December 27, 2020
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
INTRODUCTION:
1. In this chapter, Paul is dealing with disorders connected with public worship. The first of these, which we considered in our last lesson, related to the habit of women appearing insubordinate in the assembly by not having on a veil. (Verses 1-16) The second disorder here addressed by the Apostle, which is the subject of our present lesson, had to do with improper celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (Verses 17-34)
2. It is clear from this passage that the Corinthians connected the celebration of the Lord’s Supper with a regular meal. Due to the fact that the Lord instituted this ordinance at the close of the Pascal supper, it may be that it was a custom among the early churches, to observe it in this way. (See Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7ff) The Apostle here establishes that the Lord’s Supper is not to be so observed.
3. Regardless of the reason for the manner of their observance, the idea of communion was being lost. The rich brought plentifully, the poor brought little. Rather than prepare a common feast, they formed divisions, separating the haves from the have nots.
I. IT WAS NOT PRAISEWORTHY THAT THEIR ASSEMBLIES WERE HAVING A NEGATIVE RATHER THAN A POSITIVE SPIRITUAL EFFECT ON THEM. (VERSES 17-22) In Verse 2 he said, “I praise you.” He found much to applaud in them, however he did not praise them for the manner in which they conducted public worship. (Verse 17) Not only were women appearing unveiled, contrary to the established rules of decorum, but they were observing the Lord’s Supper in an irreverent manner. In addition to these matters, they were using their spiritual gifts in a disorderly manner. These evils he takes up in this order. Having dealt with the first, he now comes to the second.
A. THE PROMINENT EVIL WAS THAT THERE WERE SCHISMS EVEN IN THEIR MOST SACRED MEETINGS. (VERSE 18)
1. He had begun this letter with strong condemnations of their divisions and schisms. However, the particular divisions here referred to are those connected to their public worship, and especially respecting their observances of the Lord’s Supper.
2. Not only were these divisions associated with this sacred ordinance, but the manner of their observance was the cause of the problem. As we noted in the introduction, the supper (which in their case was a meal) became segregated, dividing between the various social classes.
3. How antithetical to the intent of the communion service which was designed, in part, to celebrate oneness and unity.
4. The report which the Apostle had received seemed difficult to believe. Yet he did believe it to the extent that he was stirred to write this censure, “…and I partly believe it.”
B. THIS EVIL GOD PERMITTED IN ORDER THAT THE GOOD MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST. (VS. 19)
1. “Also heresies,” does not mean heresies in addition to schisms, as something different from them. What in Verse 18 are called divisions, are in Verse 19 called heresies, both words having the same general sense. The latter having to do with dissensions arising from diverse opinions or choices. This is the meaning here, as also in Gal. 5:20.
2. Evil as well as good is included in the Divine purpose. God is not the Author of evil, but He purposes it for the sake of the good which evolves from it.
3. The Lord also noted this necessity. (Matt. 18:7)
4. “That they which are approved may be made manifest.” This is the end for which God had permitted divisions.
a) The approved are those who have been tried and have stood the test. (Greek dokimoi = the tried)
b) The opposite class are called (adokimoi), disapproved; reprobate.
5. As there are always evil influences about us, God is ever putting His people to the test. Let us be diligent and watchful, so that we may be approved, having stood the test.
C. THE GREAT EVIL HERE WAS THAT THE LORD’S SUPPER WAS BEING VARIOUSLY PERVERTED. (VERSES 20-22)
1. First, they made the Lord’s Supper into a meal, for the satisfying of hunger, rather than a sacred memorial. (Verse 20) Thus, he said, “when you come together…this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” Their meal did not deserve that sacred character. Their intent was not that which the Lord had in mind when He gave this ordinance.
2. Second, the selfish manner of their participation was contrary to the design of the institution, as we have seen. (Verse 21) This is another reason why he said that their supper was not the Lord’s Supper.
3. Third, the profane way in which they conducted themselves. “Every one taketh before another, …one is hungry, and another is drunken.”
4. This kind of eating and drinking was not for the sacred assembly, and especially not to be practiced in the taking of communion. NOTE: He says, “Have ye not houses to eat and drink in.” (Verse 22) This is not to suggest that such eating (indulging of carnal appetites) and such drinking (drunkenness) was ever permissible, even in their own houses.
