Sermon Tone Analysis

Today, we have the privilege of going behind the scenes on one of the most familiar passages of Scripture to the believer in the New Testament--- this being the Lord’s Supper.

Churches all over the world will pick up this passage and read it multiple times a year in remembrance of the Lord’s death and the taking of the communion elements.

But yet, as familiar as this passage is, I believe that most of us may not even know the context or the reason it was written within it’s setting in 1 Corinthians.

Why did Paul by the inspiration of the Spirit pick up his pen to write this very important text?

Today, we are gonna pull back the curtain and see that this important truth and the verses we read to commemorate and remember our Lord’s death were used right in the middle of a harsh criticism with the way the 1st century believers in Corinth were handling their gatherings together.

I believe that we too should take heed to these preliminary verses lest we too be found unworthy and dishonorable in how we take up the bread and cup of the Lord’s table.

Pray

Before we get too far, and pull back the curtain, it’s always important to recap the previous events.

Notice, that most story driven TV shows will usually include a quick recap because the next episode will draw on the events of the previous ones.

The same is true of this Scriptures so it is vital that we always be aware of what has taken place.

It’ll keep the integrity and meaning of the book more clear if we take pause to do so.

By now, we have done so many recaps, that I hope that you guys would be able to give me the recap without much aid.

We understand that the book of 1 Corinthians was written to the believers in Corinth sometime after Paul had started the church there and spent time discipling them in the Lord.

This letter would come to them from Paul who is in eagerness needing to rebuke sin and correct and teach true Biblical doctrine and practice.

Chapter 1-6 were Paul’s harsh rebuke on the divisions, sexual sins, and the improper handling of disputes in the church.

Chapter 7-potentially the present chapter, began Paul’s answers to the questions that were posed to Paul, perhaps in another letter, about common issues in the church.

These included marriage and divorce, singleness, meat offered to idols and the principle of Christian liberty, and possibly the issue of head covers and the broader doctrine of Gender roles- more specifically leadership and submission.

The beginning of chapter 11, Paul commends them on remembering him in everything and maintaining the traditions- these traditions or as some versions might read, ordinances are basically the oral teachings.

So Paul commends them for hearing him and trying to maintain what he taught.

Paul gave more clarity on the topic of headship as we discussed.

But as he gives this more detailed instruction, he then changes his tone as the Spirit draws his memory to something that he heard that he in no way can he commend them for.

In fact, what was meant to be a good thing has turned out to be far worse.

And what was it that Paul has changed his demeanor on so quickly, let’s no pick up our copies of Scripture, pull back the curtains, as we reveal the inner problems facing the Corinthian people and why it could be said that they had a dishonorable fellowship.

Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

As Paul said here, “in the first place”, let’s discuss the...

I.

The Problem concerning their Gatherings(v.17-22)

I(A).

Marked with Division

Paul says that it has been reported that there are divisions amongst them.

The phrase following that gives us a somewhat better glimpse into Paul’s mind.

“I believe it in part”.

It could be a different way .

“I believe a certain report.”

What we are seeing here is bickering, fightings, quarreling… tattletalings.

You’ve probably been there when your young kids or even you as a younger self reported on the wrong doings of another sibling only for them to share their portion of the story.

Usually each side of the story getting more embellished to make the other person look worse, often times making discerning the truth difficult.

Here Paul says it wasn’t so hard to believe the reports though that the church (Ekklesia meaning assembly, congregation, body) once again was not acting as one but as many.

This wasn’t so surprising to Paul about the divisions because he has already written in great detail about the other points of division amongst their members.

About which speaker to follow and model (loyalties to a certain group), about this and that and everyone other silly little thing.

But as we already spoke of in chapter 3, the root and reason of the constant division is simply immaturity and carnality.

They were acting like little kids, fixated on meaningless and trivial things and consumed by self.

Any time division is present, most likely the root cause is selfishness and immaturity.

Sure, there are times we must separate from someone over doctrinal issues or separate ourselves from unrepentant believers

But separation is not cause for bitterness, bickering, quarelings, speaking in ways to each other and other people in ways that doesn’t build up.

This is wrong!

One of the most fearful things in the church is division, because it is one of the first and surest signs of spiritual sickness.

One of the first symptoms of worldliness and backsliding, often before it shows up in compromised doctrine or life-style, is dissension within a congregation

This next verse written here for us is quite interesting.

