Teddy Roosevelt, the man who would become the 26th President of the United States, was afraid to go to church when he was a child because of a creature he called "The Zeal." His mother eventually realized the reason for Teddy’s fear was a Scripture verse he had heard the pastor read, John 2:17, "It is written, ’The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.’" Teddy did not really know what that verse of Scripture meant. There are other parts of the Bible, however, which can cause some fear even when we do understand what they mean. One frightening Bible passage is our text today, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. I remember reading this portion of Scripture when I was a teenager and getting a little nervous. What disturbed me was verse 11:27 Therefore, 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. And also verse 11:30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. I understood that this passage is about sharing in the Lord’s Supper. I also knew that "a number of you have fallen asleep" was really just a nice way of saying that "some of you have died." I got concerned that every time I took communion, I might be risking my life. What would happen if I ate the bread or drank the cup in an "unworthy manner"? And how was I supposed to know what an "unworthy manner" was? Well, eventually my fears subsided, but it was not until quite a few years later that I really started to understand what the Lord is saying to us through this text. As that has happened, I have also grown to realize what a wonderful privilege we as Christians have in coming to the Lord’s Table together. So, let’s pause and pray that God would use His Word to help us grow in our understanding and appreciation of this important part of our Christian life.
We start with the Lord’s Supper in 1st Century Corinth. 11:17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. Throughout the book, Paul has been addressing problems in this church and now he turns his attention to some more. 11:18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. He’s mentioned various divisions in the congregation a couple of times already in this letter. 11:19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. That is a God-inspired use of sarcasm on Paul’s part and then he makes a point. 11:20-22 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not! Christian congregations in the 1st Century liked to eat together. That is one tradition we’ve kept up real well. Apparently they would gather regularly, maybe once a week, for what they called an Agape Feast, or a Love Feast. To close their meal together, they would share the bread and the wine, the elements of the Lord’s Supper. But, it was not working out in Corinth. I don’t know what type of picture came to your mind as we read these verses, but it sounds pretty chaotic. They are all trying to grab food and drink for themselves, afraid there will not be enough for everybody to get what they want. It reminds me of when I was in college eating at the student cafeteria. One of the workers would bring in a big tray of Rice Krispy bars, and students would jump up and grab them off the tray before that person could even put them on a counter. The result in Corinth is that some gorge themselves on food and get drunk, while others get nothing to eat. Paul finds the whole thing totally disgusting. And so does God.
In verses 23-26, Paul reminds the Corinthians what the Lord’s Supper is really about, and we will come back to that later. 11:27 Therefore, 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. Now, what is the "unworthy manner" of which Paul speaks? That is an important question. The word, "therefore" probably gives us a big clue. Does "therefore" refer back to something Paul said in verses 23-26 where Jesus’ words at the Last Supper are recorded? I don’t think so. I think "therefore" refers back to verses 20-22, where Paul is talking about the conflict and division in Corinth. Thus, I am convinced Paul is saying that those who take part in the Lord’s Supper after they have been grabbing everything they can at the meal; who mistreat others in the fellowship; whose lives are characterized by total selfishness and lack of concern for others, those folks are eating and drinking in a manner which is unworthy of the Lord.
Paul then says, 11:28,29 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. Participating in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner is not a good thing to do. So, he says, before you eat...examine yourself. Make sure you are qualified to participate. What should we look for in a spiritual self-exam? Should we look for sin? Some folks say, "Examine yourself to make sure there is no sin in your life." No sin in my life?? Remember, 1 John 1:8 says, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves..." Or, we are lying. Others say, "Make sure you don’t have any known sin or any serious sin." Really? Are there types of sin which are not serious to God?
Friends, sometimes as I pray at night, I confess my sin by going through the Ten Commandments, that marvelous summary of God’s law. I find that pretty much each day I break almost every one of them. Oh, I would never bow down to a statue of Buddha, but I’m often guilty of idolatry because I put something else, or someone, especially myself, ahead of God. Oh, I don’t tell any bald-faced lies, but I might shade the truth just a little bit in an uncomfortable situation. I have never committed adultery, but I can’t say that lustful thoughts don’t sometimes enter my head. About the only commandment I do pretty well on is "keeping the Sabbath day holy." At least six out of seven days I don’t have any problem with that. Friends, whenever I examine my heart, I find some sin, either something I have done, said or thought that I should not have, or something I have not done, said or thought that I should have. I guess I would think I was a pretty rotten, creepy person if I didn’t know that almost all the Christian leaders I admire -- Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Spurgeon, Billy Graham -- all say the same thing. We are sinners saved by grace. So, if the prerequisite for coming to the Lord’s Table is that we need to have stopped sinning before we come, I don’t think anyone would be worthy to partake.
