Sunday, May 22, 2011 pm
STUDIES IN 1 CORINTHIANS
(35)
Coming Together For The Lord’s Supper (1)
1 Cor. 11:17-34
a.
They DID come together!
This is an example of the saints assembling to worship God.
i.
We ought to assemble
regularly to worship Him. As
you study the New Testament, it is evident they assembled often to
worship God.
ii.
The first day of the
week - mentioned more than one.
Acts 20:7, it says the disciples came together to break bread.
Notice the context.
Vs. 6 says Paul waited in Troas 7 days and then assembled with the
saints. The implication is
that one reason he waited was to assemble with the saints.
1 Cor. 16:1-2 – “one the first day of the week” they were to give.
Again, that is mentioned assuming it was something they did
regularly.
iii.
HOW often should we
assemble “on the first day of the week”?
How often does the “first day of the week” come around?
EVERY WEEK!
Under the Old Law, the Jews were commanded to “Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy.” (Ex. 20:8)
When instructions were given, God did not have to say “every Sabbath”.
It was implied, especially when you examine vs. 9-11.
As often as there was a Sabbath, it was to be observed.
Similarly, every feast that God gave for Israel to observe had a
specified time (a specific date or even each year, or the monthly
sacrifice, etc.) When God
specified a certain date, that meant EVERY TIME it came around (and
excluded every other one).
So when we consider the examples in scripture that mention the first day
of the week, it ought to be unavoidably concluded that we do so AS OFTEN
as the first day of the week comes around.
That is why we partake of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of
the week (only) and EVERY week.
The same is true of taking up the collection.
We have a specific example that excludes everything else.
iv.
Other thoughts on WHY
the first day of the week –
1.
Christ arose on that day
(Matt. 28:1, Jn. 24:1).
2.
Pentecost, which was 50
days after the Sabbath of the Passover (The feast of weeks - Lev. 23:15,
Deut. 16:9-10), was on a Sunday – this was when the church began (Acts
2).
b.
Assembling with the
saints is not an option.
i.
It is a commanded – Heb.
10:25
ii.
Again notice in our
text, while “every week” is not mentioned, assembling together is
clearly something they did regularly.
NOTHING, either in scripture or externally indicates otherwise.
a.
Paul is clearly
expressing concerns as he notes divisions exist
i.
The worship service
ought to UNITE us! We are
united in purpose and actions.
This ought to be an outpouring of forged relationships that
extend well beyond the doors of the place of assembly.
Paul will illustrate this with an analogy to the body in 1 Cor.
12:12-27.
ii.
But sadly there is not
unity in every church, even in the assembly.
There are personality clashes and distinctions in social status
that sometimes cause people to exclude others or even to be at odds with
one another. We sometimes
call this “the party spirit”, as in people choosing parties to affiliate
with (such as in the political realm).
Such things can be a danger within a congregation, and almost
always include ungodly attitudes and conduct.
They cause division WITHIN the congregation and can lead to
outright division if not addressed.
iii.
Sometimes these factions
are a result of doctrinal differences such as questions about how to
conduct the worship services (whether dealing with the actual pattern OR
binding manmade traditions).
It was such a faction that Paul was dealing with.
Recall that he began this letter with an admonition to unity (1 Cor.
1:10-13) and has emphasized the godly attitude that prevents these
divisions throughout this letter.
iv.
IN our text, Corinth was
dealing with abuses concerning the Lord’s Supper AND the social factions
within the congregation which were made worse as a result of their
conduct. So there was error
BOTH in attitude and action.
v.
Vs. 19, points to good
that can come out of this.
While division is not good, it can produce positive results.
It can lead to a study of the God’s word on a particular subject.
Such studies will usually result in: 1) Repentance of errors, 2)
Exposing those who are not interested in truth, 3) Strengthening the
resolve of those who find the truth, OR 4) a combination of all of
these.
When Jesus described the kingdom in Matt. 13:47-52 as a dragnet, He
noted that within the kingdom there are the good and bad.