II. IN ORDER TO SHOW HOW INAPPROPRIATE THEIR CONDUCT WAS, THE APOSTLE RECOUNTS THE ORIGINAL INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. (VERSES 23-29)
A. THE INSTITUTION ITSELF. (VERSES 23-25)
1. The account here given was that which he had received from the Lord. (Verse 23a) The Apostle asserts the fact of direct revelation to himself from the Lord. His apostolic authority is here declared, which overrules all human authority, human traditions, and opinions. (Compare Gal. 1:12; I John 1:5)
2. The account which Paul had directly received from the Lord is here plainly given. (Verses 23b-25) It is exactly what is recorded in the three synoptic Gospels. (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19, 20)
B. CONCLUSIONS DERIVED FROM THIS INSTITUTION. (VERSES 26-28) From what Paul had received from the Lord (Verses 23-25), he makes some inferences.
1. First he infers that the institution of the Lord’s Supper was designed to be a proclamation of the death of Christ that would continue until His second advent. (Verse 26) Therefore, those who partake are not to do so to satisfy their hunger, but rather to testify to the great fact of redemption, and to declare their own interest in that redemption.
2. Second, he infers (because it proclaims the death of Christ) that those who take it in an irreverent and profane manner make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (Verse 27) To eat and drink unworthily is to come to the Lord’s Table in a careless, irreverent spirit without the intention or desire to commemorate the death of Christ.
3. Third, because of the serious guilt that is incurred by eating and drinking unworthily, he infers that careful self- examination would be in order for those who would partake. (Verse 28)
III. IN ORDER THAT THEY MAY ESCAPE THE LORD’S JUDGMENTS PAUL ENCOURAGED SELF- EXAMINATION. (VERSES 29-32)
A. TO EAT AND DRINK UNWORTHILY IS TO INCUR GOD’S DISPLEASURE. (VERSE 29)
1. He who partakes unworthily (in the sense before explained) eats and drinks judgment to himself. That is, he incurs God’s displeasure.
2. The word damnation properly means simply condemnation, and not hopeless and final perdition.
B. TO EAT AND DRINK UNWORTHILY IS TO BE EXPOSED TO GOD’S JUDGMENT. (VERSE 30)
1. The kind of judgment the Apostle had in mind is here made clear. It involved weakness, sickness, and sometimes even death.
2. For this reason (eating and drinking unworthily), many had brought themselves under God’s judgment.
a) Some became weak in body.
b) Some became sickly, i.e. stricken with some infirmity.
c) Some had even died. Paul speaks of them as being asleep, which means that he counted them to be Christians. (This euphemism is used only in reference to Christians who have died.) When God’s children refuse to be corrected, He sometimes must remove them from this world.
C. SELF-JUDGMENT WILL SERVE TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF JUDGMENT. (VERSE 31)
1. This is the wisdom of self-examination. We would not be guilty of irreverence for, or profanation of sacred things, lest we bring upon ourselves, weakness, sickness, or even premature death.
2. It is because we do not sit in judgment of ourselves, that God judges us.
D. BETTER TO BE CHASTENED BY THE LORD THAN TO BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD. (VERSE 32)
1. Afflictions are sometimes God’s chastisements, designed for our benefit. (Heb. 12:6)
2. Even the extreme irreverence which the Corinthians were here charged with was not unpardonable. Let us, therefore, not stiffen our necks against the rod, but rather submit to it, knowing that it is meant to work our repentance and ultimate happiness.
IV. PAUL CONCLUDES BY EXHORTING THEM TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FOR THEIR OWN GOOD, AND INSTRUCTS THEM HOW TO DO IT. (VERSES 33, 34)
A. FIRST, THEY MUST MAKE THE LORD’S SUPPER A REAL COMMUNION SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED ALL. (VERSE 33)
B. SECOND, THEY SHOULD EAT THEIR MEALS AT HOME. (VERSE 34a)
C. THIRD, THEY MUST NOT MAKE THEIR COMING TOGETHER A CONDEMNATION BY ACTS OF IRREVERENCE. (VERSE 34b)
D. THESE INSTRUCTIONS WOULD SUFFICE UNTIL HE CAME IN PERSON.
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