Reverence and Unity in the Lord's Supper

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When it comes to the church, last week we looked at the first half of 1 Corinthians chapter 11. And when we did, we said there's going to be one principle that's going to help us make sense of what Paul was dealing with in that first half of this chapter. And the reality is that principle served us well, I think, for dealing with those verses, but it's going to serve us well, not just for last week. This principle is going to serve us well for studying chapter 11, 12, 13, and 14. [00:06:14] (30 seconds)


And the reason is, we have come to a place in Paul's letter where he says, he is addressing things that are taking place when the church gathers. And so last week, we said this principle that would serve us well is that when the church comes together, how the church comes together matters. It's important. Last week, we dealt with it under the heading of headship, right, and the struggles that were going on within the 1 Corinthians, or not the 1 Corinthians church, the Corinthian church that Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians. [00:06:54] (33 seconds)


Now we're in verse 17, he says, I can't commend you at all here. I don't commend you on these things. We've got some massive problems. And so it kind of pits things and we say, how can that be? Because the topic that we dealt with last week can be considered, especially in the culture that we live in today, a touchy topic, right? It's a heavy topic. And so how can Paul say, I want to, and I commend you, and now I can't commend you. [00:09:34] (25 seconds)


but it could be that with what he was dealing with last week was an issue of ignorance, where the church was coming together and they were coming together in an improper way that was creating problems, but that there wasn't malice or ill intent that was behind it. It was a misapplied freedom, misapplied understanding of things. And Paul's saying, hey, listen, I commend you guys for getting together. I commend you guys for doing things. I just need to speak to a bit of an issue that's showing up. [00:10:08] (27 seconds)


Because when we have a problem of ignorance, we show up to those conversations and say, I need to remind you of something. That's in some ways what Paul was doing. I need to remind you of the doctrine that fueled this practice of head coverings and headship that we were dealing with last week. Whereas today, when we come to a passage that begins with, in the following instructions, I do not commend you, we may be dealing with something that's more along the lines of insubordination. [00:10:48] (27 seconds)


Meaning that it's not a matter of ignorance. Here we're dealing with the church has blatantly stepped across the line. They said, we know what we ought to do. We know what the practice is supposed to be. We know how we're supposed to conduct ourselves, but we're just not doing it. There is a rebelliousness that may be taking place in this passage. That may make sense of it because this is where Paul comes in and says, with an issue of insubordination, I need to rebuke you. [00:11:28] (29 seconds)


So instead of remind you of something, he says, you're out of line. And we need to have an immediate course correction because what's happening is no good. Because you'll see there at the second half of verse 17, he says, when you come together, it's not for the better, but for the worse. And in some ways, it's hard to piece that together. Because in our minds, we're like, well, when the church gets together, there's got to be good in that. There's got to be just an inherent good in getting the church together for something. [00:12:08] (30 seconds)


There's no room to commend you. And so what's happening? Let's look at verses 18 through 22 together real quick. He says, for in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. Well, we've dealt with that, right? That was chapter one. We acknowledge that there were some divisions going on in Corinth. However, now there seems to be more divisions that are taking place in the gathering of the church. This isn't just the existence. [00:13:28] (25 seconds)


What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. And so what we have happening here in Corinth is that as the church has come together, there are divisions and there are factions that Paul is saying these things are taking place. And he speaks of these divisions and says, these things seem to be bad. And then these factions, he says, now I understand there's gonna be some factions because there has to be a way for those who are genuine to prove themselves. [00:14:48] (25 seconds)


That's the problem that we're dealing with is that fundamentally in Corinth, there were some practices that were being done that they were dividing and splitting the church. And these weren't just matters of opinion or philosophical issues. Say, okay, well, we're gonna agree to disagree and you're gonna go this way and we're gonna go this way. These aren't Paul and Barnabas issues, if you will. These are issues that says, hey, when we're here, you belong and you don't. That's the issue that's taking place in Corinth. [00:16:08] (31 seconds)


