Unity In The Lord’s Supper
OPENING PRAYER:
Father, we open Your Word today to see wonderous truths we do not know. Open the eyes of our hearts that we might see You and might live in a way that brings You glory. Amen
" In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 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.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:17-32 NIV
REFLECT:
When the believers that make up the church act in a way that dishonors God and creates disunity, these actions should be addressed. The Apostle Paul, the writer of the book of 1 Corinthians, must step in and do just that within the church at Corinth. Several chapters (11-14) in this book of the Bible are direct, yet loving instruction for what needed to be corrected. In our verses today, Paul addresses the fact that certain Corinthians were having private dinners, possibly using the bread and wine meant for the Lord’s Supper (or communion), and excluding others, especially those with little means. Not only was this creating disunity within the body but also bringing “judgment” on those who were taking the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy manner.” Paul re-emphasizes the instruction and purpose for observing the Lord’s Supper. It is for “remembrance” of Christ and His sacrifice for all those who would believe. It is a meant to be a unifying remembrance for the body of Christ, the church.
APPLY:
What a great reminder of how to view, value and participate during the sacred time each week that the Pathway Church community shares together our communion time. Take note of Paul’s words to “examine” yourself and partake in this time in a “worthy” manner. It is a time to confess and ask Christ to forgive unconfessed sin in your life, to think about the sacrifice that He made on the cross for you and to appreciate the unity of the whole body of Christ celebrating this remembrance together. This happens not only at Pathway, but all over the world. What a privilege to share this sacrament with the church universal.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Dear Father, thank You for giving Your Son to die for my sin. Thank You for giving me this time of remembering through the Lord’s Supper. May I always participate in this sacrament in a worthy manner that brings glory to Your name and unity to Your church. In Jesus name, Amen.
WORSHIP: