CELEBRATING/Observing The LORD’s SUPPER-I—1Corinthians 11:17-22
Boundaries/Limitations/Parameters/Fences
Attention:
No opener
There are settings suitable for enjoying the game of golf.(See end of sermon)
Likewise, there are settings that are suitable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
Paul informed the Corinthian Christians of their shortcomings in the observance of the Lord’s Supper.
The proper Observance of the Lord’s Supper requires proper motives.
What characterizes a proper observance of the Lord’s Supper?
3 settings suitable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper.
1—A suitable setting for celebrating the Lord’s Supper assumes...
The BODY’s BETTERMENT(:17)
Explanation:(:17)Improvement
:17—“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.”
“Better”— ‘more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous, more excellent.’
Our coming together must infuse us with an advantage.
We are meant to exit better than when we entered.
‘Betterment’ of the Body of Christ requires repentance, sacrifice, bearing up under stress...
“Instructions/Declare/Charging”—paraggellw—Verb—1) To transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce; 2) To command, order, charge. Strong—To charge, is used especially of the order of a military commander to his troops. Strong—To transmit a message, i.e. by implication--To enjoin.
From—para—1) From, of at, by, besides, near. Strong—a primary preposition; properly--Near; i.e. From beside(literally or figuratively),or--At(or in) the vicinity of(objectively or subjectively), or--To the proximity with(local especially)--Beyond or opposed to, or causal--On account of.—&—aggelov—1) A messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. Strong—from aggellw[probably derived from agw[to lead; bring, drive, go, pass(time), or induce]; compare agelh[a drove](to bring tidings); A messenger; especially--An "angel"; by implication--A pastor.
“Praise”2X[See :22]—epainew—Verb—1) To approve, to praise. Strong—To applaud. Used 6X.
From—epi—Preposition—1) Upon, on, at, by, before; 2) of position--On, at, by, over, against; 3) To, over, on, at, across, against. Strong—properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution--Over, upon, etc.; of rest--At, on, etc.; of direction--Towards, upon, etc.—&—ainew—To praise(God)...itself from-ainov(properly--A story, but used in the sense of epainov[laudation]; Praise(of God)).
“Better”—Adj.—1) More useful, more serviceable, more advantageous; 2) More excellent. Strong—comparative of a derivative of kratov[vigor["great"] (literally or figuratively)]; Stronger, i.e. figuratively--Better, i.e. Nobler. Used 18X.
“Worse”—htton—Adj.—1) Inferior; 2) Less. Strong—neuter of comparative of hka(slightly) used for that of kakov; Worse(as noun); by implication--Less(as adverbially). Used 2X.
Argumentation:
Hebrews 10:24—“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love & good works,”
Prov. 3:13—“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;”
Php. 3:7—“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”
Rom. 5:3-5—“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; & perseverance, character; & character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
2Cor. 4:17—“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory,”
Illustration:
Back before internet ordering you had to order by snail-mail/I placed an order one time with a mail-order company/2wks later I received a recognition of the order, with a statement apologizing for the delay. It read, “Present improvements in our shipping procedures may cause a delay in shipping.”/Is the business better?/The Body’s Betterment
Application:
?You seek The BODY’s BETTERMENT in your celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
?Is your Setting Suitable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper?
2—A suitable setting for celebrating the Lord’s Supper assumes...
FREEDOM From FACTIONS(:18-19)
Explanation:(:18-19)Approved
:18—“For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, & in part I believe it.”
Paul “believes” this report but only in part. This is because they are to be the Body of Christ operating in unity. They are his mission, the testimony of the fullness of his work(1Cor. 1:10-17).
1Cor. 1:10-17—“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, & that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind & in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus & Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”
“Divisions”—scisma—Noun Neuter—1) A rent; 2) metaph.--A division, dissension. Scisma is actual division, separation. Strong—A split or gap ("schism"), literally or figuratively. Used 8X.
“Are/Be/Exist”—uparcw—Verb—1) To begin below, to make a beginning—1a) To begin; 2) To come forth, hence to be there, be ready, be at hand; 3) To be. Strong—To begin under(quietly), i.e. Come into existence(be present or at hand); expletively--To exist(as copula or subordinate to an adjective, participle, adverb or preposition, or as auxiliary to principal(verb).
:19—“For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”
Heresies/Differences of opinion contrary to revealed truth.
Factions/Heresies always overemphasize & underemphasize certain aspects of true doctrine to their advantage...to press their point. Such over or under-emphasis results in a humanly tailored doctrine that supplants/replaces that which is true.
Examples:
To overemphasize personal responsibility for sin so that the grace of God to forgive is underemphasized, creates a ‘faction’ that believes salvation can be lost.
To overemphasize God’s grace to the point that personal responsibility for sin is underemphasized, creates a “faction” that holds ‘anything goes’(as long as I’m satisfied) & supposes it is still pleasing to God.
