The Lord’s Supper (I Cor 11:18-31)

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by

Robert Piña
in

Introduction: This lesson covers the things regarding the Lord’s Supper. 

Regarding the Lord’s Supper: 

  1. It was Given as an Ordinance– Vs 2 “and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you”. In Exodus 12:24-25 it is defined as a service and in Exodus 12:14 and 13:9 as a memorial. The Apostle Paul, who is the apostle to the gentiles, commanded the church in Corinth to do this. This is not a ritual as in a religion. Exodus 12:14 “unto you for a memorial…ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever”. This ordinance was “delivered unto you” vs 23. The other Ordinance given by Paul to the church is Believers Baptism by full emersion of water.
    • The Bible says “Let all things be done decently and in order” I Corinthians 14:40. 
  1. It Should Bring Unity to the Body of Christ– Vs 18-22 Apparently there disunity in this church.  Because of it, people were eating before the Lord’s supper and they weren’t getting along. This wasn’t a good way to transition from a meal to the Lord’s supper. Paul tells them regarding their disunity, “shall I praise you in this? I praise you not” vs 22. One of the main ideas of observing the Lord’s supper is to be in the unity of the Spirit. Disunity typically come from these things-  Vs 18 divisions, vs 19 cliques, vs 20 deception, vs 21 selfishness, vs 21 drunkenness, vs 21 neglecting the poor, vs 22 irreverence for the church. This is what was in the hearts of these Christians. 
  1. A Saved Person Should Partake– Vs 20-34 “When ye come together”. These are the saved, born-again believers that are a part of the Corinth church, vs 2 “Now I praise you, brethren”. A lost person should not partake in the Lord’s supper. A lost person hasn’t believed by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ- I Corinthians 15:1-4. 
  1. We Partake To Remember Jesus Christ– Vs 24-26 “this do in remembrance of me”. We do this to remember Jesus Christ, not as a sacrifice. We are reminded in what Jesus Christ did for us and that Jesus Christ is coming back one day. The Bread represents The Body of Jesus- John 6:35, 51The Fruit of the Vine represents the Blood of Jesus Christ- Deuteronomy 32:14 We don’t do this literally or physically- John 6:48-63 The Catholic church believes in transubstantiation, where the bread “literally” turns into the body of Christ and the wine “literally” turns into the blood of Christ. “as often as ye drink it”- there is no command in scripture that says we are to celebrate the Lord’s supper with any regularity. Some hold communion once a week and the regularity of it diminishes the meaning of the service. 
  1. We Should Partake Worthily- Vs 27 No Christian is “worthy” based on our merit to partake of the Lord supper. This unworthy is a reference to a Christian who is in Sin and has not examined himself as stated in Vs 28. 
  1. We Should Examine Ourselves– Vs 28 This is to examine the sin in our lives. Every Christian has sin in their life- I John 1:8.  How do we examine ourselves- Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. For this reason, when we partake of the Lord Supper, we give sufficient time to get this right with God, allow each Christian to ask God for forgiveness as stated in I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. A Christian should confess and repent (that is turn) from their sin, forsake the sin. Allow God to show you the sins that are deep in the heart that no one knows about such as pride, bitterness, and discontentment. 
  1. We Have Consequences if Done Unworthily– Vs 29-30 “eateth and drinketh damnation to himself”. This does not mean that a saved person will go to hell, it means that there are physical consequences, that is judgment from God, for taking the Lord’s supper unworthily. When done unworthily, some come out weak, some come out sick, and some of them come out dead. This is not something a Christian wants to experience. 
  1. We Should Judge Ourselves- Vs 31-32 When a Christian is guilty of some particular sin, he has two choices. Judge Himself- admit their sin(s) before God, asking for God’s cleansing I John 1:9, and turning from that sin. Let God Judge Him- If you do noting about it, God will judge the sin and the result in physical chastisement and could lead to death. The faster we judge ourselves, the faster we can get to serving and living for God and have a better Judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ. And more rewards we will have at said judgment. 

Conclusion: The Lord’s supper is something that we observe as Christians. This is done as a memorial for What Jesus Christ did for us and as a reminder that He is coming back soon. Observing the Lord’s supper should keep us walking in the truth because of the consequences if done unworthily.