I Cor. 11:17-32 - Lessons From The Lord's Table

June 9, 1992 1 Corinthians 11:17-32

- tonight we're going to be studying the second half of I
Cor. 11
- we said several weeks ago that this chapter divides neatly
into two parts by two key phrases

- Now I praise you brethren - vs. 2
- Now in this I praise you not - vs. 17

- now, I Cor. 11 is a very well known passage of Scripture
- INPUT - why is that true? (because it addresses the
subject of the Lord's table--and we read from it each
month as we observe the Lord's table.)

- the Lord's table is one of the "two ordinances" of the
church
- INPUT - what had to be true of a practice before it could
be considered an ordinance?

1. commanded by Christ

2. perpetuated in the epistles

3. practiced by the early church

- the Lord's Table satisfies all of these conditions

- INPUT - where was our Lord when he first gave the command
to observe the Lord's table? (in the upper room)
- INPUT - what feast were the disciples celebrating that
Jesus transformed into the Lord's table? (the Passover)

- that's very important to remember
- the Passover was the holiest of the Jewish feasts, of
course commemorating the day God freed the Israelites of
their 400 year bondage in Egypt.
- on that night God's death angel "passed over" any home
whose doorway has been sprinkled with the blood of the
lamb.
- God told his children in Exodus 12 "Now this day will be
a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a
permanent ordinance."

- our Lord used that setting to teach about His own
sacrifice.

- The Passover celebrated deliverance that was physical--
the Lord's table celebrates deliverance that's spiritual.

- The Passover celebrated deliverance that was temporary--
the Lord's table celebrates deliverance that's permanent.

- The Passover celebrated deliverance under the Old Covenant-
the Lord's table celebrates the New Covenant.

- so the Lord's table was commanded by Christ.

- it was also perpetuated in the epistles.
- passages like this one here in I Cor. 11 give evidence to
the fact that God expected the early churches, the
recipients of the epistles, to be regularly observing
these ordinances

- lastly, it was practiced by the early church
- the Scripture makes it clear that the early church
regularly partook of the Lord's table

Acts 2:42 - And thy continued steadfastly in the apostles
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers.

Jude 12 - These men are those who are hidden reefs in
your love feasts when they feast with you without
fear...

II Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of
unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to revel
in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, reveling
with their own deceivings while they feast with you.

- so we're talking about the Lord's table, an ordinance of
the church that was commanded by Christ, perpetuated in
the epistles, and practiced by the early church.

- now we probably need to say here that the way the early
church practiced the Lord's table and the way we do it
today is different in that they also had a regular meal
preceding the observance of the bread and cup.
- that's going to become obvious as we read these verses.

- let's read what was going on as the Corinthians observed
the Lord's Table and think about what lessons we can learn.

- read 11:17-34

- Before we get into specifically studying what these verses
are saying, I'd like us to think about a couple of
questions:

1) What words can you think of that describe Jesus' desire
for His church (from passages like His high priestly
prayer in John 17 and other places where He talks
about his desire for the church?)
- unity
- oneness
- fellowship
- concern, compassion

2) How would participating in the Lord's table help develop
those characteristics?

- what we'd like to center in on tonight is this--the
Corinthians were doing just the opposite.
- Instead of developing a congregation that had unity,
fellowship, care and concern for one another
- they were being insensitive in a number of different
ways.

- let's talk first of all about how:

I. They Were Insensitive To The Church Family

- what we want to point out here in that we make a
mistake if we only think about I Cor. 11 for the
instructions about the Lord's table -- without
remembering the context in which those instructions
were given
- the first sin of the Corinthians was their
insensitivity to their brothers and sisters in Christ

- the purpose of the passage is not just to give us
information and instruction about the Lord's table so
we can use it when we have the Lord's table
- this passage is intended to expose and condemn
insensitivity

- communion is a n ordinance that the family takes part in
- it was given to the local church
- you couldn't say-well, we're going to observe the
Lord's table at home after dinner
- no, no--this is an ordinance given to the local church,
to the family of God gathered in that place to
worship and fellowship

- now, Paul told us:

A. What the Lord's table should be like

(I'm going to be taking these ideas, not just from
these verses, but also from chapter 10 because
remember Paul brought this subject up in that
chapter as well)

1. communing with Christ - 10:16 - "communion of the
blood of Christ..." "communion of the body of
Christ."

