Respect the Table - 1 Corinthians 11:27-34

Welcome to Eat This Bread Drink This Cup. The communion meditation today is based on a passage of Scripture from the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 11:27-34. In this passage of Scripture, the Apostle Paul continues his instruction on the proper way to observe the Lord's Supper. Our full attention to our participation is necessary as God observes and examines us. He takes the death of His Son on the cross and His kingdom very seriously. God wants us to respect the table. All Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation (NLT) and are used with permission.

As you listen to the episode today, my hope is that you will be encouraged from the time spent meditating on what Jesus has done for you. You are a special person; the one Jesus died to save! 

Transcript

Welcome to Eat This Bread Drink This Cup. The title of my communion meditation today is "Respect the Table." I read from 1 Corinthians 11:27-34. All quotations are from the New Living Translation (NLT) and are used with permission.

27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

The Corinthian Christians are messing up—again! This time the Apostle Paul calls them out over improperly observing the Lord's Supper. To be honest, I was confused about how a meal eaten in the assembly of the church became connected with and later corrupted their observance of the Lord's Supper. Not only did the meal supplant the Lord's Supper, but it also disrupted the fellowship of the church family. In their defense, perhaps it was a grand gesture as the church was trying to replicate the first Lord's Supper when Jesus took bread and wine at the end of the Passover meal; regardless, it was a disaster with serious spiritual consequences. Theologians disagree over which body was being defamed by the Corinthian Christians, the body of Christ, the cross, or the body of Christ, the church; perhaps it is both. Jesus died on a cross. He offered his life for us. As the Apostle Paul explains, the bread represents His body, and the wine represents His blood; these were Jesus' own words. As the church, how do we not give proper consideration to His sacrifice? Jesus died to save me and you and added us to His kingdom, the body of Christ, the church. How do we not esteem His church, whom He died to save? To disregard His sacrifice and His people is a serious matter for people who claim to be Christians; our actions are being judged by God with consequences. To prevent these consequences and restore communion with Jesus and each other, the Apostle Paul gives corrective measures. First, he tells them to separate eating a meal with observing the Lord's Supper—eat at home before you assemble. Be respectful of your brothers and sisters in the Lord. And second, make time to meditate on what Jesus has does for us, and the personal cost to Him. When you assemble, examine yourselves in advance and come prepared to partake of the bread and drink from the cup. Let us pray.

Abba, Father. Today we bless and set aside this bread and the fruit of the vine in this cup to remember Your Son, Jesus. We know that the bread represents His body that was nailed to the cross, and the fruit of the vine represents His blood that He shed for us. As we pour out the wine from the cup, we are reminded of how Jesus poured out His own blood that our sins might be forgiven. Abba, Father. What we share together with You and each other during the Lord's Supper is very special. We esteem it with honor. We remember Your Son and His sacrifice for us. We are made stronger by participating together as the church, Your kingdom on earth. Help us, Abba, Father, to remember. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Today, Jesus invites you to partake of His supper. I read from Matthew 26:26-28 (NLT).

26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” Let us partake of the bread.

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many." Let us partake of the cup.

And the assembly of believers said, "Amen!"

Until next time, from Numbers 6:24-26, "May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace."

Artist's Note: If you have questions about the Lord's Supper, I invite you to visit my website, https://eatthisbreaddrinkthiscup.com, for a brief overview. The Eat This Bread Drink This Cup podcast is listed in most podcast directories, and I invite you to add my podcast to your favorites and be notified of new posts. There is a written transcript that accompanies each podcast, and you are free to use the transcript in accordance with US copyright law. My prayer is that you will benefit personally from this time with Jesus and encourage others to observe the Lord's Supper. In these trying times, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus!