Bible Reading1 Corinthians 11:17–3417–19 “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.”
[48:41]20–22 “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!”
[53:18]23–26 “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.”
[01:00:23]27–32 “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.”
[01:10:19]33–34 “So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.”
Luke 22:14–2014–18 “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’”
[01:01:03]19–20 “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”
[01:02:24]Exodus 12:13“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.”
[00:59:26]Luke 23:36–43“The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”
[01:06:11]Observation questions- What specific problems in the Corinthian church caused Paul to say that their gatherings did “more harm than good”?
- In 1 Corinthians 11:20–22, what happened to those with little or no food while others ate and drank freely? What does this show about the way the church was treating one another? [01:10:19]
- What two things does Jesus identify with himself during the Passover meal, and what words does he use to explain them?
- What future events does Jesus point to in Luke 22, and what present promise does he give the criminal beside him in Luke 23? [01:04:17]
Interpretation questions- Paul says that the Corinthians’ meal was no longer truly the Lord’s Supper because of their divisions. Why do selfishness and humiliation of others contradict what the bread and cup proclaim? [01:12:30]
- The Passover blood marked Israel’s homes as belonging to God’s protected people. How does Jesus’ statement about the new covenant in his blood explain how believers become part of God’s family? [00:59:26]
- Communion proclaims the Lord’s death “until he comes.” How does this keep believers from treating communion as only a private memory of the past? [01:08:17]
- Jesus speaks of the coming kingdom banquet, yet tells the criminal, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” What does this reveal about God’s kingdom being both still to come and already breaking into the present? [01:07:20]
Application questions- When you think about your relationships with other believers, are there any hurts, resentments, awkwardness, or avoided conversations that need attention? What would one humble step toward peace or reconciliation look like this week? [01:10:43]
- What “ranks and files” are you most tempted to create among Christians—politics, money, nationality, education, worship preferences, personality, age, or something else? How might that attitude show up in the way you speak about or treat others? [01:11:03]
- The Corinthians copied the social patterns around them rather than living like the kingdom of God. Where do you see tribalism shaping your own assumptions, online conversations, friendships, or reactions to people who disagree with you? [01:13:13]
- Jesus’ body was given “for you,” and his blood brings believers into God’s family by grace. How does remembering that you did not earn your place in God’s family change the way you look at another Christian?
- Communion points forward to a future feast where God’s people are together and death is swallowed up. What is one practical way your group, family, or church community could give someone a small taste of that welcome now—through generosity, hospitality, mercy, or inclusion? [01:02:24]
- Is there a believer you have quietly treated as less important, less mature, or less welcome than yourself? What could it look like to honor that person as someone equally saved by the body and blood of Jesus? [01:11:34]
- Love, compassion, mercy, and peacemaking are a rebellious response to a divided world. In one current relationship or conflict, what would it look like for you to choose that kind of rebellion this week? [01:13:24]
