Introduction
In chapters 11-14, Paul is addressing problems in Corinthians' meetings
(vs 17; LAST WEEK). Because of the living presence of Christ among us
when we assemble, Christian meetings are not mere social gatherings—they
are to be dynamic spiritual events. Through this extended passage, Paul
gives us insight into why Christians should assemble together and what
we should be doing when we get together. This passage supplies us with
three keys to dynamic meetings . . .
1: Come with the proper attitude (vs 17-22)
Most meetings in the early church met in homes (14:34; other New Testament
passages). The typical format was: a common meal ending with the Lord's
Supper, a teaching/scripture reading (3-4 hours!!), followed by corporate
prayer and fellowship. In these meetings, all social distinctions (WEALTH;
STATUS; ETHNIC; GENDER) were superseded by a spiritual unity as the Christians
came to learn from a common Lord and to communicate praise to him and
love toward each other.
But most of the Corinthian Christians were showing up with selfish
attitudes (read vs 18-22). Instead of coming to relate to one another
as brothers and sisters in Christ, they were withdrawing into cliques
according to social rank. Instead of coming to share their food with others,
they were selfishly gobbling up their food with their buddies so others
(probably poor and slaves) had to go hungry. Instead of showing up ready
to learn about God's Word, they were showing up drunk and trying to keep
their buzz going ("When do we do communion? Where's the wine?").
Showing up with all these wrong attitudes, they then evidently went
into wild ecstatic frenzies (tongues; uncontrolled prophecies). For
all the world they looked like one more pagan cult, substituting contentless
and self-centered exhibitions for true spirituality!! And, worst of
all, they believed their meetings were praiseworthy (vs 22b)!!! But
Paul rebukes them instead.
The first key to healthy meetings is for us to come with the proper
attitude. There is a close connection between the quality of our meetings
and the attitudes we adopt before we come. This is especially noticeable
in smaller meetings, but it is true also in larger meetings like this
one. Why is it that some home group meetings are like a MAUSOLEUM, while
in others there is a sense of spiritual excitement and reality? The answer
is not primarily the leaders or the teacher (though they play a part),
but rather whether a consensus have come in the Spirit and ready to serve.
If I just show up in a carnal state of mind, full of ingratitude, jealousy,
resentment, expecting to be entertained, etc., I have already compromised
the quality of the meeting for myself and others. Each of us needs to
take the time beforehand to get with God, adopt his perspective concerning
our lives, and ask him to enable us to be a blessing to others.
2: Understand the meaning & purpose of the Lord's supper (vs 23-26)
Paul not only rebukes them for their wrong attitude; he also explains
the right way to meet together, and he begins this description by explaining
the Lord's Supper. So much misunderstanding and superstition surrounds
this ritual that it is very difficult for us to understand it (as with
LORD'S PRAYER). It is actually a very beautiful way for Christians to
come together, but we must first understand its meaning and purpose
before we can benefit from it. Having been directly instructed by the
risen Lord on this matter (vs 23a), Paul explains it to them and us (read
vs 23b-26).
MEANING: The Lord's Supper is not a magical reenactment of Christ's
death by which God's acceptance is doled out to us. This view of ritual
is totally foreign to the Bible. The Lord's Supper is rather a symbol
of Christ's gift to us.
The first Lord's Supper was a Passover meal, which was highly symbolic
(Ex. 12:1-14 - GOD'S JUDGMENT FOR SIN; BLAMELESS SUBSTITUTE; EXEMPTION
FROM GOD'S JUDGMENT). This ritual meal was a symbolic foreshadowing
of Christ's death. When Jesus took it with his disciples, he was announcing
that he was about to fulfill what the first Passover foreshadowed.
This is why Jesus said Jn. 1:29 and Millennial kingdom. 10:45. This
is why the DAY & PLACE OF DEATH were so important (see 1 Cor.
5:7). Because it is now fulfilled, it is no longer appropriate for
us to sacrifice animals. Therefore, Jesus focuses our attention on
new symbolic elements.
The bread is not magically turned into Christ's body. When
Jesus said "This is my body," his disciples knew where his
physical body was. They knew he was speaking figuratively as he often
did (DOOR; VINE). The bread represents his body, his person which
contained God's spiritual life that is now available to us (Jn. 6:35).
Through union with Christ, we have access to the spiritual life of
God. The hunger in our hearts for love and meaning and security and
significance can be fundamentally satisfied by knowing Christ, instead
of restlessly seeking to fill that emptiness with poor substitutes
(Jn. 6:27).
The wine is not magically turned into Christ's blood. It signifies
"the new covenant in (at the cost of) my blood." That is,
the wine represents the death of Jesus which makes this new life available
to us. God's life is available to us only because he forgives us of
our sins, and this forgiveness is available solely through
Jesus' voluntary and substitutionary death.
