In Remembrance of Me
1 Corinthians Series
CCCAG 11-9-2025
Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17–34
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Introduction —
Growing up, some of my favorite memories revolve around the yearly Thanksgiving trip to Hayward for hunting season and the thanksgiving meal.
My Grandparents had a small house, but it had a dining room with a formal table in the middle it. It was really heavy and could only be moved into the center of the room by four strong men. My grandma had one mission in life during that season- make that thanksgiving meal a thing to remember, and she timed it’s completion for exactly 6:30 on Thanksgiving.
It was the one meal you do not miss. Hunting, cleaning deer, and weapons, everything revolved around that meal as it was a tradition that will be followed.
There’s something sacred about a shared meal.
In every culture, eating together has always meant more than just food — it means fellowship, connection, belonging.
Fast forward to 2025, when everyone is focused on their phones, eating in silence, rushing to get up — that meal may fill the stomach, but it leaves the soul empty. It’s possible to be present at the table, and still completely miss what the meal was meant to mean.
That’s exactly what happened in the church at Corinth.
They were coming together for what was supposed to be the most sacred remembrance of all — the Lord’s Supper — and turning it into something ugly and selfish.
What began as a gathering of love had turned into a display of pride. The rich were feasting, the poor were humiliated, and the cross of Christ — the very reason for the meal — was being overshadowed by arrogance and division.
So Paul writes to them — not with gentle words, but with rebuke. He says in verse 17, “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.”
Imagine that. A church meeting doing more harm than good.
This morning, we’re going to walk through this passage section by section and rediscover what Jesus meant when He said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Because, Church — communion is not about the bread and cup themselves.
It’s about remembering a Person.
It’s about coming face to face again with the One who gave His body and poured out His blood so that we could live.
1 Co 11:17–20
17 Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.
21 For at the meal, each one eats his own supper. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! 22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!
Prayer
1. The Problem in Corinth (vv. 17–22)
START HERE- Paul doesn’t hold back here. He says, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat.”
In other words, whatever it is you’re doing — it’s not communion.
Let’s look at the context to what is being talked about here-
In the first-century church, the Lord’s Supper was often celebrated as part of a larger, open to the community, fellowship meal — like the fellowship meal we will have next week, except their fellowship meal was the entire meeting. The idea was that believers, rich and poor, would bring food and share together in unity before taking the bread and cup.
In many ways, they were following the pattern that Jesus and the disciples did at the Last Supper.
But in Corinth, the wealthy members were arriving early with fine food and wine, eating and drinking before the working-class believers could even get off their jobs and arrive. By the time the poor arrived, there was little left — just crumbs and humiliation.
As Paul says, “One remains hungry, another gets drunk.”
So instead of a symbol of unity, communion had become a display of division.
Instead of proclaiming the cross, it was proclaiming selfishness.
And Paul says, “Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in?” — in other words, if all you’re doing is throwing a party, leave God out of it.
Because when we treat something sacred as common, we’re not just being casual — we’re being careless with something holy.
Now, if the Corinthians’ error was treating communion too casually, the pendulum swung in the other direction a few centuries later.
The Roman Catholic Church formalized communion into what we now know as the Eucharist — a highly ritualized ceremony where the bread and wine were believed to literally become the body and blood of Christ. Reverence was restored — but at a cost.
The meal of fellowship became a ceremony of distance. The joy of remembering became a ritual of fear.
And to this day, the Lord’s Table in many traditions feels more like a courtroom than a family dinner.
Somewhere between Corinth’s party and Rome’s pageantry lies the heart of what Jesus intended — a moment of sacred remembrance and humble fellowship.
It’s not a feast for the flesh, and it’s not a ritual for the pious.
It’s a moment of grace for the grateful.
So let’s take a moment and define what Communion is, and isn’t.
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2. Three Major Views on Communion
A. Transubstantiation — The Catholic View
This view teaches that during communion, the bread and wine actually become the literal body and blood of Jesus. The appearance stays the same, but the substance changes — hence trans-substance. It’s based in part on Jesus’ words in John 6:53, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”
Now, this view does emphasize reverence — people take communion very seriously under this theology. In fact, as I understand the Roman Catholic Canon Law, you can’t take communion unless you have gone to confession first so that your soul is free from any sin that might be clinging to it.
But the danger is that it can turn the simple remembrance Jesus gave us into a mystical ceremony where grace is dispensed through a priest instead of received directly from Christ. Salvation becomes tied to a ritual, rather than a relationship.
The next view would be the one prevalent in our area here-
B. Consubstantiation — The Lutheran View
When the Protestant Reformation happened, it’s leader Martin Luther rejected transubstantiation but still believed Jesus was “really present” in the elements — not physically, but spiritually. He described it as Christ being “in, with, and under” the bread and wine.
So the elements don’t change, but Christ’s presence surrounds them.
This view keeps the focus on Christ’s presence but can blur the line between symbol and substance. It’s beautiful in its reverence, but it risks missing the simplicity Jesus modeled.
The third idea is the one that we follow in this church, and in most Protestant Church’s outside of the Lutheran sphere.
C. Memorial View — The Zwinglian or Evangelical View
Named after Ulrich Zwingli (UR-rick Ts-ling-lee), this view sees the bread and cup as symbols — powerful, sacred reminders of Jesus’ sacrifice.
This is the view most of us hold in evangelical churches today, and it aligns closely with Paul’s teaching here: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”
The elements don’t change. They point us to the One who changed us.
And the act of communion doesn’t save us — it reminds us of the One who did save us.