Others say, "Yes, we all sin, but the way to prepare for taking communion is to confess those sins. When we confess our sin, God cleanses us, and makes us worthy to come into His presence." Now, that is essentially true, but is that what Paul has in mind here? Or do we need to look at our relationships with other Christians? I believe a key phrase in understanding this passage is in verse 29, "without recognizing the body of the Lord." What does that mean? Maybe you have heard that it has something to do with thinking about Jesus’ physical body as we share in the Lord’s Supper, but I don’t think that fits the context. Rather, I would suggest "the body of the Lord" is the body of Christ, the church, people who are believers in Jesus. I think the person who participates in the Lord’s Supper without recognizing the relationship he has with other Christians, who is interested not in serving people but in using them, is the individual who is participating in an unworthy manner and may face God’s judgment. Thus, I would say that when we examine our lives before we eat at the Lord’s Table, the focus should not be so much on our vertical relationship with God, but on our horizontal relationships with other Christians. Obviously the two are connected. In many ways the vertical relationship is more important, but in this passage, I believe Paul is saying we should make sure we are treating those within the body of Christ in the right way, make sure we don’t have bitter or hateful attitudes toward a Christian brother or sister before we eat and drink the Lord’s Supper.
Now, maybe some of you are thinking, "Pastor Dan, I’ve always thought that is what this text meant." If so, congratulations, you were a few steps ahead of me. But, I suspect a number of you are thinking that my explanation of these verses seems a little different. Let me give you some reasons why I think what I have said makes sense. The first reason is Matthew 5:23,24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." Now, certainly Jesus is not talking about the Lord’s Supper here. But it makes sense that God might want us to follow the same procedure when we do come to the Lord’s Table. "First, go and be reconciled with your brother, then come to eat and drink." The second reason is the context of 1 Corinthians 11 and really the whole letter. Divisions, factions, conflicts were ripping apart the church in Corinth. Certainly Paul saw those as urgent problems with which to deal. Thirdly, the New Testament teaches that bad attitudes toward other Christians is a very serious spiritual problem. Ephesians 4:27 says that to be continually angry with someone gives the devil a foothold in our lives. That is why Paul says, Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. What better time to do that than before we eat together at the Lord’s Table.
The fourth reason is: I believe that part of the purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to remind us of the unity we ought to have as believers in Christ. Yes, we come together to remember the Lord’s death, but I think we also come together to remember that through His death, Jesus has taken down the walls that divided us from each other and made us members of one family. Observing the Lord’s Supper is not something we do individually at our kitchen table or something like that. It is something we do together as a congregation, as a group of Christians. Roger Williams, the fellow who started the first Baptist church in North America in Providence, Rhode Island, separated himself from so many folks that he was only willing to take communion with his wife, and eventually he was not sure about her either. It is not supposed to be that way. Sharing in the Lord’s Supper is intended to be a corporate activity, something we do together, and that is why it makes sense that Paul would tell us to examine our relationships with other Christians before we eat.
Now, friends, my view on 1 Corinthians 11 is not really unique. The notes in the New International Version Study Bible seem to favor this interpretation, and it is the view taken by Gordon Fee who has written the most respected commentary on this book. Incidentally, it was one of my deacons at my former church, Fred Glavan, who convinced me this is what this passage means. So, if you ever disagree with me on a particular interpretation of Scripture, don’t be afraid to talk to me about it. I have been known to change my mind. Maybe not very often, but I have done it. OK, back to our text.
Well, what will happen if we participate in communion in an unworthy manner? In Corinth, this was a sin which God dealt with rather severely. 11:29,30 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. Is Paul saying what he seems to be saying? Yes, "fallen asleep" is a 1st Century euphemism for death. Some of the people at Corinth had gotten sick and even died because of their abusive attitudes they exhibited at the Lord’s Table. That certainly seems like a harsh punishment. Maybe you are thinking, "But, Pastor Dan, God is a loving God; He would never do anything like that." Yes, God is a loving God, and out of love He sometimes disciplines very harshly, as we see in other parts of the Bible, including Acts 5 where the Lord strikes Ananias and Sapphira dead for lying. But, remember, 11:32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. This is our Heavenly Father disciplining His children. The pain that is experienced by those who receive it is intended to keep them from experiencing greater pain in the future.
