Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Introduction⤒🔗

Suppose you and your wife were to plan a special banquet for your friends and neighbors. You sent out beautiful invitations to everyone, you made the house as inviting as you possibly could for the occasion, and you set a most elegant table, featuring linens, crystal, and fine china. You invested a great deal of money in this affair, in order to make it a most memorable and delightful event. And your wife invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in preparing the meal.

Then came the long-anticipated evening, and your guests began to arrive. But to your shock and dismay, your guests behaved themselves in a most disgusting and obnoxious manner: they gobbled down their food, they were extremely ill-mannered, they either bickered and argued among themselves or divided themselves into cliques, and they totally ignored you, their host and hostess.

If you, as the host and hostess, witnessed such a scene, how would you react?

The scene just described is not very far removed from the scene witnessed by Christ as the Corinthian church gathered together to partake of the communion meal in the presence of Christ their host. Because the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, we must partake of it in a worthy manner.

We Must Observe the Sacrament, by Being in Fellowship with One Another←⤒🔗

As verse seventeen indicates, when the Corinthian Christians came together to observe the sacrament of communion, it was “not for the better, but for the worse.” That is to say, their public assembly for communion did not serve to build up the body of Christ and honor the Lord. On the contrary, as verses 18-20 indicate, their assembly highlighted their divisiveness and was dishonoring to the Lord:

...I hear that when you meet together in a church assembly there are divisions among you. To some extent I believe [what I have heard]; ¹⁹for, indeed, it is necessary for there to be factions among you so that those who are approved may become apparent to you. ²⁰Therefore, when you are assembled together it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper.

When the church assembled, they broke up into a number of individual factions: accepting those who were members of their own group, but having nothing to do with the other groups. Some of their factions resulted from their identifying themselves with the various apostolic leaders:

I have been informed by those [who belong to the household] of Chloe, that there are quarrels among you. ¹²Now this is what I mean, each one of you is saying, I belong to Paul; or, I belong to Apollos; or, I belong to Cephas; or, I belong to Christ.1 Cor. 1:11-12

Some of their factions may have been due to their difference in economic and social status:

...each one goes ahead and eats his own meal. Consequently, one remains hungry, while another gets drunk. ²²What, do you not have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and [seek to] humiliate those who have nothing? 1 Cor. 11:21-22

Some of their factions may have been due to their different views on Christian liberty:

⁷When some people eat meat they [still] view it as an offering made to an idol, since they have been accustomed to idols until now, and [because] their conscience is weak, it is defiled... ⁹Be careful that [the use of] your liberty does not in any way become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Cor. 8:4,7,9

Some of their factions may have been due to their personal animosities and offenses against each other:

Actually, the fact that you have lawsuits against one another is already a defect for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸On the contrary, you yourselves are doing wrong and cheating, and [you are doing these things] to your brothers. 1 Cor. 6:7-8

Some of their factions may have been due to their pride over the possession of certain of the spiritual gifts:

What makes you superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you received it, why do you boast as if it had not been given to you?1 Cor. 4:7

In the next chapter, the Apostle Paul will find it necessary to remind the Corinthians that all spiritual gifts are derived from God and are for the sake of building up the body of Christ for the glory of God:

Now there is a variety of gifts, but it is the same Spirit [who gives all of them]. ¹²Just as the body is one [organism, although] it has many parts, and even though the [various] parts of the body are many [in number, there] is one body, so it is with Christ... ²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I do not need you.' Or again, the head [cannot say] to the feet, 'I do not need you.' ²²On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary.1 Cor. 12:4, 12,21-22

The dividing of the congregation into separate and distinct factions made it impossible for them to partake of the Lord Supper in a worthy manner, in a way that would honor Christ.

In verse twenty-one, the apostle describes the situation that prevailed in the Corinthian church when they came together for communion: The sacrament was observed as a part of a love feast; each member brought a portion of food to be shared with the whole church. During the eating of the feast the bread of communion would be served, and at the conclusion of the meal the communion wine was served.¹

But in the Corinthian church this love feast was being turned into a shambles and a mockery. These Christian people would divide into factions and would refuse to share their food with anyone else except those who belonged to their particular group. Furthermore, some of the members were going hungry, while others were getting drunk. Thus, it became physically and spiritually impossible to partake of the sacrament of communion in a worthy manner.

The apostle strongly rebukes this behavior. He scornfully asks, “What, do you not have homes in which to eat and drink?” (vs. 22a) With some measure of sarcasm, he is inquiring, Do you not have homes of your own in which to host a private dinner? The Corinthians were conducting themselves as though they were using the church facilities for their own private banquets; as one would host a private dinner party at a restaurant.

Paul goes on to ask, “Or do you despise the church of God and [seek to] humiliate those who have nothing?” (vs. 22b) Now he is asking, Is the church guilty of something worse than selfishness and lack of Christian sympathy? Were the Corinthians making a conscious effort to treat the church of Christ with contempt? Was their refusal to share their food and drink with fellow Christians a conscious effort to treat those particular Christians with contempt? Were they seeking to publicly humiliate their fellow Christians who had nothing, by selfishly feasting in their presence and refusing to share anything with them?

