What’s the Lord’s Table all about? – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Good morning church! Hope you’re well. A warm welcome to all who have joined us at the hall and our friends who have joined us online today.

As a church we’ve been going through this series titled The Church: God’s Dwelling Place from the letter of 1st Corinthians. And what we’ve seen so far is that the church is not a physical building but a People – the redeemed People of God in whom God dwells.

The church is God’s chosen residence! But what’s interesting is that this chosen residence – the church is not perfect. In fact it’s far from being perfect. In fact there’s a lot of maintenance and repair work that needs to take place in the lives of God’s people. The church is like a broken down home which needs a full scale major renovation.

So even as we approach today’s passage, let’s approach it with the same perspective. We are far from perfect. We need a full scale major renovation and we call out to God to perform that repair work in us as we listen and respond to God’s Word this morning. So let’s pray and ask God to that right now.

As we’ve gone through this letter, Paul has been addressing different sin issues that the Corinthian church were struggling with. They were fighting over leaders, there were issues of sexual misconduct, they were taking legal action against each other over trivial issues and they were using their Christian liberty as an excuse to be a stumbling block to weaker believers.

But the last thing that you would expect is for Paul to call them out in the way in which they were approaching the Lord’s Table or the Lord’s Supper.

How is it possible that something that is so integral to their worship gathering, something that they do together week after week turn out to be a big issue? Is Paul just trying to be difficult for the sake of it? Or is there actually a heart issue which is being addressed? What is it that we can learn from this especially when it comes to us approaching the Lord’s Table?

1. Lord’s Table is not a place for selfishness (v17-22)

[17] But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. [18] For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, [19] for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. [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.

In v17, we can see Paul not holding anything back. He is making his displeasure known. He’s basically telling them that their church gatherings are doing more damage than good.

And then he goes on to explain the reason for saying that in V18. There is some kind of division and discrimination that is taking place during their church gatherings.

And then in V19, it seems like a contradictory verse because we can easily misinterpret it as promoting divisions and disunity. But that’s not what he’s saying. Paul isn’t contradicting his earlier passages where he said:

1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV

[10] I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Paul is saying that divisions reveal those who are really genuine. In fact the Greek translates genuine as those who have God’s approval. Those who are truly in Christ. But how can divisions in the church possibly do that? Because it reveals those who desire love and humility and those who desire pride and self centredness. It reveals those who demonstrate repentance and those who demonstrate an unwillingness to change.

Now it’s not to say that we will never have a moment of pride or selfishness or unwillingness to change in this life. As long as sin dwells in us it will show itself in some form or the other.

As believers we reckon with that truth but at the same time we always need to question ourselves if we’re being characterized by pride, selfishness and an unwillingness to change. Is that the only fruit that we see in our lives? Because if that is the only fruit, then it reveals a heart that doesn’t know the Lord. It reveals a heart that is not genuinely transformed.

And then in v20-22, we understand a little bit more of what’s going on in Corinth. In the early church, the Lord’s Supper was part of a “love feast” that was served to the church.

As most of us are aware, the early church met in homes. Generally the homes of wealthier believers were used because they were bigger, so they could accommodate more people. All the congregants would be spread across many rooms of the house.

Now what was happening in Corinth was that the rich and the honored believers would be seated in the same room as the host. They would be given the best food in terms of quality and quantity. The poorer believers would be seated in a separate room and would often receive the leftovers of the meal (if there was anything remaining).

And that’s what Paul was calling out and saying that the Lord’s Table which was supposed to unify the church – join together people from different backgrounds and social statuses was now being used as a tool to discriminate and divide! They were using the Lord’s Table as a way to put themselves above others. They were using the Lord’s Table as a platform for their selfishness. How sad and unfortunate is that?

Although we live in a slightly different context where the Lord’s Supper each week is not a part of an overall meal. But I think the principle still remains. Could it be possible that we approach our Sunday gatherings with a heart of selfishness? I’m hoping to preach this sermon well so that people in the church can pat my back and say how well I’ve done today. And in our opportunities to serve on Sunday – I hope I’m perceived as a good, mature believer because of how I’ve served people with my giftings and responsibilities today. I hope people come and compliment me about the way I dressed up today. I hope I can exit the hall as soon as the service without engaging in any meaningful conversations with the people.

