Lest we Provoke Him to Jealousy

Introduction

Good morning again, Turn in your Bibles this morning to 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 11,

Our text today is in 1 Corinthians 10, the bulletin is not wrong, but I wanted to take a quick look at something in chapter 11. Starting at verse 27.

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 ESV

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.

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 LBLA

De manera que el que coma el pan o beba la copa del Señor indignamente, será culpable del cuerpo y de la sangre del Señor. Por tanto, examínese cada uno a sí mismo, y entonces coma del pan y beba de la copa. Porque el que come y bebe sin discernir correctamente el cuerpo del Señor, come y bebe juicio para sí. Por esta razón hay muchos débiles y enfermos entre vosotros, y muchos duermen. Pero si nos juzgáramos a nosotros mismos, no seríamos juzgados. Pero cuando somos juzgados, el Señor nos disciplina para que no seamos condenados con el mundo.

The 1689 says this, in chapter 30 article 7

“Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of His death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.” [1]

I wanted to talk a little about being a “Worthy receiver” of the Lord’s Supper, the ordnance of communion. We talk often about preparing your heart and mind each time we do communion, and it seems good to me to by clear about what we mean be that. The passage in 1 Cor 11 helps us with that.

“29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.” (1 Co 11:29–31, ESV)

“29 Porque el que come y bebe sin discernir correctamente el cuerpo del Señor, come y bebe juicio para sí. 30 Por esta razón hay muchos débiles y enfermos entre vosotros, y muchos duermena. 31 Pero si nos juzgáramos a nosotros mismos, no seríamos juzgados.” (1 Co 11:29–31, LBLA)

Have you judged yourself truly

Sinner

Redeemed

Simal Justus et Pecetor

Pernicious false Gospel says, “the cross tells me how valuable I am”

The true discerner of the Body is the one that stands with the tax collector and says, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

And now we can turn to 1 Cor 10 and we will start with verse 14 today. 1 Cor 10:14-22

Now hear the word of the Lord

1 Corinthians 10:14–22 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

1 Corinthians 10:14–22 LBLA

Por tanto, amados míos, huid de la idolatría. Os hablo como a sabios; juzgad vosotros lo que digo. La copa de bendición que bendecimos, ¿no es la participación en la sangre de Cristo? El pan que partimos, ¿no es la participación en el cuerpo de Cristo? Puesto que el pan es uno, nosotros, que somos muchos, somos un cuerpo; pues todos participamos de aquel mismo pan. Considerad al pueblo de Israel: los que comen los sacrificios, ¿no participan del altar? ¿Qué quiero decir, entonces? ¿Que lo sacrificado a los ídolos es algo, o que un ídolo es algo? No, sino que digo que lo que los gentiles sacrifican, lo sacrifican a los demonios y no a Dios; no quiero que seáis partícipes con los demonios. No podéis beber la copa del Señor y la copa de los demonios; no podéis participar de la mesa del Señor y de la mesa de los demonios. ¿O provocaremos a celos al Señor? ¿Somos, acaso, más fuertes que Él?

May God Bless the Reading of his Holy and Infallible Word

Lets Pray

Transition

The instructions that the Apostle Paul gives are for the believer. Look at the start of verse 14,

Body

My Beloved, Flee From Idolatry (1)

Text

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.” (1 Co 10:14–15)

“¶14 Por tanto, amados míos, huid de la idolatría. 15 Os hablo como a sabios; juzgad vosotros lo que digo. “1 Co 10:14–15, LBLA

Exposition

“my beloved, flee from idolatry”

Exposition

Paul Speaks to Believers

Believers flee from Idolatry

Application

I spoke of the Pernicious false Gospel that says, “the cross tells me how valuable I am”

That is self Idolatry

Flee from that.

Flee from anything that takes the place of Christ as the most valuable thing

We don't have time today to get into it, but I invite you to read the rest of 1 Corinthians 10 later and see how Paul says, don’t even let those things that are acceptable get in the way of Worshiping God.

There are things that are not sin but they are still not worth your time.

Illustration

Think it about like a greasy engine and you got your favorite white shirt on. I am not going any where near that, not only am I not going to touch the engine, while I got this white shirt on I am not going to even open the hood.

You never take your Christianity off, unlike this white shirt. You get away from idolatry and you stay away from it.

Transition

It really is a no brainer Paul says,

“I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.”

Exposition

Other places in scripture Paul tells us he is showing us mysteries, but not here. Paul says, test this for yourself, you have a mind, you are a thinking Christian, you should get this.