The lesson to be learned is this: We must partake of communion in a worthy manner by being in fellowship with one another. We must be sure to remember the spiritual unity of Christ’s body:

Just as the body is one [organism, although] it has many parts, and even though the [various] parts of the body are many [in number, there] is one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³Indeed, by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether [we were] Jews or Greeks, whether [we were] slaves or free men, and we were all given the one Spirit to drink... ²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part [of it]. 1 Cor. 12:12-13,27

We must make every effort to promote and protect this sacred spiritual unity and avoid disrupting it. The Apostle Paul would also exhort the Ephesian church to maintain the spiritual unity of Christ’s body, the church:

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of the bond of peace.Eph. 4:1-3

We must be careful not to disrupt this sacred spiritual unity by wronging our Christian brothers or offending them by selfish, thoughtless behavior. Likewise, we must be careful not to disrupt this sacred spiritual unity by being quick to take offense rather than forbearing and forgiving.

We must be faithful to seek reconciliation and extend forgiveness if there has been an offense, and let us be sure to do so before coming to the communion table:

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matt. 5:23-24

We Must Observe the Sacrament, by Honoring the Sacredness of the Supper←⤒🔗

In verse twenty-six, the Apostle Paul solemnly reminds the Corinthians that when Christians partake of communion we are engaging in a sacred act: we are “proclaiming the Lord’s death, until he comes [again].” That is to say, by means of the bread that is broken and the wine that is poured out, we are publicly proclaiming Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and the blessing of salvation we receive from that sacrifice. The fact that we are to continue to observe the sacrament “until he comes [again]” indicates that we are to always remind ourselves and one another of what Christ has done for us at Calvary, and that we are to always remember that He has risen from the grave and shall at last come back to bring us into His Father’s kingdom.

Verse twenty-seven contains a severe warning: “whoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of [sinning against] the body and the blood of the Lord.” Whoever partakes of the sacrament in an unworthy or improper manner shall be held accountable for sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. By abusing the elements of the sacrament, (receiving the bread and the wine carelessly, or without understanding, or without faith in Christ), one is guilty of abusing what those elements represent; namely, the body and blood of the Savior given in His sacrificial death.

“The bread [and] the cup of the Lord” indicate that the Lord Himself is the host at the communion table, and we are invited to be His guests at the table. Just as the Lord Himself served the communion to His disciples at the Last Supper; so now, by His Holy Spirit, He is the true Host whenever the sacrament is served. Whenever we partake of the sacrament of communion, we are coming to the table of the Lord. Therefore, the sacrament is sacred not only because the elements represent the Lord’s body and blood, but because the Lord Himself is the Host who offers the elements to us, (doing so by His Holy Spirit and through His ministers).

In verse twenty-eight, all Christians are instructed to examine themselves: “a man should examine himself; and [having done] so, let him [then] eat of the bread and drink from the cup.” This self-examination is essential in light of the sacred character of the sacrament (vs. 27). Furthermore, it is essential because of the liability to judgment: “anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body [of the Lord], is eating and drinking judgment upon himself” (vs. 29).

Here is a self-examination to determine whether or not one qualifies to partake of the sacrament. We conduct this self-examination by asking ourselves such questions as these: Do I understand what the bread and the wine represent? Have I reminded myself of their meaning? Do I personally believe in the Savior and His work? Have I made a public profession of faith in Him? Am I seeking to live a life that is consistent with my profession that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord? Or am I willfully living in unrepentant sin? Is my conscience clear and am I in good relationship with the Lord, with my Christian brothers and sisters, and with my fellowman? Or must I address and repair a broken relationship before I come to the communion table? In one church body, the minister is required to instruct the congregation with these words:

It is my solemn duty to warn the uninstructed, the profane, the scandalous, and those who secretly and impenitently live in any sin, not to approach the holy table lest they partake unworthily, not discerning the Lord’s body, and so eat and drink condemnation to themselves.

Nevertheless, this warning is not designed to keep the humble and contrite from the table of the Lord, as if the supper were for those who might be free from sin. On the contrary, we who are invited to the supper, come as guilty and polluted sinners and without hope of eternal life apart from the grace of God in Christ, confess our dependence for pardon and cleansing upon the perfect sacrifice of Christ, base our hope of eternal life upon His perfect obedience and righteousness, and humbly resolve to deny ourselves, crucify our old natures, and follow Christ as is fitting for those who bear His name.

