Taking The Lord's Supper In A Worthy Manner

Intro

read passage every week, today preach on it as well

why is this part of the corporate worship series?

One, it is part of 1 Cor 11 which is clearly about church order during worship

Second, from history of church worship, the centrality of the Lord’s Supper to the Sunday gathering

Acts 20:7 ESV

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

even our own experience, as kids imitating remembrance

it is a memorable symbol of church worship, intentionally as per the Lord’s command and church practice as laid out here in Paul’s epistle

but the key to why it is part of worship is also here in 1 Cor 11:27

1 Corinthians 11:27 ESV

27 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.

unworthy - often used to think of our status exclusively

but worthiness language in the Bible is in reference to God and to our approach to him

“Is He Worthy”

So the unworthiness language here is tied to worshipping in a wrong manner, not about your unworthiness (which is a given). We are made worthy to come into the presence of God by the work of Jesus Christ but having come into his presence, how we worship is a matter of our concern

and the Lord’s Supper is a matter of serious concern because there is judgement associated with it as we read in v29 onwards

so we want to take what God’s Word says seriously, remove our biases and preconceptions accumulated over years of familiarity and really focus on what exactly is being communicated here with regards to partaking of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner

and what i want to do today is point out some observations from the text that are key for us to understand the importance and the proper way to partake of the Lord’s Supper

Observation 1: The Epistles guide church practice

You will notice that the weekly reading we do for the communion is not taken from the gospels but from the epistles

This is not because the gospels dont have the content.

What we call the words of institution are also found in gospels like Matthew and Luke

But the Gospels’ primary function is to provide us the narrative of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, the teachings and the implications they have on us as followers of Jesus, ethically, morally and spiritually

The Apostles wrote the epistles (including the letters to the churches) to further elaborate on Christian doctrine which they wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit and to tell Christians

how to live post-resurrection of Jesus Christ, in a world without his physical presence as a new covenant community (the local church),

how to grow in maturity and sanctification, and how to live as his visible representatives in this world and anticipating his return

And the church epistles guide church practice because that is the purpose with which they were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit

So there is no divide between the gospels and the Epistles when it comes to whether these are Jesus’ words

1 Corinthians 11:23 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,

There are no red letters in the NT; this is all the word of God

We shouldn’t join with secular culture in dividing Paul from Jesus

‘prayer’ example, Pharisees

But as mature Christians who can divide the word properly, we should understand the function of the gospels vs the epistles and understand why it is important for the church epistles to guide church practice

Observation 2: The Lord’s Supper is a symbol of the gathered local church

Tied into the fact that this is in a church epistle is the idea that this is a church ordinance

It is a commandment of the Lord given to the gathered local church to obey and observe

As we said, it is part of 1 Cor 11 which is in the context of worship in the gathered church on Sundays

And then, we get further clarity in 1 Cor 11:17-18

1 Corinthians 11:17–18 ESV

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,

When you come together as a church

Everything following is in the context of the gathered local church on Sundays

That is, these instructions apply to a specific place and time in the life of the Christian

Not anywhere, and not anytime but one place and one time

It is intended to be taken weekly and on Sundays when you come to the meeting of the local assembly you are a part of

implications: the Biblical pattern is to do it weekly, not daily, not monthly, not biweekly

the Biblical pattern is to do it within the church gathering, not anywhere else. Not the building but the group; it should be recognizable as the local church

Observation 3: The Lord’s Supper is a symbol with real meaning

The Lord’s Supper is a symbol of the new covenant

1 Corinthians 11:25 ESV

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Every covenant has a symbol

Noah - rainbow

Abraham - the animals in gen 15

Mosaic - ten commandments

The symbol of the new covenant is the Lord’s Supper

Just because it is a symbol does not mean it has no value. Symbols were treated seriously in the OT

A symbol is not a sacrament (in the traditional understanding of the term)

A sacrament conveys spiritual benefits of its own. The Catholics look at the Lords Supper as a sacrament that by itself conveys blessings, regardless of the intent or disposition of the partaker

thats why only priests are authorised to serve the sacraments and the great care given to the emblems

