THE LORD'S SUPPER

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 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: 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. 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. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.

Beginning with the 17th verse, and continuing through the end of the chapter, Paul instructs the church at Corinth, and, by example, instructs the church of Christ today, about the Lord's Supper, as an act of worship to God. In the lesson text Paul recites the purpose and design of the Lord's Supper as established by the Lord, Jesus Christ, before His death. In verses 20 through 22, Paul describes the unscriptural and irreverent manner the Corinthian Christians were celebrating this act of worship. In the verses following the lesson text, verses 27 through 34, Paul tells them how they are to partake of the Lord's Supper, and the consequences of partaking in an unworthy manner.

Verses 17, 18, and 19, are used by Paul to lead into the discussion of the Lord's Supper. Many improper beliefs and unscriptural actions were taking place within the church of Christ in Corinth. In this chapter Paul began by bringing to their attention, and correcting the acts, of both the men and women of the congregation, that showed their defiance of authority within the body of Christ by disregarding head covering customs, which demonstrated proper respect of those ruling over them. By doing so, they were dishonoring their heads - dishonoring those having the authority over them. Paul recognizes, and admonishes them for their lack of scriptural understanding regarding the worship service of the congregation, which brought about contentions ...(and) divisions among them (See Vss. 16, 18). Oh, how the church of Christ needs to understand the detrimental effect; the discord and strife, that results when man's opinion takes precedent over God's will regarding acts of worship, Christian conduct, and the preaching of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Here we have an example of man's unscriptural opinion altering the Lord's supper, and turning it into a common, ordinary meal, possibly similar to that of the Jewish Passover meal. In doing so, Paul told the church at Corinth that they were assembling not for the better, but for the worse (Vs. 17). In other words, they came together to worship as a body of Christ, but for the wrong reasons - their acts of worship were unscriptural. Paul said that, even when assembled, there were divisions among you (Vs. 18). This being the case, Paul knew that there were also heresies among you (Vs. 19). It was these false teachings and opinions that were at the root of their contentions and divisions.

Their intention of assembling to worship, as a body of Christ, was not as it should have been - that is, it was not centering on the scriptural observance of the Lord's Supper (Vs. 20). In verse 21, Paul indicates that when they assembled, they brought a meal for themselves, and began eating as soon as they came. Not as one group, but separated into families, sects, etc. Some were still hungry, while some had already overindulged to the extent that they had become drunken. In verse 22, Paul strongly rebukes the church at Corinth for turning the worship of God, and specifically, the Lord's Supper, into, what seemed to be, a pagan or a Jewish feast. Such acts, incorporated in worship services, were contemptible in the sight of God, and were severely condemned by Paul.

By divine inspiration, Paul had received God's instructions on the observance of the Lord's Supper as an act of worship to be observed on each first day of the week. He said that these inspired instructions was that which also I delivered unto you (Vs. 23). Here, in the lesson text, Paul restates the instructions on the commemoration of the Lord's Supper as the same as Jesus instituted to his apostles following the feast of the Passover (See Matt. 26:26-29; Luke22:19-20). This institution is to be observed during worship services on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7). For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come (His second coming - His return to earth on Judgment Day to claim His own). Scripturally worshipping God, and partaking of the Lord's supper, is designed to satisfy one's spiritual needs, and not to satisfy physical hunger. The Lord's Supper is a spiritual feast!