That's exactly right. That's exactly what was taking place. That the activity that we do together as a church, as a body, to come and express unity, they were doing the exact opposite. Rather than coming together, rather than being unified, rather than acting in one voice as one body, they've split up. And they've said, some are going to belong over here and some are going to go to this way. And what was happening is it seems like, culturally speaking, there was an issue of socioeconomic status that was at play here. [00:17:28] (32 seconds)


We're going to go back to the basics, things that you've already received, right? For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you. Okay, we've talked about this. We've dealt with these things already. I've taught you all this. You know these things, but we need to go back to the basics. Because we need to understand we seem to have forgotten what this is all about. That this, when we come for the Lord's Supper, Paul says it's not just empty tradition. [00:31:23] (31 seconds)


It's not just a meal to stuff your face. There's a sacredness and a significance that's involved in it. So while the church in Corinth was using this meal as a time to bring division, Paul says there's an appropriate, there's a correct way biblically for the church to come before this table. And in doing so, he's going to highlight four things, I believe, that become the focal point of what's happening or how we come to the table. So that we come, as the sermon title says, with the proper table manners. [00:31:53] (31 seconds)


That we don't come with divisiveness. That we don't come throwing a petty party on anyone or splitting things up. That we come with an appropriate heart, with an appropriate understanding of what's to take place. And so rather than division, rather than disrespect, Paul reminds us that the Lord's Supper is a time, first and foremost, to remember the cross. We see that here in verse 24. Well, before that even, let's speak to the rest of verse 23. [00:32:33] (27 seconds)


He instituted it, and he did so on the night when he was betrayed. And he did so in this way, verse 24. He took the 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 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. And the symbolism in what Christ has established and ordained for the church to do takes us back to the cross. [00:33:53] (35 seconds)


The symbolism is riddled throughout it. He's like, this is my body. And there's something to be said. When Jesus is doing this with the disciples, he has the unleavened bread, and he's tearing off a piece of it and gives it. Tears off a piece of it and gives it. This is my body, which is for you. This is my body. And the disciples, when Jesus is doing this, you imagine sitting like, What on earth is he talking about? What's he getting at here? [00:34:33] (25 seconds)


The cross reminds us who we are. And so we remember the reality of the cross. But not only that, it also brings to mind the brutality of the cross in just what Jesus has set up. This is my body given for you. This is my blood poured out. Like, that's graphic material. And there's a reason I believe that Jesus didn't just say to his disciples, Hey, guys, listen. You know, the next few days are going to get pretty rough. [00:37:53] (31 seconds)


There's going to be some wild things that happen. You're going to see things happen to me. And I'm just going to... Every now and then, could you just remember what I do for you? Can you just think about it? Maybe talk about it together? I think there's a reason that Jesus comes and he takes bread and he tears it. And he gives it to him and says, As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me. This cup is my blood poured out for many. As often as you do this. [00:38:33] (29 seconds)


He brings an action to it. Because in doing so, it should do something within us. And that's so obvious! and enjoy someish דing, and as often as useful. That's obvious. that draws our attention back to the brutality of the cross. Because no doubt, we've sanitized it. We look at movies like The Passion of the Christ and most people in this room would say, I can't watch it. It's too gruesome. It's too horrific. It's uncomfortable. And it absolutely is. [00:39:13] (37 seconds)


But I'm going to go on a limb and guess that from that point forward with all the disciples came to witness over the next couple days after Jesus instituted the supper that every time they did this in remembrance of Him they did not think of a sanitized cross. I'm going to go on a limb and say every time they did this they thought of Jesus. beaten and bloodied and nailed to a cross humiliated mocked spat on for you. I guarantee you that when they did this in remembrance this wasn't just some casual thing that's what they remember they're like His body was broken. [00:39:53] (53 seconds)


He poured His blood out for many. This isn't meant to be just some flowery romanticized moment but we come to this in the way that Jesus instituted it it should remind us of the gravity of the payment the sacrifice that was made to bring us to where we're at today to make you who you are today. it was not a cheap price our Lord suffered He endured Hebrews says for the joy set before Him He endured the cross and scorned its shame what's the joy but that you and I would be reconciled to God that you and I would have our sins forgiven and so we come when we remember the cross we remember guys the gravity of it the brutality of it that He did it not just for all those out there but He did that for you [00:40:33] (81 seconds)


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