But we call this a symbol because it has no efficacy on its own (it is just bread and wine, it remains bread and wine)

But its value is in what it represents in the context of the circumstance (where/when) and who takes it

Only baptised believers can take the Lords Supper but the Lords Supper does not make you a believer

The Lord’s Supper is taken in the context of the local church but just because you have communion doesnt make you the church

So its a symbol but in the NT, symbols are not mere pictures of reality but they are taken to be ideal representations of reality, to the extent that the symbol can be talked about interchangeably with what it represents

1 Peter 3:21 ESV

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Here the water of baptism does not turn into the dirt of the grave but it truly represents the believers identification with Christ

If the symbol represents the reality truly, then it is also possible to misrepresent or treat wrongly the reality of salvation and the new covenant, by misrepresenting or mistreating the symbols of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (as we see in the warning of judgement in 1 Cor 11)

In verses 23-26, we see what all is contained within the symbolism of the Lord’s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

The breaking of the bread symbolizes the breaking of the Lord’s body, which is his death to pay the penalty for our sins

1 Corinthians 11:25 ESV

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The sharing of the cup represents his blood poured out, which both represents the violence of his death and the efficacy of his death to pay for our sins and cleanse us of our sins (by the shedding of his innocent blood as a substitute for us)

We also see that it is a remembrance, an act of memorial for that which has already happened

1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Here, we see that the act is also an act of proclamation of Jesus’ saving death for us to those watching, and this act will continue until he comes again for his beloved

Note that remembrance involves the mental and intellectual capacity to remember and accept the reality of Jesus’ death on one’s behalf

Betrayed - this is an interesting way for Paul to phrase it. By evoking betrayal, he is highlighting the culpability/accountability of those close to Jesus in his death (rather than the Jewish leaders or the Romans)

It is supposed to stand in for those of us ‘on the inside’, we are to identify with the ones who betrayed the Lord to his death but by his grace, he has forgiven us and paid the price for our sins

The early Christians thus constantly reminded themselves that even though Jesus was crucified by the Empire, he was nonetheless handed over to the Romans by one of their own—a poignant reminder indeed at the table where the Lord’s people experienced anew forgiveness and life.

Observation 4: Wrongly engaging in the Lord’s Supper has real and serious consequences

As we said previously, the real meaning of the Lord’s Supper and its identification with the death of Christ means that not partaking of it appropriately can and will have serious consequences

1 Corinthians 11:27 ESV

27 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.

The call to examine oneself is to prevent partaking of the Supper in an unworthy manner 1 Cor 11:28

1 Corinthians 11:28 ESV

28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

The repercussions of not doing so is something we do not take seriously but this is God’s Word, and it is true and we should take what it says is serious seriously

1 Corinthians 11:29–32 ESV

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

The judgement is serious, it is discipline that can lead to physical ailments and even death. If we do not examine ourselves truly, the Lord will examine us and a negative evaluation will lead to judgement

Why is this matter so serious?

Because partaking of the Supper unworthily is to deny the importance, sanctity and consequence of the death of Jesus Christ.

it is saying that I do not think his death is important or worth treating with respect and seriousness

And how does that happen in the life of someone in the church?

Coming back to 1 Cor 11:29

1 Corinthians 11:29 ESV

29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Here, discerning the body has two meanings

To not discern the body that was broken i.e partaking of the new covenant symbol while not adhering to the sanctity of the covenant by being in unrepentant sin. That violates the sanctity of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins and our commitment to him as our Lord and our responsibility to live transformed lives

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 ESV

16 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? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

But more relevant here, the body is the body of Christ i.e the local church, to not discern the body is to partake of the Supper without recognizing that its context is within the church and it also symbolizes the unity of the church

so anyone who partakes while undermining the unity of the church, by sinning against a fellow brother or sister, or harboring ill will against them, is not discerning the body

and that was the context in Corinth

the ‘love feast’ was the norm; a common meal that included the Lord’s Supper

Rich folk had lavish meals every evening

But the poorer folk (slaves etc.) who were now members of the local church often came in later and had very little to eat