Now, it is a mistake to think that God always disciplines those who abuse the Lord’s Supper in this way, or to think that He would never do something like that. There may be people here today who have brought some terrible, hateful attitudes to the Lord’s Table, and who are in perfect physical health. I am certain there are plenty of Christians whose sickness or death had nothing to do with punishment for this or any other sin. It would be foolish for someone to think, "I bet the reason Jim got the stomach flu last month was because he did not have the right attitude when he took communion." But at the same time, it would be foolish for us to try to take out of God’s hand the right to discipline very directly a sinner whom He loves. If I have a cold, there is nothing wrong with just making sure and asking, "Are my attitudes toward my brothers and sisters in Christ what they should be?" If they are great, the cold will be gone in seven days or one week, whichever comes first. If my attitudes are not what they should be, it is time to get them straight, whether I am sick or not. 11:33,34 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. Paul is very practical. Instead of fighting with each other over food at the Agape Feast so that you are bringing bad attitudes to the Lord’s Table, eat at home before you come. Make sure your hearts are full, not of jealousy or bitterness, but of love for those who, like you, have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ.
OK, that is what our text says. What does this mean for us? 1) Remember, the Lord’s Supper is meant for those who are Christians, believers in Christ. Being a church member, or a religious person, or a nice guy doesn’t qualify one to participate in this event. How does one become a Christian? By trusting in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. If you have never done that, I encourage you to do so today. As God’s Spirit enables, you need to turn away from your sin and pride, stop pretending you are good enough the way you are and instead, by believing in your heart, receive the marvelous salvation that the Lord offers. If you do that, if you have done that, then the Lord’s Supper is for you.
2) We need to make sure we have good relationships with other Christians. If there is any hatred, bitterness, jealousy or, as Paul said, "any form of malice," we need to get rid of it. It doesn’t matter what the other person has done to us, what they have said about us, or what they are like. If I am hateful, bitter or jealous, I have a problem. These are destructive attitudes. When a rattlesnake is cornered, it can become so frenzied that it accidentally bites itself with its deadly fangs. In the same way, a Christian who harbors hatred and resentment poisons his own soul. As we have seen today, bitterness makes us unfit for the Lord’s Table. Paul’s specific concern is our relationships within a local congregation. It is not good to have bad attitudes toward someone who attends another church, but bad attitudes toward someone else here at First Baptist Church is especially destructive. Now, this doesn’t mean we need to be great friends with everyone else in the church. We are all different personalities, and we will naturally get along better with some folks than with others. We are called to love every fellow Christian. We need to keep working on that, but the first concern is to get rid of bad attitudes that so easily seep into our souls. Michelangelo and Raphael, the painters (not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), were commissioned to paint the inside of a cathedral at the same time. They were so jealous of each other that they never spoke, even though they were both supposedly working for the glory of God.
Friends, is there someone in this room that, if you see them in the grocery store aisle, you turn around and go the other way? It is not supposed to be that way. If there is any form of malice toward a Christian brother or sister, I encourage you to confess this to the Lord, ask for His help and then, if necessary, go to that person and seek reconciliation. Even if the other person hates you, you need to do your part in getting rid of every form of malice.
3) We should not participate in the Lord’s Supper if we have a wrong attitude toward a Christian brother or sister. If there is bitterness, jealousy or hatred in your heart toward someone else in this room, it is best that you don’t eat and drink with us today. If you do, I am afraid you might be eating and drinking in an unworthy manner and would be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Jesus. Now, whether or not you choose to participate is really up to you. Paul says, "A man ought to examine himself." It is up to each individual to determine whether or not they can partake in a manner worthy of the Lord. One time in my former church, a deacon decided not to serve the elements to one fellow because of certain things that man had been doing. I did not quite go along with that. I am not real comfortable with deciding whose sins are big enough to bar them from sharing communion.
Now, I would say that if someone has been expelled from a fellowship because of church discipline, or excommunicated as some churches say, then it would seem proper to not allow that individual to participate. In general, however, I think it is much better to practice what is called open communion, as we do in this church. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, I usually issue an invitation to everyone present who is a believer in Christ, whether they are a member of this church or any church, and ask them to join us in sharing in the Lord’s Supper. I also usually give the warning that we talked about today. Each one should examine himself/herself and make sure they should participate. Then that decision is between God and that individual. So as the plate with bread is being passed today, you don’t have to worry that one of the deacons is going to say, "Hey, put that back!" Whether or not you participate is your decision. But, if you have wrong attitudes toward a Christian brother or sister, my advice is that you just let the plates go by. No one will embarrass you, and hopefully by next time we have communion, you will have gotten things straightened out with that other person, or persons, and will be able to participate.
4) We should approach the Lord’s Table with joy. Taking part in communion should not be a fearful experience. If we have examined ourselves and don’t see any obvious bad attitudes, we can approach the Lord’s Table with confidence knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. As we do, we are reminded in our minds and hearts of the most magnificent reality in the world, God’s love and grace, given to us through the death and resurrection of His own Son, and experienced by all who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: 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.
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Go to www.life.1stbaptist.org/sermons.htm for Pastor Dan’s sermon site