“Must be”—Factions will be ever-present in the church. The presence of factions should cause those who seek & hold to the truth to focus upon & hone their faith.
“RecognizedApproved”—Acceptable to God.
“Must”—dei—Verb—1) It is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right & proper, necessity. Dei seems to be more suggestive of moral obligation, denoting especially that constrain which arises from divine appointment. Dei, the third person of dew, is commonly used impersonally in classical Greek. This usage is less common, but frequent, in the N.T. Dei indicates a necessity in the nature of things rather than a personal obligation; it describes that which must be done. Strong—used impersonally; It is(was, etc.) necessary(as binding).
“Be”—einai—Verb—1) To be, to exist, to happen, to be present. Strong—present infinitive from eimi; To exist.
“Factions/Heresies/Differences”—airesiv—Noun Fem.—1) Act of taking, capture: e.g. storming a city; 2) Choosing, choice; 3) That which is chosen; 4) A body of men following their own tenets(sect or party)—4a) of the Sadducees, 4b) of the Pharisees, 4c) of the Christians; 5) Dissensions arising from diversity of opinions & aims. Airesiv is rather the separating tendency, so it is really more fundamental than scisma. Strong—properly--A choice, i.e. specially--A party or abstractly--Disunion. Used 9X.
“Approved”—dokimov—Adj.—1) Accepted, particularly of coins & money.; 2) Accepted, pleasing, acceptable. In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, & no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds & allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft & of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. They were men of honor who put only genuine full weighted money into circulation. Such men were called "dokimos" or "approved"(Donald Barnhouse). Strong—properly--Acceptable(current after assayal), i.e. Approved. Used 7X.
“Recognized/Manifest/Evident”—fanerov—Adj.—1) Apparent, manifest, evident, known; 2) Manifest i.e To be plainly recognized or known. Strong—Shining, i.e. Apparent(literally or figuratively); neuter(as adverb)--Publicly, externally.
Argumentation:
1Jn. 4:1-3—“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, & every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, & is now already in the world.
Again: 1Cor. 1:10—“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, & that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind & in the same judgment.”
Lk. 17:1—“Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!”
Gal. 5:19-21—“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, & the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
2Pet. 2:1-2—“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, & bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
Col. 1:24—“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, & fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,”
Prov. 15:16—“Better is a little with the fear of the LORD, Than great treasure with trouble.”
Illustration:
Road construction at the intersection of US 319 & US 98 in Medart, FL(2016)/The temporary lane changes & odd divisions of property rights makes for a stressful operation for drivers & businesses/The same happens in churches except the divisions can become seated & protracted & damaging/Hard to celebrate under stress/FREEDOM From FACTIONS
Our travel from Florida to NC to visit family—We can choose Highways or Byways...To ‘avoid highways’ or take the fastest route or take the shortest route/I generally avoid the interstate for the sake of a more leisurely rural route/BUT in choosing the backroads, there are many unfamiliar turns & if one is unfamiliar with the route, you can easily get lost!/Faction-ous roads & small deviations(divisions) can lead to failure/FREEDOM From FACTIONS
My math inabilities/Jumble of numbers/I wanted—Freedom from Fractions/Part of the whole/FREEDOM From F(R)ACTIONS
Application:
?You seek FREEDOM From FACTIONS in your celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
?Is your Setting Suitable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper?
3—A suitable setting for celebrating the Lord’s Supper assumes...
PERSONAL PURITY(20-22)
Explanation:(:20-22)Discipline/Ensure the Lord His Portion
:20—“Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”
The Corinthian’s celebration becomes a celebration of themselves rather than a celebration of the Lord.
“Supper”—deipnon—Noun Neuter—1) Supper, especially a formal meal usually held at the evening,—1a) Used of the Messiah's feast, symbolizing salvation in the kingdom; 2) Food taken at evening. Strong—Sinner, i.e. The chief meal(usually in the evening). Used 16X.
:21—“For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; & one is hungry & another is drunk.”
The Lord’s Supper has sadly become an exercise in self-indulgence for the Corinthian believers!
“Takes his own supper first”—Disregard/Disrespect for sharing in symbolism.
“Hungry”—Purpose is not to stop hunger but to symbolize Christ’s death & our resulting life.
“Drunk”—Blatant display of self-centeredness.
“Takes...Ahead/Taketh before/Takes...First/Goes ahead without waiting”—prolambanw—Verb—1) To take before; 2) To anticipate, to forestall; 3) To take one by forestalling(him i.e. before he can flee or conceal his crime)—3a) Surprise, detect. Strong—To take in advance, i.e. literally--Eat before others have an opportunity; figuratively--To anticipate, surprise.
“Hungry”—peinaw—Verb—1) To hunger, be hungry—1a) To suffer want, 1b) To be needy; 2) metaph.--To crave ardently, to seek with eager desire. Strong—from the same as penhv[starving, i.e. indigent](through the idea of pinching toil; "pine"); To famish(absolutely or comparatively); figuratively--To crave.
