Sunday Morning Sermon Notes

Conduct at the Lord’s Supper: 1 Corinthians 11

17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

If they hadn’t got it so wrong, we’d never have had this text.

The opposite of how they did it, we should do it.

 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you,

 We come together in unity. What have we in common?

  that those who are approved may be recognized among you.

 Even factions are good- they show who is genuine.

 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others;

 Bring your own. A Love Feast- Jude. We’re having one later!

  and one is hungry and another is drunk.

 The rich over-indulge, the poor go without.

  22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

 Earlier than the gospels; the first record of the Last Supper

John 19:33 no breaking of bones. Broken figuratively.

1 Cor 10: 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Communion at home?

  25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

 The old covenant- blood repeatedly shed. But not here:

Hebrews 9:23: so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many

The third Passover cup?

1 Cor 10 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Jeremiah 25:15: “Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it

Psalm 116: 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord.

Cups are OT symbols of both wrath and salvation- fitting for communion.

 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

 The emblems point to the gospel: his incarnation and death

-The Crucified God

 1 Cor 2:2: For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified

1 Cor 1:23: but we preach Christ crucified

 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner

 Ritualistically?

Harbouring sin?

Not understanding it?

Indifferently?

Hypocritically?

 will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord

 Are we not already?

 Cf Hebrews 6:6: if they fall away... since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

  28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

 It’s not for us to examine each other;

• We should have a time of quiet to search our heart.
• Confess sin and eat.

  29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

 Transubstantiation?

• Luther?
• I am the door
• Let us recognise the important symbolism
• Iranians storming the UK embassy- smashing and burning a picture of our Queen

 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

 Physical weakness? Death. An extreme though effective means of purifying a church.

  31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

 God’s judgement on believers is not to punish, but to correct and restore.

• These dead believers cannot go to hell.

33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment.

 And the rest I will set in order when I come.