PURPOSE: Paul explains three purposes for taking the Lord's Supper.
It is a remembrance (vs 24,25). It is one of the ways (along
with getting into the Word, fellowship and prayer) by which we remind
ourselves of this precious, awesome gift from a gracious God.
What a tragic irony that a ritual which beautifully emphasizes
God's gift to us has been perverted into a work that we do to earn
God's favor!!
We need to be reminded because we so easily drift into a spoiled,
thankless attitude toward God (KNEE-DEEP IN PRESENTS: "IS THIS
ALL?!?" & PARDONED CAPITAL CRIMINAL COMPLAINING ABOUT INTERIOR
DECORATING).
It is a proclamation (vs 26). That is, taking the Lord's Supper
is one way (along with evangelism & fellowship) of communicating
to God and others that you have personally received Christ's gift,
that you have personally trusted in his death to forgive your sins
and unite you with God.
GOSPEL: It is not enough to mentally assent to what God has offered
you through Christ. You must personally receive his gift. This is
why it is inappropriate to observe communion unless you've received
Christ ("You can't proclaim it if you haven't received it!").
It is also an expression of our unity with each other (1 Cor.
10:16,17). Just as we are united to Christ, we are also united to
one another. Thus, communion is a "sharing" (koinonia)—a
way of expressing our spiritual unity in Christ.
That's why it should be observed, not in a formal, ceremonial way
(CLERGY OFFICIATING A SERVICE), but in a personal way with Christian
friends who know and love one another.
3: Be responsive to God's corrective discipline (vs 27-34)
Read vs 27-30. This passage has been butchered to threaten Christians
with damnation if they take communion without confession to a priest,
or if they mishandle the elements, if they don't have a clergyman officiating,
if they have committed sins too recently, etc. But Paul is simply saying
that our heart-attitude toward God and other people is the most
important issue to God. If we become hardened in selfish and unloving
attitudes, religious ritual may deceive us into thinking we're
spiritual, but it won't deceive God. He looks right past the outward show
into our hearts, and like the loving Father he is, he will discipline
us for these attitudes so we'll turn away from them.
The Corinthians were riddled with selfishness and division. They were
making a mockery of the loving unity that communion was supposed to
express. This is the same kind of religious hypocrisy which brought
God's rebuke and discipline to Israel (read Micah 6:7,8). Paul says
they are experiencing the same thing.
"Judgment" (vs 29) clearly refers contextually to God's discipline
(vs 32) rather than to his condemnation. In this case, Paul says
God was working through physical sickness to get their attention (vs
30). Some, who had not responded even to that, God had taken through
death to be with him.
QUALIFY: Not all physical sickness is the result of God's discipline
for hard-heartedness. But clearly, sometimes it is. Through suffering,
God puts us in a situation where it is easier to get our attention
. . .
"Judging the body rightly" means viewing other Christians
the way we should—not as rivals, enemies, etc., but as brothers
and sisters in Christ to love and serve.
Read vs 31-34. Vs 31 enunciates a spiritual principle which is key both
to dynamic meetings and healthy individual spiritual lives: We should
be responsive to God's corrective discipline. We need not experience
God's drastic discipline if we are responsive to his lesser forms of corrective
discipline.
This is one of the two tremendous lessons David learned from the Lord
after his rebellion in committing adultery with Bathsheba. Because he
rationalized and refused to acknowledge his sin to God, God had to discipline
him by allowing him to experience heart-misery. But when David agreed
with God about his sin, he learned that God was willing to forgive him
and restore his heart with peace and security. But the second lesson
he learned was not to be a moral mule. God said, "I don't
like taking such drastic steps. I'd prefer to guide you gently with
a nudge to your conscience. Be responsive to my gentle nudges, and I
won't have to use a bit and bridle." (Ps. 32:8-10).
The Corinthians were a bunch of moral mules, so God had to take more
drastic disciplinary measures with them. How about you? Are you a moral
mule? When God puts his finger on some area of your life (SENSUALITY;
BITTERNESS; MATERIALISM) and gently asks you to cooperate with him,
how do you usually respond? Do you listen to him and follow his moral
guidance—or do you blow him off? Have you ever considered that
much of your misery and difficulties may be the discipline of a loving
God to urge you to begin to willingly follow his will for your life?
Conclusion
You can see from this passage that one of the keys to dynamic Christian
meetings is emphasizing the internal (GRATITUDE; LOVE FOR OTHERS;
OBEDIENCE) over the external (PROGRAMMING; FACILITY; DRESS). NEXT
WEEK we'll look at another key: emphasizing content over experience
. . .