Application

I would invite you to do that this morning, as we go through this, be ready to judge the conclusion for your self.

Transition

What is the teaching then that we are to judge? What we know for sure is that it is for the believer, and it is not complicated. Let’s take a look at verse 16 - 18.

One with Christ in the Cup (2)

Text

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?” (1 Co 10:16–18, ESV)

“16 La copa de bendición que bendecimos, ¿no es la participación en la sangre de Cristo? El pan que partimos, ¿no es la participación en el cuerpo de Cristo? 17 Puesto que el pan es uno, nosotros, que somos muchos, somos un cuerpo; pues todos participamos de aquel mismo pan. 18 Considerad al pueblo de Israela: los que comen los sacrificios, ¿no participan del altar?” (1 Co 10:16–18, LBLA)

Exposition

The Apostle says, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16, ESV)

“16 La copa de bendición que bendecimos, ¿no es la participación en la sangre de Cristo? El pan que partimos, ¿no es la participación en el cuerpo de Cristo?(1 Cor 10:17, LBLA)

Exposition

The question for us here is what is meant by “a participation”, in the blood and body of Christ?

R.C. Sproul wrote a book titled, What Is the Lord Supper?, In that book he said, “[t]hroughout church history, most people have favored the view that the real presence of Christ is present at the Lord’s Supper. In other words, we are in a real communion with Him at the table.”[2]

R.C. is pointing out here that the vast majority of Christians from the being understand what we confess and that is why I started with the 1689,

“Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified, and all the benefits of His death; the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally, but spiritually present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.”

This is what Calvin calls, “the mystical blessing in the Supper” … “that the wine may be no longer a common beverage, but set apart for the spiritual nourishment of the soul, while it is an emblem of the blood of Christ.” [3]

Application

How do we understand this, participation?

We call it an ordinary means of grace.

Not salvific

It brings our minds to the need for Christ, that is the memorial (this do in remembrance) part.

It is received by faith.

“Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this ordinance, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually receive, and feed upon Christ crucified.”

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (Jn 6:35, ESV)

“35 Jesús les dijo: Yo soy el pan de la vida; el que viene a mí no tendrá hambre, y el que cree en mí nunca tendrá sed.” (Jn 6:35, LBLA)

The scriptures do not explain exactly how this works,

Jesus refers to this again later in John 6, “56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (Jn 6:56–58, ESV)

“54 El que come mi carne y bebe mi sangre, tiene vida eterna, y yo lo resucitaré en el día final. 55 Porque mi carne es verdadera comida, y mi sangre es verdadera bebida. 56 El que come mi carne y bebe mi sangre, permanece en mí y yo en él. 57 Como el Padre que vive me envió, y yo vivo por el Padre, asimismo el que me come, él también vivirá por mí. 58 Este es el pan que descendió del cielo; no como el que vuestros padres comieron, y murieron; el que come este pan vivirá para siempre. (Jn 6:54–58, LBLA)

Remember, 5000 people stop following Jesus after he said this, they understood the depth of what he was saying and rejected it.

God is just, corrections and punishments fit the crime.

Remember 1 Cor 11 from earlier. “29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.” (1 Co 11:29–31, ESV)

“29 Porque el que come y bebe sin discernir correctamente el cuerpo del Señor, come y bebe juicio para sí. 30 Por esta razón hay muchos débiles y enfermos entre vosotros, y muchos duermena. 31 Pero si nos juzgáramos a nosotros mismos, no seríamos juzgados. (1 Co 11:29–30, LBLA)

if you don’t feed upon Christ in a worthy manner you die.

I have only presented a little bit of all of the different places this connects in scripture. For example, we have not talked about how all this connect back to the Passover. Or the sabbath rest we have in Christ. Or many other items, but for myself and the vast majority of Christians, though admittedly not all, all this adds up to understanding that Jesus is literally feeding us with himself.

Transition

Paul goes deeper in verse 17 saying,

"Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” (1 Cor 10:17, ESV)

“Puesto que el pan es uno, nosotros, que somos muchos, somos un cuerpo; pues todos participamos de aquel mismo pan. (1 Co 10:17, LBLA)

Exposition

The oneness here is speaking primarily of oneness with Christ and secondarily oneness with in the church. Paul already established this pattern in chapter 6,

“15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (1 Co 6:15–17, ESV)

“¶15 Os exhorto, hermanos (ya conocéis a los de la casa de Estéfanas, que fueron los primeros convertidosb de Acaya, y que se han dedicado al servicio de los santos), 16 que también vosotros estéis en sujeción a los que son como ellos, y a todo el que ayuda en la obra y trabaja. 17 Y me regocijo por la venidaa de Estéfanas, de Fortunato y de Acaico, pues ellos han suplido lo que faltaba de vuestra parte. (1 Co 16:15–17, LBLA)

Application

When you take the cup you are confessing your oneness with Christ and the oneness within the body. If you are one with Christ, you are one with all those that are one with him.

