                                        iii.    Paul says if you’re not coming for true fellowship to should have stayed at home.

1.     What they were doing was fractioning the body of Christ. They were coming for the wrong reasons.

2.     We come today to participate in communion, our tummies are full, and no one is obviously drunk. What about us? We need to have the attitude of service, of giving ourselves to one another. We can’t come to church as a single unit and be cloistered from others.

     II.        The Pattern (11:23-25) Paul teaches them about the Lord’s Supper as conducted by Jesus in the upper room.

a.     What the Savior Did (11:23,25)

                                          i.    He held up the bread (23)

                                         ii.    He held up the cup (25a)

b.     What the Savior Did (11:24,25)

                                          i.    He gave thanks- remember it was the eve before his death. How many of us could give thanks in the light of impending trouble?

                                         ii.    Concerning the bread (11:24) breaking the bread indicates that this is something to be shared. What a rebuke the bread was to be shared not kept for oneself. 

                                        iii.    Concerning the cup (11:25)His body was the cup that held the blood, he was born to die and shed his blood.

1.     AGAIN AND AGAIN WE ARE REMINDED BY THE APOSTLES THAT WE HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD.

2.     He has extended mercy towards us because of the blood. The penalty of our sin paid for by His Blood.

   III.        The Purpose (11:26, 28) Any Lord’s Table involves a threefold look.

a.     Backward look to the cross (26a)

                                          i.    It is a commemoration “This do…in remembrance of me.”

                                         ii.    This table looks back nineteen hundred years to his death on the cross. DON’T FORGET THAT. That’s important!

b.     Inward look to the conscience (28)

                                          i.    We need to examine ourselves

                                         ii.    1 John 1:8,9

c.     Forward look to the crown (26b)

                                          i.    This table wouldn’t last forever, it is temporary.

                                         ii.    This table speaks of the absent Lord who is coming back.

   IV.        The Penalty (11:27, 29-30) any believer who partakes in an unworthy manner is guilty and risks punishment.

a.     Unworthy does not refer to the person taking communion. Rather it is speaking about the manner in which it is taken. (drunkenness, hungry, division)

                                          i.    No one is worthy of this, we all stand condemned

                                         ii.    It’s in the manner in which it is taken.

                                        iii.    Notice the penalty

1.     To eat and drink God’s judgment (27-29)

2.     To be divinely judged with physical sickness (30a)

3.     To be divinely judged with physical death (30b)

   V.        The Profit (11:31-34)

a.    It can be used for judging ourselves (31-32))

                                          i.    If we don’t judge ourselves Jesus will.

1.     The Pastor notice a woman in the congregation who did not accept the bread and the cup, so he left the table and sat alongside of her and said” take it, my dear, it is for sinners!” Her response back the minister “Indeed it is; but sinners saved by the grace must not treat the Lord’s Supper in a sinful manner.”

                                         ii.    We need to come and repent of any know sin, judge our own hearts.

1.     We are not religious detectives who watch others.

                                        iii.    Chastening is God’s loving was of dealing with his sons and daughters to encourage them to mature.

1.     It is not a judge condemning a criminal, but a loving Father disciplining His disobedient children

2.     Chastening proves God’s love for us, and chastening can, if we cooperate, perfect God’s life in us.

b.     It can be used for giving ourselves (33-34)

                                          i.    The Lord’s Table is a family table, He desires that we come together to love one another and care for one another.

                                         ii.    We can not get closer to the Lord while at the same time we are separated from one another.

   VI.        Together we need to search our hearts, make whatever changes that need to be made- right with the Lord and your family.