Instructions for the Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 - Riley Boggs

A little over 2,000 years ago there was a group of people in Rome who were thought to be lunatics. They were thought to be incestuous cannibals who meet up every Sunday to worship a man who had recently been put to death for claiming to be God, and who had supposedly resurrected. Yes, this was the Christians. In the eyes of many Romans, they misunderstood to be a bit off-the-rocker. They had heard them call one another brother and sister, and also knew that they “greeted one another with a holy kiss”. They also heard stories about them eating the body and blood of someone each time they gathered to worship. They seemed to be incestuous cannibals. 

Despite these mischaracterizations, the early church pressed on in faithfulness. They kept gathering, speaking how the Bible speaks about one another, and observing the Lord’s Supper. And it is because of God’s kindness and their faithfulness, we gather each Sunday morning to do the very same thing, 2,000 years later.

The church in Corinth was one of early churches that were carrying out these things. But as you know, they were not doing things well. Earlier in this letter Paul wrote to them concerning an actual incestuous relationship between a man and his mother-in-law, urging the church to remove him. And then in our text today, we see that they have begun to abuse the Lord’s Supper. Observing it in the wrong way, for the wrong reasons, and maybe unbeknownst to them, being disciplined for it,

This morning we are going look at Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthians for their error concerning the Lord’s supper. The way we’ll do this is by looking at the reason for Paul’s rebuke, or what they are doing wrong, the consequences of their error, and then the proper way to observe the Lord’s Supper, or what they should have been doing. So let’s begin by looking at the reason for Paul’s rebuke.

1.) The reason for Paul’s rebuke

If you’ll look back at verse 2 of chapter 11, you see that Paul says, “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” Paul was relatively pleased for their practice concerning head coverings, or so it seems, and commends them for it. Now, in verse 17 of this chapter, Paul says the exact opposite. He writes, “But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.”

Do you hear the severity of their problem? Paul says that because of what they are doing concerning the Lord’s supper, it would be better for them not to even gather. I mean wow, what are they doing that is so egregious?

First, I want you to see the way that they are observing the supper, that is a bit different than how we observe it. Look down, starting in verse 23, at how Paul recounts Jesus establishing the Lords’ Supper. He writes, “23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 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.”  25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”

There’s one detail in this story that is important for us to take note of if we are to understand their error. Notice the 2-word phrase Paul uses in verse 25, “after supper”. This phrase is sort of the key to understanding this passage well. It seems as if they are participating of the elements of the Lord’s supper as bookends to a meal, which Paul says that Jesus Himself did when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. In other words, they would break the bread and eat giving thanks for Jesus’ body that had been broken for them, they would eat a meal, and then they would drink the wine and give thanks for the blood of Christ. Paul says this is how Jesus did it with His disciples and this seems to be how the Corinthians were doing it. Obviously, I don’t think the Lord’s Supper must be practiced in this way, since we don’t do it that way, but it is a fine way.

And so now that we understand that we can see how better see how the Corinthians were in error. They would come together to fellowship and celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a church, with the intention of eating a meal together in the middle of elements. And what was likely happening is that each family was bringing their own food with them to eat. Some of the families bringing food had plenty and some hardly had anything, as the church was, and is, made up the rich and poor, people from all social classes. And the idea was that those who had plenty would share with those who did not.

Now with that in mind, listen to how Paul describes their error, starting in verse 20. He writes, “20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.”

Here’s the picture he is painting. They get together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and to eat the food they have brought. They break the communion bread and then dive into their own food. And you can imagine there are those present who didn’t bring any food, or maybe just a very small portion so they might feel included. They keep expecting the wealthier families to invite them over to have food with them, after all they are brother and sister in Christ. But that family never asks. Instead, they gorge themselves with food and drink all the wine to the point of drunkenness. And in this, they have humiliated their brothers and sisters, cause them to be hungry, and have disgraced the purpose for which they gathered, to observe the Lord’s Supper.

This is the context in which Paul writes, and this is the reason for his rebuke.

2.) The consequences of their error

The next section I want to draw your attention to is verses 27-32. I want to read this first before I try to explain what he is saying here. Read along with me, Paul says, “27 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. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

I want to begin by saying 2 things. First, I think had incorrectly understood this passage up until my sermon prep this week. I hadn’t really understood the context in which Paul was writing, and as a result, I misunderstood what he is saying here. Second, I think many faithful brothers and sisters have taken this text to mean something it does not, and have brought anxiousness and worry upon themselves without needed to. Let’s work through what he is actually saying and then in the 3rd point I will circle back to how we might apply this text well.

It seems, from this text, that Paul is telling the Corinthians that God has been disciplining them for their sinful actions revolved around the Lord’s Supper. Now, God only disciplines His people, so this is passage is not making a distinction between believers and unbelievers. Actually, if you’ll look back to verse 19, sarcastically points this out. He says, “19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” In other words he says, “thank goodness there are divisions among you, or we would never be able to tell who is actually a believer and who isn’t.” He is clearly being sarcastic and that should inform how we understand these verses.

