THE ROAD TO THE RESURRECTION
THE LORD’S SUPPER
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
1 Corinthians 11:23-34 KJV For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [24] And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. [25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. [26] For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. [27] Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. [33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. [34] And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
I. INTRODUCTION—THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
-The church at Corinth was one of the most sensational churches that Paul would establish on his missionary journeys. It was established on his second missionary journey. He had previously gone through Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and finally had come to Corinth.
-It was here that Paul would meet Aquila and Priscilla who were Jews. They had fled the persecution in Rome and were tentmakers just as Paul was. He had connected with them and after a while started to preach in the surrounding synagogues and it was through those efforts of preaching that the church in Corinth was founded.
-Paul stayed there for about 1 ½ years. He would hand off the church to Apollos who had been converted who was a great man. Apollos had come to Ephesus initially and had ran into Priscilla and Aquila who had shone him a more perfect way. Apollos was a man who was mighty in the Scriptures but there were some doctrinal deficits that had to be fixed. This was done so by Priscilla and Aquila.
-This epistle that we are reading now was actually a second letter to them. He had written another letter (1 Cor. 5:9) that is commonly referred to as the lost epistle that had been corrective in nature as well.
-Here is a summary of the church in Corinth:
• A divided church that had broken up into factions. They had decided to follow their own favorite preacher. Some of Apollos, some of Paul, some of Peter, and another group who said they were followers of Christ.
• A worldly church that had not let go of their fleshly ways. This was the most serious of their problems. They were sexually immoral, covetous, swindlers, and idolatrous people and refused to give up their worldly ways.
• They were vindictive and would sue each other in civil courts for any reason they thought would benefit them.
• A powerful church that allowed the gifts of the Spirit to be abused.
• A confused church about the cardinal doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.
-All of these problems were woven through the identity of who they were.
II. 1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-34—THE LORD’S SUPPER
-However, the whole reason that we have the matter of the Lord’s Supper being addressed to them was because of their abuse of it.
John MacArthur—These verses are like a diamond dropped in a muddy road. One of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture is given in the middle of a strong rebuke of worldly, carnal, selfish, and insensitive attitudes and behavior. The rebuke, in fact, is of Christians who perverted the very ceremony that those verses movingly describe.
A. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25—The Pattern of the Supper
1 Corinthians 11:23-25 KJV For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: [24] And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. [25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
-When Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about the proper protocol of the way that communion is to be taken, he notes specifically how the Lord did this:
• He held up the bread and the cup—vv. 23 & 25a
• He spoke concerning the bread and the cup—vv. 24 & 25b
B. 1 Corinthians 11:26, 28—The Purpose of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:26 KJV For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
1 Corinthians 11:28 KJV But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
-Moving on to verses 26 and 28, Paul now tells us the purpose of the Lord’s Supper.
1. It Serves as a Backward Look to the Cross—v. 26a
2. It Serves as an Inward Look to the Conscience—v. 28
3. It Serves as a forward Look to the Crown—v. 26b
C. 1 Corinthians 11:27, 29-30—The Penalty for Abusing the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:27 KJV Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 11:29-30 KJV For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
-One of the warnings in Scripture is also found in this passage as well—those who violate it will be committing sin. They are guilty and will risk punishment from the Lord.
1. To eat and drink God’s judgment on oneself—vv. 27-29
2. To be divinely judged with physical sickness—v. 30a
3. To be divinely judged with physical death—v. 30b
D. 1 Corinthians 11:31-34—The Profit of the Lord’s Supper
1 Corinthians 11:31-34 KJV For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. [32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. [33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. [34] And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
1. It can be used for judging ourselves—vv. 31-32
2. It can be used for giving ourselves to others—vv. 33-34
III. CONCLUSION
-Personal Illustration withheld.
Philip Harrelson
March 19, 2017