Take note of verse 19.

There must be factions… there must be divisions.

Paul recognized that while in the earthly sinful state that we are all in… divisions cannot be entirely avoided.

The greek word for “there must be” is the word “Dei” which translate to me it is necessary.

Making said division part of God’s plan.

Does He cause it, no… absolutely not.

Has He a plan to use it, ABSOLUTELY.

And for what purpose does He use division?

To highlight the love, harmony, maturity, and the spirituality of those who are “genuine” or we would be better to use the word “approved.”

Approved (dokimos) refers to that which has passed a test.

The term was used of precious metals tried in fire and proved to be pure.

Church division, ungodly and sinful as it is, nevertheless is used by the Lord to prove the worth of His faithful saints.

In the midst of bickering and divisiveness they are separated out as pure gold is from the dross.

Evil helps manifest good.

Trouble in the church creates a situation in which true spiritual strength, wisdom, and leadership can be manifested.

What strikes me about this verse is that two sides are easily revealed.

Those that are immature, sinful, carnal, fleshly, selfish, and with little proof of spiritual life and then there are those that are genuine, approved, spiritual.

And I have to ask that each of us ask ourselves which category do we fall in.

Paul says it was very easy to recognize the genuine and the approved amongst the selfish and immature in the Corinthian church.

All of us want to say that yes we love the Lord and yes we are His followers but why then is there such a gap in believers.

Why are some in a category of genuine/approved and others not?

We should all be aware that we have been bought with a price as the Bible says and that we are to glorify God in our bodies and our spirits which are God’s.

We should all be aware that we are made into a new creation, old things are passed away behold new things have come.

We should all be aware that each of us is to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we may approve and discern the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God in our lives.

So what about you believer?

Are you approved unto God, a workman not needing to be ashamed?

Easily recognised by others for your maturity?

I can easily pick out the mature in our church.

What defines them is not years, or appearance… what defines maturity is love for others, service in the church and for God, a longing for the Scriptures and doctrine, and longing to be with other people, being involved in their lives, disciple-making and caring about the great commission.

Can I just be honest with you… that group that I am describing, that we see constantly giving love, lifting each other up in prayer, serving the church, longing to know the Word of God, the group, that we hardly ever see complain or gripe or bicker is the same group that comes every Sunday school hour, the same group the does their very best to come Sunday nights, and Wednesday’s, many if not close to all are engaged in leading another member in disciple-making teaching them the truths of God’s word, reproducing themselves as God has instructed into the life of another.

This same group is actively praying for and reaching out to lost ones in the community.

Don’t believe me, come and listen to the testimonies we are blessed to hear on Sunday nights and during communion Good-news testimony and praise.

It’s incredible.

But often times, who are the ones that are marked by complaints, and disagreements, and talk to each other about things they dislike about such and such or so and so at the church.

It’s often times the same folks who are coming out to be apart of those other gatherings.

Who are missing out on further times of instructions from the Word of God, who don’t have time or who don’t make time to pray with their fellow saints midweek about the lost souls that we are charged with to reach, who feel like other things on a Sunday night are more important than hearing more truth and fellowship with God’s people.

I understand the feeling.

It’s easy to say well not tonight.

I’m tired.

Well, I went to church this morning.

But that’s the problem isn’t it.

Where is the zeal for God’s word, where is desire to be fed, where is the longing to be apart of what God is doing, where is conviction that I am hear to be a blessing and sacrifice for others in our church.

Now I know that for some, it physically may not be possible to be present at every service or even any services.

But is your life marked by concern for the church, for others, for learning, for growing, for giving, for teaching, for praising God.

Or is it marked by what you feel like doing.

How you speak will be a good indicator of that.

How you speak about your church and the other members in it is a good indication of that.

If Paul was in the room writing this letter about our church, would your actions easily identify you as being part of the approved and genuine?

I almost believe, because it is human nature to do so that some will say, well I would be if in the genuine group it was for so and so or I would be part of that group if that they didn’t run it this way… it doesn’t matter what other’s are doing, we cannot blame our actions on another.

We can only be responsible for our own actions and how we chose to line ourselves up in obedience to the Word of God.

The Corinthians were marked by ungoldy and immature divisions but that wasn’t the only problem their fellowship was marked with… it was also....