Notice the covenant nature of Paul’s words

This applies to sexual immorality, idolatry,

Just to get out of the Pauline words and look at this covenant wording that really runs throughout scripture.

Isaiah 1 “How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.” (Is 1:21, ESV)

“¡Cómo se ha convertido en ramera la ciudad fiel, la que estaba llena de justicia! Moraba en ella la rectitud, mas ahora, asesinos.” (Is 1:21, LBLA)

I am not going to read it here because there a young ears, but you read Ezekiel 23:19–21

James 4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (Jas 4:4, ESV)

“¡Oh almas adúlterasa! ¿No sabéis que la amistad del mundo es enemistad hacia Dios? (Jas 4:4, LBLA)

Back again to Paul “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Co 6:14, ESV)

“No estéis unidos en yugo desigual con los incrédulos, pues ¿qué asociación tienen la justicia y la iniquidad? ¿O qué comunión la luz con las tinieblas? (2 Co 6:14, LBLA)

Illustration

We are talking about a marriage covenant here, it is right said that the church is the bride of Christ? Are you a faithful bride? Are you wed to Christ? Do you act like it? Does the world know it?

Transition

Paul gives us another example, teaches how to understand this from the levitical practices. Look at verse 16.

“Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?” (1 Cor 10:18, ESV)

“18 Considerad al pueblo de Israela: los que comen los sacrificios, ¿no participan del altar? (1 Co 10:18, LBLA)

Exposition

I enjoy Calvin's explanation here, “He establishes it by another example, that such is the nature of all sacred observances, that they bind us in a kind of fellowship with God. For the law of Moses admits no one to a feast upon a sacrifice, but the man who has duly prepared himself. I speak not of priests merely, but of those among the common people who eat of the remains of the sacrifice. Hence it follows, that all who eat of the flesh of the sacrificed victim, are partakers with the altar, that is, of the sanctification, with which God has set apart his Temple, and the sacred rites that are performed in it.” [4]

This is another way we are set apart in taking the Lord’s Supper.

The first way is in memory.

Our minds are set apart

We are set apart spiritually, fed by Christ.

This way, We are set apart ceremonially.

This is used by God as the Ordinary (explain ordinary if you have or call them to remember the explanation) means by which all this is administered to the believer.

If you are following me you see there is a tremendous amount happening at the table of the Lord. This is why i have been, and Gabe has been, so keen on increasing the frequency.

Illustration

Imagine a marriage where the husband and wife said, I am okay if we talk maybe once every few months.

You would be right to step back and scratch your head and say… this don’t seem right to me.

Transition

you see, It’s all about what you worship, look at verse 19.

What do you Worship 3

Text

“19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” (1 Co 10:19–20, ESV)

“19 ¿Qué quiero decir, entonces? ¿Que lo sacrificado a los ídolos es algo, o que un ídolo es algo?

20 No, sino que digo que lo que los gentiles sacrifican, lo sacrifican a los demonios y no a Dios; no quiero que seáis partícipes con los demonios.(1 Co 10:19–20, LBLA)

Exposition

"What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No,”

“¿Qué quiero decir, entonces? ¿Que lo sacrificado a los ídolos es algo, o que un ídolo es algo? No,”

Exposition

The cup of the Lord is nothing physically, like the food offered to idols is nothing. Physically, but spiritually, there is nothing happening here.

Application

Think about the three things that are in the Lord’s Supper and see that Paul gives us this example so we can see it

The first way is in memory.

minds are set apart to idol worship

Set apart spiritually, being fed by demons.

Remember that this fed is the lack of feeding.

Nothinglessness

This reinforces the understanding the need of faith.

Set apart ceremonially.

United to the devil in perversion of worship.

Illustration

Think about someone sitting at the table. The table is nicely set, shining cutlery, but the plate is empty. They grab the fork and the knife and motion to eat. They chew and smile and smack their lips and say, mmm that so good. How long before they are dead? How long can they go on eating this Nothinglessness before they starve to death?

Transition

Paul goes on to say that to fed on nothinglessness is to worship the devil.

