Waiting at the Lord's Table
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The Communion of the Saints
The Communion of the Saints
The Church
1. The Church is the reunification of a divided people
… the coming together of God’s people
2. Sin, divides People! (Genesis,;Exodus; Judges; The prophets
3. God unites people! (Abel; Abraham; David; Jesus; The Wedding Supper of the Lamb
Paul’s Mission
1. Once divided
2. His Conversion - the great unification
3. His Mission - to Unite people with Jesus! (Organised in Churches!)
Stay together!
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about;
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.
The Holy Spirit unites us in faith!
But, now:
You are living lives of division!
17 Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18 For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
19 Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
The Church at Corinth:
1. Founded by Paul
2. Life and Living (Greek and Roman gods/ festivals/orgies ...
…and Christians!
3. A church, DIVIDED!
The works of the flesh
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
And now, it has made its way into that greatest, most profound reminder of our Unity!
20 When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
21 For at the meal, each one eats his own supper. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk!
22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!
This is not the way it should be!
Let us remind ourselves, says Paul, what is at stake here:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, 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, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And then, as if to emphasises it, certainly draw holy attention to it, Paul repeats the last phrase:
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
You proclaim the Lord’s death!
Jesus death, which has ...
saved your life (from sin, and death)
given you a living hope (eternally)
a preview of Glory, which is certain!
The courage and the glorious anticipation of waiting!
The strength and the power to wait well!
But, says Paul, I hear that you have forgotten what it is all about?!
Lest you repent and remind yourselves what it is all about,
you dishonour God … and you will be found guilty in heaven of the sin of unbelief!
27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.
That is dangerous!
To dishonour Jesus in this way, will lead to death!
(The children in the park)
(Comfortable sins)
The link between Jesus death and Sin and salvation. A price that had to be paid, and has been paid!
No!
This is no small matter!
You need to understand it, for your sake and for your children’s sake, because until they grow up to have the emotional maturity to understand these things, you are drinking and eating the Lord’s Supper also on their behalf! That is what you confirmed when you baptised them!
You need to examine yourself!
28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.
or else ...
29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Whoever does not earnestly examine him- or herself and come to the conviction of the saving sacrifice that Jesus made, to the glory of God, and so that we would be re-united with Jesus (just as we drink the many grapes that make one wine …) eats and drinks judgement on themselves!
And then, Paul gives us a glimpse of the reality of a world that has no business sitting at the Lord’s table!
30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.
“Many have tried … many have died!”
Trying, by holding on to false Gods
Dying, by denying the truth and the Gospel!
This will be avoided, if you have rightly examined yourself!
31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged,
Which brings us to the marrying this Sunday morning, of our preparation for the Lord’s Supper, where we will be united in Christ in the most profound way,
and the fact that this is Advent Sunday, the beginning of the time that we wait for Christmas, when we will celebrate the birth of Jesus!
33 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.
That is how we are to wait, B&S!
In mutual love, and hope, and with gratitude ...
for the salvation that has come
because Jesus became the bread and the wine for us!
Amen!
Love
Love