And there can be many more ways in which we often put ourselves above others as we approach our gatherings and the Lord’s Table with selfishness. And we’re being humbled and told that the Lord’s Table is not a place for selfishness.

2. The Lord’s Table is a place of remembrance (v23-26)

[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.

In these verses, selfishness is being constrasted to the self-sacrifice of Christ and that’s symbolized through the elements of the Lord’s Table.

In V23, we see where the Lord’s Table or supper originated from. It’s not a man made ritual – it came from the direction of the Lord Jesus Himself on the night when he was betrayed.

V24 – the breaking of the bread symbolized Jesus offering Himself on the cross for us. Those two words “for us” are so precious because it tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was not because of anything that He did but because of everything that we did in rebellion and defiance to God. Jesus offered Himself as our substitute. He became a scapegoat for us. He bore the punishment instead of us. Every time the bread is broken and handed over to us, it’s a reminder telling us that Jesus offered Himself for us. We were supposed to face the punishment but He took it for us.

V25 – the cup symbolizes Jesus creating a new covenant in His blood. What’s that? For that we first need to get what the old covenant was about. The Old covenant was God’s promises with His people on the basis of their commitment to the law. In other words, it was conditional. If God’s people remained committed, then they would receive God’s blessing but if not, they would bear the consequences of punishment and curse. It was based on their performance to the law.

Now contrast that with the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. In this God establishes permanent promises with His people no longer on the basis of their commitment but on the basis of Jesus’ blood. It’s no longer based on their performance but Jesus Christ’s perfect performance for them. It’s no longer conditional. And so every time we pick up the cup, it’s a reminder to our hearts that God doesn’t relate with me on the basis of my level of commitment or performance, He relates with me on the basis of Christ’s perfect performance and pure blood. How freeing is that for us this morning? To know that despite our many sins and failures, God is not asking us to perform and prove ourselves to be in His presence (that’s not even possible) but He invites us to Him because He sees us through the lens of the new covenant in Jesus’ blood.

V26 summarizes it by saying that every time we partake of the elements, the church is preaching and proclaiming a message. It’s preaching that it desperately needed Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and also Christ’s performance on their behalf to establish a permanent unbreakable relationship. Week after week we regularly preach this message until the Day when our Lord returns.

But not only is the Lord’s Table not a place for selfishness, not is it a place to remember Jesus’ sacrifice, but

3. The Lord’s Table is a place of repentance (v27-34)

[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. [33] So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one 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.

When we read warning passages like these, it almost seems unreal. Is God actually going to judge me on how I partake in the Lord’s Table? Yes, it’s actually true. In fact v27 tells us if we take it in an unworthy manner, we will be held guilty of the way we’ve treated the body and blood of the Lord.

And so as v28 reminds us that there needs to be a self-examination which takes place before we partake of the elements. We are self-examining not just our actions but also our motivations before the Lord. But it shouldn’t just make us stop there but also lead us to humble repentance. And the assurance is that humble repentance will be met with a welcome embrace.

Hannah and I were reading the story of the lost son a few days back. It was such an assuring, comforting truth to know that while the son was still a long way off, the father saw him (which meant that he was watching and waiting for his son to return from the time his son left him), felt compassion, and ran and embraced and kissed him.

And even as the son began to say the sorry script that he prepared saying “Father I have sinned against heaven and before you. I’m not worthy to be called your son”…He couldn’t even finish his script, because the father immediately called his servants to put the best robe, shoes and ring on his hand and have a celebration that night because his lost son came back. And that’s not only true on the day when you and I believed first, it’s even true today when as a believer in Christ we have messed up miserably and fall short of what God has called us to do.

And that’s precisely what the Lord’s Table is supposed to tell us this morning. It’s not telling us to perform, reform ourselves on our own strength and make ourselves worthy of God. In fact it tells us that like the lost son we have messed up badly, but on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice and performance, God is pursuing and running toward us like the father of the lost son.