What he is saying is that those who are not giving food to those in need and are gorging themselves and getting drunk are participating in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. In doing so they are drinking judgment on themselves. And as a result of this, verse 31, God is discipling them by causing them to be weak, ill, and even taking some of their lives.

Now that might feel a bit strange to hear, but I think that is what the Bible teaches us. God uses our weakness and our sickness as the means to discipline us to further Godliness. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he tells them a personal example of this. He writes, in chapter 12 starting verse 7, “7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul had a clear understanding of this and tells the Corinthians that the reason some of them have been weak and sick is because their loving Father is discipling them away their disobedience. 

Some of you might be thinking, “What about that last part? Was God bringing death on some of the believers as an act of discipline?” Yes, I believe so. And here is why. Because God loves us and desires for us to walk in obedience, it seems He might take our life in order to keep up from walking into headlong sin. That is why Paul says, “But when we are judge by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the word.” It is discipline to prevent condemnation. 

Here’s what an example of what I mean. Let’s say a pastor is on the verge of doing something egregious. And if he does this thing, then he is going to severely hurt his family, his church, and the reputation of his church. The fallout will be immense. I think there is a category in which the Lord sees that man heading in that direction and takes his life. Keeping him from wrecking his faith and from harming God’s people. And that might seem a big harsh, but we ought to consider how much God cares about His children, both the pastor and the church. He cares for them and loves them so much so that He might do this, and it seems He has done this in the church of Corinth. So we see the error and we see the consequences, but what is the right way? Paul gives the right instructions throughout this text.

3.) The proper way to observe the Lord’s Supper

Look with me at verse 33-34. Paul writes, “33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait forone another—34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.” Paul makes it abundantly clear here, and throughout this passage, that the Lord’s supper is a corporate thing. He tells them that if they are coming to simply satisfy their hunger, eat at home, because that isn’t the purpose for which you gathering. You are gathering to honor God and build up your brothers and sisters. 

This is one of the reasons why the Lord’s Supper isn’t something we should be doing in the privacy of our homes. It necessitates others. It is an ordinance that has been given to the church to be practiced in the church. You can fill your hunger at home, but you cannot fulfill the purpose of the Lord’s supper at your home.

Here’s what I mean. Andrew Wilson points out how the Lord’s Supper causes us to do a lot of looking. When we eat and drink, we look back to Jesus’ sacrificial atoning death. When we eat and drink, we look forward to the marriage supper of the lamb, the perfected supper. When we eat and drink, we look up to our God in worship, giving thanks to Him. When we eat and drink, we look within and examine our hearts, ensuring we are repentant and thankful. And lastly, when we eat and drink, we look around and see the people God is calling us to love. People who are proclaiming this truth alongside us. All of these must be present, and that means we must take the supper together.

Paul does not have a category where someone breaks bread and drinks wine to observe the Lord’s supper alone in their home, in the same way that he has no place for the Lord’s supper to be a time of selfish indulgence. Rather, it is a corporate time to demonstrate what we believe and to love the one’s to whom God has given us, in the church. 

With all of this in mind, I want to mention 3 things. First, to the person who hears this warning and feels guilty, and is wondering if they should come to the table or not. This text is not aimed at barring the repentant Christ follower from the table. The standard is not perfection, it’s not sinlessness, and it’s not repentance about every single thing that you’ve ever done. The standard is humility and honesty. 

The Heidelberg catechism answers this questions so very well. It asks, “Who are to come to the table of the Lord?” The answer, “Those who are truly displeased with themselves because of their sins and yet trust that these are forgiven them and that their remaining weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ, and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and amend their life.  But hypocrites and those who do not repent eat and drink judgment upon themselves.”

If you know you fall short and are continuing to fall short, the supper is for you. If you know that you need forgiveness and that you are completely relying on Christ for your righteousness, the supper is for you. Don’t hesitate to come to the table for a moment. Satan will tell you that you can’t, but one who instituted the meal is telling you that you must. Take, eat, and drink, so that you might be reminded of the sweet forgiveness found in Christ, and be urged to further obedience.

Second, to the person who is feeling a bit prideful, be careful. Paul says judge yourself so that you might not be judged. If you think you aren’t in need of forgiveness, or that your repentance is a thing of your past, heed the warning. If you think that there is something about you that makes you righteous apart of from Christ. Whatever the case may be, this warning is aimed at you. It is for the believer who is full of arrogance when approaching the table. And Paul is reminding us that the Lord might discipline you because of this, so you should instead humble yourself before God and come to the table in thankfulness.

Lastly, to our church as a whole. Let’s be found faithful in our application of this text. Let’s be a church who desires the good of our brothers and sisters much more than our own. All of the things that might differentiate us in the world, fall away at the door. So that the rich and poor find themselves being loved well and seeking to love others well. The Corinthians failed to do this. The class divide between the rich and poor found it’s way into the church and was seen in the way they treated one another during the Lord’s Supper.  But it is my prayer that we might honor the Lord in how we do this. Bearing one another’s burdens, rejoicing with one another, meeting one another’s needs, and all the rest. A people who are committed to loving one another despite their differences.