2. communing with fellow brothers and sisters in
Christ - 10:17 - "we being many are one..."

3. worshipping in holiness - 10:20-22

4. remembering the cross - 11:25

5. proclaiming salvation in Christ alone - 11:24-25

6. anticipating the Lord's return - 11:26

- so we're saying that the Lord's table was intended to
be a great opportunity to develop unity in the church
family.
- everyone came together, regardless of their race,
social status, background, past--and rejoiced in their
common bond in Jesus Christ.
- even in the way they ate their meal together, they were to
seek to develop oneness with one another
- as slaves ate with masters
- and Jews ate with Gentiles
- and sinners ate with those who had been self-righteous

- it was a great opportunity to develop oneness and
unity in their church body

- but you know from the verses we just read--anything but
this was happening in the Corinthian church.

- let's look at:

B. What the Lord's table was like in the Corinthian
church

INPUT - what do you see from verse 17?

1. not for the better but for the worse

- in other words, their behavior was so sinful
that they actually went backwards spiritually
every time they partook

INPUT - what does verse 17 tell us?

2. there are divisions among you

- in other words, there are cliques or obvious
divisions even when you're eating the supposed
"love feast."

- now Paul does say that there's a positive
benefit of that.
- What is that benefit, according to verse 19?
(there have to be divisions, so that those
who are doing right can be made manifest)

- but that doesn't excuse those who are
causing the divisions.
- they were going to face serious judgment

- INPUT - what does he say about it in verse 20?

3. missing the purpose

- he says - you're coming, bringing the right
things, saying the right words
- but this isn't the Lord's table
- you're completely missing the purpose

- INPUT - what descriptions does he give in verse 21?

4. not sharing

- if you add verse 33 to this, it seems that the
wealthier believers were getting there early,
and eating their fine meals early so that when
the poorer brothers and sisters came (perhaps
anticipating the only good meal they were going
to get that week), there was nothing left.

5. getting drunk

- INPUT - what does verse 22 add to this sorted tale?

6. despising the church
7. shaming those who are less fortunate

- so what's the point of all this?
- the point is that before we think about the specific
instructions for the Lord's table that we normally read
later in the passage, we need to think about the terrible
sin of insensitivity of the Corinthian church towards one
another that formed the context for these verses

- now, let's think together about:

C. How this could be true of us today

- I'd like us to brainstorm this issue of
"insensitivity" for a few minutes
- let's think about how it would apply to the Lord's
table first, and then let's broaden it out to
include others areas of church life

- now we don't have a full-blown love feast today,
but, what are some ways a Christian could be
insensitive to his brothers and sisters in Christ
even in the way we observe the Lord's table

(1. in our observance of the Lord's table)

INPUT?

- lack of attendance
- let's think about that one for a minute.
- it makes a difference when we have a full
auditorium when we partake of the Lord's
table
- Can you imagine what it would be like if
there were three or four people here to
observe the Lord's table and you had to get
up and walk the trays back several rows and
all the rest?
- that would be depressing
- point is - we ought to be sensitive even to
the effect our presence has on the church
family.
- now I realize I'm talking to the group
that would be least likely to not attend
the Sunday evening service -- and
therefore miss communion...
- but I think there's some direction here
in terms of the discipeling we're doing
with others.
- there is a fairly significant group of people who
would not attend on Sunday night and therefore
would never participate in one of the two
ordinances of the church.
- while there are a lot of reasons to do so--here's
another one. We ought not to be insensitive to
our brothers and sisters in Christ in our
attitudes or our actions concerning the Lord's
table.
INPUT - others?

(if time, develop the issue of other kinds of insensitivity
to the body)
- so we're saying, when we think of I Cor. 11--we ought to
think about the insensitivity of the Corinthians to their
church family

- let's move on now and talk about how:

II. They Were Insensitive To The Death Of Christ

- let's concentrate now on verses 23-26, the ones we
normally read during the actual observance of the
Lord's Table
- Paul gives us:

A. The desired order of the Lord's table

1. offer thanks

- by the way, the phrase "given thanks" is the
original word, "eucharista"
- that’s why some folks refer to this
ordinance as the "eucharist"

- the next step, of course, is:

2. the bread

- symbolic of Christ's body

INPUT - why is it important that we focus on
Christ's body during the Lord's table?