So by the time the Lord’s Supper came about, the rich had their fill while the poor were still starving

1 Corinthians 11:20–22 ESV

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

this was both degradation of the poorer brothers and sisters as well as undermining the overall sanctity of the Supper

this church was not united, and its remembrance was offensive to the New Covenant, which purchased a people for God, rich and poor included, by the blood of Christ

The rich did not treat the Supper seriously because they failed to understand the New Covenant and the meaning of the death of Christ

and in their actions at the Supper, they showed that they were guilty of the body and blood of Christ and therefore, they were judged by God

So the examination is intended for us to reveal if we harbor such ill-will against the community or any unrepentant sin, to make it right and then come to the Table

Not coming to the table is not an option. The command is “when you come together, do this”

Being unrepentant and not partaking of the table is the same as partaking of the table unworthily; both reveal a serious defect in the heart that will be judged by God

Observation 5: Do not think of the Lord’s Supper as just another thing to do on a Sunday

Its one of the core elements of the worship gathering Acts 2:42

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

its not optional

Neither is it something you just do because it is a Sunday

The rich were doing that; they were having their lavish meals all the time (multiple evenings a week)

But just so it happened to be Sunday, they also added the Lord’s Supper to it

for them, it was just circumstantial

But the intention matters, and the context matters

Because of their lack of intention, and their willful unawareness of the context of the local church, they were eating and drinking judgement on themselves

You do not have to engage in the Supper just because it is a Sunday. You may have good reason to be elsewhere other than your local church

But if you do engage in it, ask yourself. Is this something that is done intentionally and honoring the context in which the Biblical mandates are given? Is this done by me with the somberness appropriate for the symbol of the death of jesus Christ

If not, your Christian liberty (within reason) allows you to not engage in it

But your liberty should not allow you to treat the communion as an addon to whatever else you are doing, just because it is a Sunday

Remember, there is judgement associated with this ordinance in a way that is not with any other. So tread wisely and carefully

Observation 6: You can take practical steps to appropriately participate in the Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is important. It has to be participated in intentionally and with seriousness. that means we can take steps to do so practically

One of those steps in the Corinthian context is given by Paul himself

1 Corinthians 11:33–34 ESV

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

it would have been easy for Paul to just say, “fast and come to the service, so you can all eat together and share”

But here, you see he is not advocating a lifestyle change for the rich but practical modifications to that lifestyle in order to properly participate in the Supper and be honoring and respectful to the others in the congregation

And so, he says, hey if you are used to eating early and cant wait till the time of the common meal, then eat at home. Eat less at the common meal but in doing so, you remove the temptation and the opportunity to dishonor the Supper by dishonoring your fellow brothers and sisters

The Lord’s Supper is the central element of the Sunday gathering. You must be willing to change your life patterns to engage in it properly.

The love feast died out (see Jude for another mention) because it was probably undermining the Supper itself

What are some of the practical aspects we can undertake to properly engage in the Supper?

Of course, communally, make every effort to resolve any misgivings that undermine your sense of community with the local church

But there are other things too you can do practically

If you tend to be tired at the Supper, do not stay out late on Saturdays. Wake up early on Sundays, be refreshed and come on time

Resist the temptation to look for jobs that ask you to work on Sundays even if they pay more

Brothers, if you are lacking in the will to exhort the congregation audibly during the remembrance time, prepare through the week, spend time in prayer so that you can fulfill the Lord’s mandate to us Col 3:16

Colossians 3:16 ESV

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Conclusion

the seriousness with which the church has historically treated the Supper is not a matter of tradition but of Biblical faithfulness

The fact that it is not a sacrament but a symbol is not an excuse to treat it carelessly and casually

God’s Word is living and active; we must take its warning of judgement if we dishonor the Supper, seriously

May we be those who are inspired to treat the Supper in the context of the community with honor and preparation, not because of tradition but because in our hearts, we understand what it symbolizes and how it helps us remember and proclaim the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose body was broken and whose blood was shed to pay the price of our sins and enable us to participate in the meal that he established, looking forward to the day when the symbol is needed no more as we dine with him face to face