The Lord's Supper: take it seriously - or else!

1. The Lord’s Supper is a time to Share (V. 17-22)

“The peoples of the ancient world were very sociable. It was the regular custom for groups of people to meet together for meals. There was, in particular, a certain kind of feast called an eranos to which participants brought their own share of the food, and in which all the contributions were pooled to make a common meal.” The Christians of the day had a very similar custom, and called it “the Love Feast” (Barclay, 118).

A. The Love Feast was no longer about love.

Last week, we saw that they were doing some things right…but as he starts talking about the Lord’s Supper, about Communion, he states very strongly that they are not doing God’s will.

Paul is basically mocking them in V. 18-19 - if anyone among them would be genuine and recognized, the reader would have thought he was referring to…Rich or Poor? The Rich! Right, if anyone should be looked up to, it should obviously be the rich.

“They thought the differences among them were a reflection of those who had God’s special approval” (Rosner, PNTC).

But then Paul hits them with a zinger in V. 20 (READ).

B. The Love Feast was about showing off.

READ 21-22:

There was clearly a wide variety of people in Corinth: Rich, poor, slaves, free.

The poor, and the slaves had little to eat, like normal - while the rich stuffed themselves, and refused to share. They were the rich, it was their’s to eat.

Paul refuses to say this is good. God does not condone this kind of selfishness.

C. The Love Feast should have been about fellowship.

The rich wanted to stuff themselves with their own wealth, they could do that in their own home. The churchwas not the place ot be doing so.

Their selfishness humiliated those who had nothing.

Instead of the Love Feast/Lord’s Supper being a time of fellowship, love, and refreshment for all, it had become a problem in Corinth. It had become a time to emphasize the differences instead of dwell on the unity they had in Christ.

For us, we must be conciously fellowshipping with other believers. This can be as simple as recognizing that they are doing the same thing you are, that they too are remembering Christ.

2. The Lord’s Supper is a time to Remember (V. 23-26)

After chiding the Cornthians for showing off, he corrects them, reminding of why we have Communion in the first place. READ 23-26

A. We must remember Christ’s sacrifice.

V. 24 - Christ gave His body as the payment for our sins. He lived a sinless life -

Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

When we have the Lord’s Supper, we must be dwelling on, meditating on Christ and what He did for us.

Many times, I think we think of the Lord’s Supper as a time to confess our sins...

i. The Lord’s Supper not a time to confess our sins.

We’ll talk more about “eating and drinking unworthily” in a minute, but trust for the moment to say that the Lord’s Supper is a time to remember.

ii. The Lord’s Supper is not about us.

Rather, it is a time to remember Christ’s Sacrifice.

B. We must remember Christ’s promise.

V. 25 - Again, remembering the Lord and His work on earth, but this time it’s a different aspect. “The New Testament” or “New Covenant.” We don’t live under the law anymore!

Romans 6:14, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

We don’t have to live under the restrictions of sacrifice, cleanliness, etc. We are under the grace of God, and we should therefore forsake our sin.

Christ promises grace to all who confess their sins and turn to Him. At the Lord’s Supper, we must remember that.

3. The Lord’s Supper is a time to be Attentive (V. 27-34)

Paul gives a very, very strong warning in this passage:

A. Participating unworthily may result in severe punishment.

READ v. 29-32

This is serious.

I do think that this can be true in today’s world as well. Nothing in this passage or other passages indicates otherwise.

Sin has consequences

V. 32 - “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. “

In other words, God disciplines us instead of allowing us to be judged for our sins along with the unsaved.

God’s discipline is God’s grace in our lives.

To be attentive simply means to be engaged in what’s happening. You’re remembering the things we’ve talked about, you’re listening to what Pastor is saying, and to the deacons praying, and meditating on the truth from God’s Word they’re presenting. You’re not daydreaming, or thinking about whether or not you’re worthy to have the Lord’s Supper (we’ll get to that). During the Lord’s Supper, you have to be all there. This is a command!

Key Verse - V. 28 - Imperative!

What does it mean to examine yourself?

A. We must Share

B. We must Remember

C. We must be Attentive

If you’re doing these things, and you are a believer in Christ, you are accomplishing the purpose of the Lord’s Supper.

One last thought: While the Lord’s Supper is not a time to confess our sins, that doesn’t mean we won’t ever confess any sin during Communion.

Our focus must be on Christ. For some, that may bring to mind some things in your life that you haven’t dealt with before the Lord. Do that right away, then return your focus to Christ and to the message of the service.

To be unworthy of the Lord’s Supper is to forget it’s purpose.

Again, if you are a faithful believer, and you are focused on Christ, you’re conciously sharing in it with other believers, you’re engaged with the service (the “meal” if you will), then you are accomplishing God’s will for the Lord’s Supper.