(a. significance?)

(b. broken?)

- you might want to note also that some versions
contain the word "broken" but most of them do
not
- the reason for that is that many manuscripts of
the Bible don't have that word

- I don't want to make a big deal of that other
than to say that Jesus' body was not broken in
the sense that bones were broken.
- John 19:33, 36 reminds us that the OT predicted
that no bones would be broken

- you may remember the soldier came to break
Jesus' legs but he didn't, INPUT - Why? (our
Lord was already dead)
- so if He was broken, it was in a symbolic sense
of giving his body for us, but probably the
best translations is simply, "This is my body
which is for you."

c. remember--this is "for you."

- one of the things the Lord wants us to
concentrate on is that He died "for you."
- He came down from heaven and entered a
body, He lived a perfect life, He gave his body on the tree--
for you--because He loves you.
- the next step of course is

3. the cup

INPUT - why is it important that we focus on the
Lord's blood during the Lord's table?

- now, he goes on to give two purposes of this ordinance, one
in verse 23 and one in verse 26.

B. The stated purposes

1. in remembrance of me

2. to show the Lord's death till he comes

- see, Paul says--believers in Christ ought to regularly
review the particulars of Christ's death in their minds
- there is great spiritual benefit in doing so.
- we ought to do it during our observance of communion,
and other times as well.

- now let me ask you to stop and think about that for a
moment.
- Isn't it true that normally at a memorial service, we do
many things to take emphasis off the actual death?
(I'm not saying that's wrong--in fact there are some
biblical reasons why it's right to do that)

- but my point is - what our Lord wants for His memorial
service is very different than the way we treat other
deaths.
INPUT - how do we (and I'm not saying this is wrong) take
emphasis off the actual death at a memorial service?
- talk about all the things the person accomplished
during their life.
- talk about where the person is today if they were
a believer.
- see, we don't focus on the death.
- we never review the particulars of the car accident, or
the illness
- of course not

- yet that is exactly what our Lord wants us to do in
memory of His death.

INPUT - why? (why is it right and essential to focus
specifically on the actual death of Christ)

- I wonder if our 20th century emphasis on distancing
ourselves from death or anything that has to with death
has made it more difficult to focus on the truths that
Christ wants us to focus on in this passage.
- now you might say-well, but if we partake of the Lord's
table, then aren't we safe--because then we have to focus
on the Lord's death.
- Not necessarily! INPUT - how do we know that?
(because it wasn't having the desired effect on the
Corinthians)
- they were saying the right things and
participating at the appropriate times--but it
wasn't having the desired effect on them at all
- another question you could ask would be:

C. How were the Corinthians insensitive to the death of
Christ?

- the answer is - His death didn't result in their
death

- see, why does the Lord want us to "do this in
remembrance of me" and to "show his death till he
comes"

- at least two reasons:
1) to remind what our salvation cost.
- we can change, we can do the things found in
the rest of this book...
- because the tremendous price for our
salvation was paid by Christ's death.

2) to remind us that we need to die.

- isn't it true that one of the major groups of
metaphors describing our growth as believers
has to do with dying?
- INPUT - Can you think of some passages or
phrases that contain the idea of dying?

- see, the point is--the Corinthians were insensitive--you
couldn't move them
- they were insensitive to their church family
- and they were insensitive to the death of Christ

- see, how could all of this sinfulness be going on at the
Lord's table?
- the answer is - because they were insensitive
- they hadn't been moved by the power of Christ'
death, and by the example of Christ's death.

- see, "this do in remembrance of me"..."show the
Lord's death till He comes."

- if the Corinthians had been more sensitive to this truth,
they would have been in a much better position to handle
many of the issues we've studied in this book.

- in fact, let's push that a little further
- how would you complete this sentence: (using a topic that's
already come up in the book)

- If the Corinthians had a better appreciation of the
power of Christ's death, and a better understanding of
the example of Christ's death, they'd be better
positioned to handle__________.

- of course, there's another way we could ask that question,
isn't there?

- If I had a better appreciation of the power of Christ's
death, and a better understanding of the example of
Christ's death, I'd be better positioned to
handle__________.
- there's one other area of sensitivity we need to mention