More than a Religious Ritual.

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

 

1 Corinthians 11:27-28

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

(ESV)

 

Observance of the Lord’s Supper for Christians should be a time of reflection with believers searching their hearts and repenting of sins, worshipping God for his forgiveness of sins, and thanking God for sending His only Son Jesus to die for our sins. However, the troubled Corinthian Church had turned the Lord’s Supper into a religious ritual. Like the observances of Christmas and Easter or Resurrection Sunday, the Lord’s Supper is to be a time of remembrance not a religious ritual (Luke 22:17-19).

 

The Apostle Paul has no commendation to offer for the next instructions he is about to give (1 Corinthians 11:17). Paul’s first issue with the Corinthians is divisions in the Church, something he addressed in 1 Corinthians 3 (1 Corinthians 11:18). However, in this text Paul adds that divisions expose those in the Church who are not genuine in their belief in Christ as their Savior (1 Corinthians 11:19). Paul also has another issue with the Corinthians regarding the Lord’s supper. The issue is that when they gather for the Lord’s supper, they treat it like any other meal with some going hungry with others getting drunk (1 Corinthians 11:20-22).

 

Paul then teaches about the meaning of the Lord’s supper which has its roots in what occurred on the night Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples on the night they arrested Him (1 Corinthians 11:23; Luke 22:14-23). Paul’s teaching begins with how Jesus took bread and broke it, telling His disciples it symbolized his broken body, broken for their sins the next day and to eat it in remembrance of Him (1 Corinthians 11:24). Likewise, Jesus took the cup after supper and said it symbolized his shed blood, shed for their sins on the next day (1 Corinthians 11:25). Paul reminds them that honoring the Lord’s supper is a proclamation of the Lord’s death until he comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26).

 

Paul then tells the Corinthians the issue he has with them, beginning with teaching that anyone partaking of the Lord’s supper in an unworthy manner is guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27). He teaches them to examine themselves before partaking of the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:28). Those partaking of the Lord’s supper without discerning the body of Christ the implements of the Lord’s supper represent, brings judgment upon him or herself (1 Corinthians 11:29). Partaking of the Lord’s supper without discerning the body is why some are weak and ill, with some even dying (1 Corinthians 11:30). When a believer judges himself, he or she will escape judgment, but when the Lord judges them, they escape the condemnation God puts on the world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

 

Paul ends the text by reminding the Corinthians that when they come together, they are to wait for one another (1 Corinthians 11:33). Paul instructs them to satisfy their physical hunger by eating at home so they will escape judgment when partaking of the Lord’s supper. Paul then tells them he will address the other things, referring to the divisions in the Church, when he comes to them (1 Corinthians 11:34).

 

Paul’s teaching on particulars regarding public assemblies now turns to the Lord’s supper. Paul has no commendation for the Corinthian Church on this issue because they partake the Lord’s supper with divisions in the Church. The issue with these divisions is that they expose believers who are not genuine and should not be partakers of the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). The other issue Paul has with the Corinthians is they use the Lord’s supper as an opportunity to satisfy their hunger instead of honoring what the Lord Jesus did for all humanity on Calvary (1 Corinthians 11:20-26). The assembling of the Church to observe the Lord’s supper is not a gathering for a meal to satisfy the hunger of the flesh but an assembling to remember what God’s grace did for us by the death of Jesus on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 

While the Church should regularly observe the Lord’s supper, it must not become an empty religious ritual but a time of heart-searching when believers repent of any sin in their lives. It also should be a time of worship where we worship and praise God for paying the high price of our salvation. Observance of the Lord’s supper should also be a time of thanksgiving when we thank God for paying the high price of the life of His only Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation (John 3:16).

 

May the Church not allow Communion to become a religious ritual but treat it as Holy Communion with people taking time to search their hearts to ensure their hearts are worthy. The consequences of partaking in an unworthy manner are serious and one should not take it lightly (1 Corinthians 11:27-30). If you are reading this post and never prayed for forgiveness of sin in your life or prayed to make Jesus your Savior, I ask you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.