There is Unity at the Table

2-3 years ago, I preached on this passage and today I want to take a slightly diffeernt approach. Today I want to talk to you on the subject “There is Unity at the Table.” And I want you to look at the table of communion or what is supposed to happen at the table of communion as an example of what is supposed to happen at the tables we sit at in everyday life.

Communion is not supposed to be something that we just go through on first Sunday without it causing some type of change. Matter of fact this is exactly what Paul is writing this particular piece of the letter for. The Corinthians are coming to the table, but they are not allowing the table to accomplish what it was designed to accomplish. And because they are not allowing it to accomplish to what is designed to accomplish Paul basically tells them that though you are goign through the motions of communion, you are not actually having communion.

The word “you” here is plural, which means that when Paul says you come to the table “YOU” come to the table for the worst instead of the better, he is referring to the Corinthians as a group. So when we read this today, we should not only read this and take heart to it as individuals, but we should take heart to it as a group.

We as a church should come to the table better.

We as a family should come to the table better.

We as..

It matters how we come to the table

Paul tells the Corinthians that when they come to the table, they come to the table not for the better but for the worst.

When we come to the communion table it matters how we come to the table, because how you come to table determines how you are going to leave.

It’s like getting into the shower. When we come to a shower we come to the shower with the intent to made clean. We want to move from dirty state to a clean state. There is an intentionality that you have when we come to the shower. But imagine if got into the shower, and turned the water on and never let it hit you. Picked up the soap, but never used it to wash your body. And then got out with the audacity to say you had a shower.

This is exactly what is going on in the Corinthian church. They are sitting down at the table of communion, they are eating the food and drinking the drink of communion, they are going through the motions of communion, but they haven’t had communion.

That’s why in verse 20 Paul admonishes them by telling them that when they meet together though they are going through the motions it’s not the Lord’s Supper they are really having.

Now the table doesn’t always look like a table. The table can be a conversation between husband and wife, parent and child, church member to church member. And if you are a Christian, the table can be your political seat or the position you hold in local or federal government. The table can be your job or even your voting ballot. And how you come to those tables in life matter.

It matters whether you come to the table for the better or for the worst.