“Drunk”—meyuw—Verb—1) To be drunken; 2) metaph.--Of one who has shed blood or murdered profusely. Strong—To drink to intoxication, i.e. Get drunk. Used 7X.
:22—“What! Do you not have houses to eat & drink in? Or do you despise the church of God & shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.”
“Despise the church of God”—Action speaks louder than words.
We may speak words acceptable in Christian circles, but our actions reveal our double-talk...that in so doing we actually “despise” the church & so God’s power
“Shame”—Dishonor/Disgrace toward your brothers & sisters in Christ.
“Those who have nothing”—Take of the ‘covered dish’ leaving nothing for others.
“Despise”—katafronew—Verb—1) To contemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of. Strong—To think against, i.e. Disesteem. Used 9X.
From—kata—1) Down from, through out; 2) According to, toward, along. Strong—a primary particle; prepositionally--Down(in place or time), in varied relations with which it is joined).—&—fronew—To exercise the mind, i.e. entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication--To be(mentally) disposed(more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively--To interest oneself in(with concern or obedience).
“Shame”—kataiscunw—Verb—1) To dishonor, disgrace; 2) To put to shame, make ashamed—2a) To be ashamed, blush with shame, 2b) One is said to be put to shame who suffers a repulse, or whom some hope has deceived. Strong—[Lit.]--To shame down, i.e. Disgrace or by implication--Put to the blush. Used 11X.
From—kata—1) Down from, through out; 2) According to, toward, along. Strong—a primary particle; prepositionally--Down(in place or time), in varied relations with which it is joined).—&—aiscunomai—from aiscov(disfigurement, i.e. disgrace); To feel shame(for oneself).
“Have Nothing”—mh econtav—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether.—&—ecw or scew—Verb—1) To have, i.e. To hold—1a) To have(hold) in the hand, in the sense of wearing, to have(hold) possession of the mind (refers to alarm, agitating emotions, etc.), to hold fast keep, to have or comprise or involve, to regard or consider or hold as; 2) To have i.e. Own, possess—2a) External things such as pertain to property or riches or furniture or utensils or goods or food etc., 2b) Used of those joined to any one by the bonds of natural blood or marriage or friendship or duty or law etc, of attendance or companionship; 3) To hold one's self or find one's self so & so, to be in such or such a condition; 4) To hold one's self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to—4a) To be closely joined to a person or a thing. Strong—including an alternate form scew; (used in certain tenses only); a primary verb; To hold(used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possessions; ability, continuity, relation, or condition).
“Praise”2X[See :17]—epainew—Verb—1) To approve, to praise. Strong—To applaud. Used 6X.
From—epi—Preposition—1) Upon, on, at, by, before; 2) of position--On, at, by, over, against; 3) To, over, on, at, across, against. Strong—properly, meaning superimposition(of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution--Over, upon, etc.; of rest--At, on, etc.; of direction--Towards, upon, etc.—&—ainew—To praise(God)...itself from-ainov(properly--A story, but used in the sense of epainov[laudation]; Praise(of God)).
Argumentation:
Jude :4, :12-13—“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness & deny the only Lord God & our Lord Jesus Christ.”.....“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”
1Tim. 4:7—“...exercise yourself toward godliness.” or [NASB]“...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
1Thess. 5:23—“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; & may your whole spirit, soul, & body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Illustration:
Intel Corp.(or any computer chip manufacturer)/Totally dust-free environment/Employees wear full body suits—Like space suit/Everything pertaining to tainting by human flesh is minimized—imperceptible flakes of skin, hair, breath are removed/A computer chip won’t function properly otherwise/PERSONAL PURITY
Application:
?You seek PERSONAL PURITY in your celebration of the Lord’s Supper?
?Is your Setting Suitable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
No Opener Used!(See Below)
Action:
Suitable settings for celebrating the Lord’s Supper assume...
1. The BODY’s BETTERMENT(:17)
2. FREEDOM From FACTIONS(:18-19)
3. PERSONAL PURITY(20-22)
Children’s— ‘Looking without Looking’
Cover a Kaleidoscope with construction paper so it resembles a telescope.
Have the children see if they can use it to see someone on the back row.
They will become interested in watching the shapes in the Kaleidoscope rather than the people in the back.
Their focus is on something other than what it should be. That is what the Corinthian Christians did. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper wrongly.
Pts. 1-3 Presented 11/06/2016pm to:
FBC Cbelle
(Prior to a celebration of the Lord’s Supper)
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
Pts. 1-3 Presented 10/04/98am to:
PENIA Baptist Church
3738 Old Penia Rd.
Cordele, GA 31015
2 Golfers playing hole adjacent to a cemetery.
As they are putting, a hearse catches the putters eye.
He drops his putter-Removes his hat & places it over his heart.
Partner feels guilty—He never crossed his mind to respect the dead.
The respectful putter says,’ It’s the least I could do after being married to her for 40 years!’