Let us therefore, in accordance with the admonition of the Apostle Paul, examine our minds and hearts to determine whether such discernment is ours, to the end that we may partake to the glory of God and to our growth in the grace of Christ.²

As verse twenty-eight indicates, the intention of our self-examination is that we may come to the communion table and partake of the sacrament for our blessing and in a way that honors the Lord. But as verses 30-32 warn, if we do not examine ourselves and correct whatever may disqualify us from partaking of the sacrament in a worthy manner on a given occasion, the Lord Himself will do what we have failed to do:

This is the reason many among you are weak and sick, and some of you have fallen asleep [in death]. ³¹Now if we had evaluated ourselves, we would not have been judged. ³²But when we are judged by the Lord we are being disciplined, so that we will not be condemned with the world.

In the case of the Corinthian church, the Lord visited the congregation with sickness and in some instances even with pre-mature death. But note that the Lord’s intention is for the purpose of discipline, not for condemnation; His intention is to bring about correction and repentance so that the offenders will be spared from final condemnation. In Revelation 3:19 the Lord Jesus declares, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.” This incident of chastening with which the Lord visited the Corinthian church shows that the Lord will take measures, even severe measures, to safeguard the sacrament, if we fail to exercise the self-discipline and self-examination He requires.

The lesson we must learn is this: We must partake of the communion meal in a worthy manner by honoring the sacredness of the Supper.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

We must take care that we do not abuse the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper by partaking in a thoughtless or unholy way. Because it is a sacrament instituted by the Lord Jesus Himself, let us be sure to partake of it in a worthy manner: 1) By being in fellowship with the Lord and with one another; and, 2) By recognizing and honoring the sacredness of the sacrament.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. Of what does the Apostle Paul accuse the Corinthian church (cf. 1 Cor. 11:17b)? To what is he referring (cf. 1 Cor. 11:18a)? Although you may not be intimately acquainted with every member of your congregation, and there are those with whom you have a natural affinity, do you accept each one as a member of the body of Christ, and do you greet them with warm affection and sincere interest as you have opportunity to interact with them? What can you do to combat the tendency towards cliques in the church?

But in giving the [following] instructions I cannot praise you, because your meeting together is not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸In the first place, I hear that when you meet together in a church assembly there are divisions among you. 1 Cor. 11:17-18a

2. On what basis were the Corinthian Christians separating themselves into factions? See 1 Cor. 11:19. What might have been the criterion by which a group “approved” of its members to the exclusion of all other believers: economic status, ethnicity, level of education, the degree to which a fellow believer supported or hindered one’s use of spiritual liberty; do you do the same? Is it not incredibly arrogant for us as Christians to approve of one fellow believer and not approve/accept another? Note Rom. 14:4, 10,

...indeed, it is necessary for there to be factions among you so that those who are approved may become apparent to you. (1 Cor. 11:19)

The Apostle Paul is being sarcastic when he writes that factions were the “necessary” means by which each group within the church could identify its own preferred members.

Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls... ¹⁰...why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Rom. 14:4, 10)

3. What did the Corinthian cliques make impossible for the church to do (cf. 1 Cor. 11:20)? Why was this the case (cf. 1 Cor. 11:21)? In the early church, the sacrament of communion was observed in conjunction with a fellowship meal; although this is not usually the practice today, are there other ways in which we create a situation in which it is spiritually impossible to partake of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner? Note, for instance, 1 Cor. 6:7-8,

Therefore, when you are assembled together it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper; ²¹for each one goes ahead and eats his own meal. Consequently, one remains hungry, while another gets drunk. 1 Cor. 11:20-21

Actually, the fact that you have lawsuits against one another is already a defect for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸On the contrary, you yourselves are doing wrong and cheating, and [you are doing these things] to your brothers. 1 Cor. 6:7-8

4. What warning does the Apostle Paul give with regard to partaking of the Lord’s Supper? See 1 Cor. 11:27. What should we do to avoid partaking of the sacrament in “an unworthy manner”? See 1 Cor. 11:28, note Psl. 66:18 and Psl. 139:23-24. Do you ever simply “go through the motions” when partaking of the Supper? Do you understand the significance and the meaning of the sacrament, that it is a solemn remembrance of our Lord’s atoning death for our sins, and a spiritual “feeding” on Him to sustain our Christian life until He comes?

Therefore, whoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of [sinning against] the body and the blood of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11:27

Now a man should examine himself; and [having done] so, let him [then] eat of the bread and drink from the cup... 1 Cor. 11:28

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. Psl. 66:18

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts; ²⁴And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psl. 139:23-24

5. What has been the consequence of the Corinthians’ abuse of the Lord’s Supper? See 1 Cor. 11:30. As Christians today, are we too quick to dismiss divine discipline as a reason for the maladies that we suffer, or even of some premature or sudden deaths? Should we consider every instance of sickness or unexpected death to be a direct consequence of a specific sin? Note Jn. 9:1-3,

This is the reason many among you are weak and sick, and some of you have fallen asleep [in death]. 1 Cor. 11:30

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. ²His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? ³Jesus answered, Neither this man nor his parents sinned; [he was born blind] so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Jn. 9:1-3