"I imply that what pagans sacrifice (worship) they offer to demons and not to God”

“sino que digo que lo que los gentiles sacrifican, lo sacrifican a los demonios y no a Dios; no quiero que seáis partícipes con los demonios. (1 Co 10:20, LBLA)

Exposition

Feeding on Christ is to worship Christ.

Not feeding on Christ is to worship the devil.

Application

Think about that, if you come to the Lord’s table having had examined yourself, and have found yourself totally unworthy, so you come to the table relying on Christ's work alone.

What more worship is there, to fully confess your need for Christ.

On the other hand, to say I don’t need this, I don’t need to feed on Christ, I don’t need his work, Nothinglessness is good enough for me, this is the pinnacle of counter worship. It is demon worship.

Not only do we need to do the table often we need to be earnest and diligent to participate often.

We are talking about a form of worship that God has decreed.

Jesus said, do this, do this, in remembrance of me.

Illustration

Think about the marriage again. A man says to a woman, I love you but I don’t need you. I love you but I would be fine never seeing you again. I love you but I really enjoy your sisters company more.

To love Christ, to be in relationship with Christ, to be the bride of Christ is to need all of Christ all the time.

R.C. writes again, “[a]t the very heart of the life and worship of the early Christian community was the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.” [5]

Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, the “love feast.” what ever it has been called is at the heart of worship.

Transition

Paul pleaded with us for a reason, look at the end of verse 20

“I do not want you to be participants with demons.”

“no quiero que seáis partícipes con los demonios”

Exposition

That sums it all up right there. Participate in Christ, or with demons.

Transition

In verse 21 he goes on to clarify.

You Worship God or the Devil (4)

Text

“21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Co 10:21–22, ESV)

“21 No podéis beber la copa del Señor y la copa de los demonios; no podéis participar de la mesa del Señor y de la mesa de los demonios. 22 ¿O provocaremos a celos al Señor? ¿Somos, acaso, más fuertes que Él? (1 Co 10:21–22, LBLA)

Exposition

 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”

““No podéis beber la copa del Señor y la copa de los demonios; no podéis participar de la mesa del Señor y de la mesa de los demonios.”

Exposition

Think about those three things that we do in communion.

In remembering we set our mind apart to God.

You cannot be both set apart in mind to both God and idols.

Set apart spiritually, being fed by christ.

You cannot eat nothing and something at the same time.

Set apart ceremonially.

You cannot worship God and the devil at the same time.

Transition

What is the cost of getting this worship wrong? Look at verse 22 as we get to the end this morning.

" Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?”

“¿O provocaremos a celos al Señor? ¿Somos, acaso, más fuertes que Él?”

Jesus said, ““I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Lk 12:4–5, ESV)

“4 Y yo os digo, amigos míos: no temáis a los que matan el cuerpo, y después de esto no tienen más nada que puedan hacer. 5 Pero yo os mostraré a quién debéis temer: temed al que, después de matar, tiene poder para arrojar al infiernob; sí, os digo: a este, ¡temed! (Lk 12:4–5, LBLA)

Application

Paul say the same here, what do you think God will do to those who pervert His worship.

Remember all this leads up to Chapter 11, God killed them. God kill those that perverted His worship.

“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.”

“28 Por tanto, examínese cada uno a sí mismo, y entonces coma del pan y beba de la copa. 29 Porque el que come y bebe sin discernir correctamente el cuerpo del Señor, come y bebe juicio para sí. 30 Por esta razón hay muchos débiles y enfermos entre vosotros, y muchos duermena.”

Transition

When we take the cup, when we take the bread, we are worshiping Christ, we are one with Christ, we are set apart and worship him in the way he prescribes.

Conclusion

In conclusion this morning, God has ordained a wonderful spiritually deep even mysterious bond between his Son and the Church. We celibate that bond of Love, between our bridegroom and us every time we take the Cup, we are reminded that we need him, we are reminded that we are totally unworthy and are saved by his perfect work, we fed on the bread of life, and we worship our king in spirit and truth. I hope that you will join me at the table.

Benediction

Jude 24–25 ESV

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

References

[1] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 2493.

[2] R. C. Sproul, What Is the Lord’s Supper?, First edition., The Crucial Questions Series (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2013), 31.

[3] John Calvin and John Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 335.

[4]John Calvin and John Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 336–337.

R. C. Sproul, What Is the Lord’s Supper?, First edition., The Crucial Questions Series (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2013), 1.

Bibliography

Calvin, John, and John Pringle. Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

Sproul, R. C. What Is the Lord’s Supper?. First edition. The Crucial Questions Series. Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2013.