The power isn’t in the bread or the cup — it’s in the cross they represent.
In the Assemblies of God, we add to that view that the Holy Spirit is heavily present during this time in a manner unique to this observance, and I would agree with that.
I believe this view best fits Scripture and the heart of Jesus’ command. Communion is not about re-sacrificing Christ. It’s about remembering that His one sacrifice was enough.
So let’s watch as Paul moves from rebuke to teaching truth
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3. What Communion Really Is (vv. 23–26)
He writes, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you.” That’s his way of saying, “This isn’t my opinion — this came straight from Jesus Himself.”
“The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
Three key truths here:
A. We Remember Jesus
Communion isn’t about us — it’s about Him.
It’s about remembering His suffering, His obedience, His love.
Every time you hold that piece of bread, you remember that He took your place.
Every time you raise that cup, you remember that His blood washed away your sin.
“Do this in remembrance of Me.”
That word “remembrance” doesn’t mean a passing thought.
In Greek, it means “to call back into the present.”
When we take communion, we’re not just recalling a historical event — we’re re-centering our hearts in the reality of what Jesus did and why it still matters.
The second thing communion does is
B. We Proclaim His Death
The bible says, “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
Communion is a sermon without words.
It’s the Church’s ongoing declaration that the cross still matters, and that Jesus is still coming again.
It’s a testimony to the world: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again.”
The third emphasis of communion is-
C. We Participate Together
Communion is not a solo act.
It’s “when you come together.”
When we take it as one body, we remind ourselves that salvation is personal but not private. The same grace that saved me is the grace that saved you. The table is level ground.
When you look around during communion, you’re surrounded by people just as in need of grace as you are — and just as forgiven.
That’s the right attitude about communion, but the bible also has something to say about a wrong way to take communion.
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4. The Wrong Way to Observe Communion (vv. 27–32)
Paul now gives a solemn warning.
He says, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.”
Notice that phrase: “in an unworthy manner.”
It doesn’t say “whoever is unworthy” — because none of us are worthy.
It’s not about being perfect; it’s about coming with the right heart.
An “unworthy manner” means taking communion flippantly, without self-examination or without repentance, without recognizing the sacredness of the moment.
• It means participating outwardly while being disconnected inwardly.
• It means taking the symbols of grace while clinging to sin.
Paul continues, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat.”
Communion isn’t about self-condemnation, it’s about self-reflection.
It’s a time to ask, “Lord, is there anything in me that grieves You?”
It’s a time to realign our hearts to His.
Remember, we believe that the Holy Spirit is present in a very unique way when we take communion, and when we rush past that moment of self reflection, we risk missing the power of communion entirely.
Let’s look at a few of the consequences behind careless communion.
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5. The Consequences of Careless Communion (vv. 29–32)
Paul says, “That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”
That’s a sobering verse, and it’s often misunderstood.
Some take it to mean that God was literally striking people dead for taking communion irreverently.
And it’s true — there are moments in Scripture when God disciplines His people physically for willful sin.
While that is a definite possibility, I believe Paul’s main point here is spiritual, not just physical.
In the New Testament, “falling asleep” is often used metaphorically for becoming spiritually apathetic — for being alive but numb to God’s presence.
The bible is saying that when we treat the cross lightly, our spirit grows dull.
We stop feeling conviction. We stop being moved by grace. We fall asleep — not in death, but in our souls.
And friend, that’s the most dangerous kind of sleep there is.
Because spiritual drowsiness eventually leads to spiritual death.
But even here, Paul’s tone shifts to hope. He says, “When we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”
In other words — God’s discipline is never meant to destroy us, but to restore us.
Or- He shakes us so that He can wake us.
This is why
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6. Communion as the Great Equalizer (vv. 33–34)
Paul closes with practical instruction: “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.”
That one line says so much.
It means — don’t rush, don’t push past others, don’t forget that you’re a family.
Communion isn’t a private snack; it’s a shared supper.
In Corinth, the wealthy ignored the poor. In our day, we might ignore the broken, the struggling, or the new believer beside us.
But Paul reminds us — the table of the Lord is the great equalizer.
There are no VIP seats here.
The cross levels every title, every status, every past mistake.
We come to this table not as doctor or nurse, pastor or parishioner, man or woman, rich or poor — we all come simply as sinners saved by grace.
So when we come together, we wait for each other.
We see one another.
We remember that the same Jesus who died for me also died for you.
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7. Conclusion — Come to the Table
Communion isn’t about performing a ritual — it’s about remembering a relationship.
It’s not about the bread or the cup — it’s about the Savior who offered both.
When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” He wasn’t saying, “Perform this ceremony.”
He was saying, “Don’t forget what I’ve done for you.”
So as we prepare to take communion today, let’s remember:
• The bread reminds us that His body was broken — not just bruised — so ours could be made whole.
• The cup reminds us that His blood sealed a covenant that can never be broken.
• And the act itself reminds us that He’s coming again — because Paul says, “You proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
That’s why communion always points both backward and forward —
Back to the cross, and forward to the crown.
Back to the sacrifice, and forward to the Second Coming.
Back to the price paid, and forward to the promise fulfilled.
In just a moment, we’ll take the bread and the cup together.
But before we do, I want to invite you to take a quiet moment to examine your heart — not to wallow in guilt or a sense of condemnation, but to be reminded of grace.
Ask the Lord, “Is there anything in me that needs to be made right before I come to Your table?”
This table isn’t for the perfect.
It’s for the forgiven.
It’s for all who believe that what Jesus did on the cross still changes lives today.
Communion and Close