The gathering will determine which is which.
Similarly, God’s word distinguishes the good from the bad (Heb.
4:12; 2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 5:8-13 – notice in vs. 13, But all things that
are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest
is light.” Vs. 9 includes
truth in this).
vi.
WHEN doctrinal issues
arise it can help determine whether or not one is a genuine Christian or
if they have an agenda. I
have always believed that in every generation something comes along that
causes Christians to evaluate the truth of God’s word in their lives and
to take a stand on their own.
It may mean staying with what you have been taught before (God’s
word CONFIRMS your beliefs and practices to be true) OR changing when
you learn what you have been doing is wrong (such as what Paul deals
with in this text).
b.
They were NOT eating the
Lord’s Supper –
i.
The way this is stated
was NOT to say that it should not be done, but what they were doing was
NOT the Lord’s Supper as it was intended to be observed.
ii.
How is the Lord’s Supper
to be observed?
1.
WHEN is the Lord’s
Supper to be partaken? Acts 20:7, upon the first day of the week.
This text is the ONLY one that
indicates WHEN the Lord’s Supper was observed.
2.
That text does not
indicate that it was a “special service”, but it is recorded as
something that happened regularly.
The context of Acts 20:7 finds Paul on his way to Jerusalem.
He only has a few weeks to get there.
But he stays in Troas for 7 days and waits to meet with the
saints. If “the first day of
the week” was not a regular day of the saints coming together, WHY did
he wait 7 days? Why not meet
some evening where he didn’t have to depart the next day?
The implication is that the disciples met EVERY first day of the
week and they partook of the Lord’s Supper EVERY first day of the week.
Correspond that with our text
here – they “came together” to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
3.
The Lord’s Supper was
NOT intended to be a common meal.
It consisted of the bread and cup (fruit of the vine) which was
divided among those partaking.
Paul would remind them of the occasion when the memorial was
instituted in our next section (11:23-26).
4.
It was to be treated as
a memorial, with the dignity afforded such occasions – see vs. 26.
5.
It was to be done WHEN
they came together as a church.
This text implies that this act of worship can ONLY be carried
out when we are assembled as the church.
This will be further emphasized as Paul concludes this section –
1 Cor. 11:33.
Other acts of worship – singing, teaching, and prayers are not limited
to the assembly, but the Lord’s Supper and giving are specified.
iii.
What had these brethren
done?
1.
What they were doing
could NOT be described as the Lord’s Supper.
They were doing something that they CALLED the Lord’s Supper, but
it was not according to the pattern.
2.
They had turned this
memorial into a common meal, i.e. a “pot luck” meal.
It was treated as a festive occasion of food and fun (vs. 21).
3.
They were not even doing
it together. It was a “come
and go as you please” event in which they excluded some of their
brethren. They shamed “those
who have nothing.”
4.
Paul’s reaction, “What!
Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?
Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have
nothing?”
5.
NOTE: There is a lesson
in this concerning what the work of the church actually consists of.
The assembly of the church is NOT a social occasion!
It is a time to assemble to solemnly worship God.
The work we read the church engaged in during the apostolic age was
about spreading the gospel, not satisfying the social needs of society.
Romans 14:17 says “the kingdom of
God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit.”
We will also be edified in our assemblies as we do what we ought to do.
Paul will address this in the coming chapters (12-14) and so will
we.
6.
NOTE that their conduct
was described as despising the church of God.
When we reject God’s purpose and pattern in our conduct, we are
in essence rejecting His word in that matter.
He does NOT take light to such things.
7.
Paul concludes by
saying, “Shall I praise you in this?
I do NOT praise you.”
There was nothing
commendable in the conduct these brethren were engaged in.
It was an abuse of a God ordained act of worship.
Let us take seriously the purpose of the Lord’s Supper and ensure
that we do so following His pattern.
In our next lesson we will examine the significance of the Lord’s
Supper and our attitude as we partake.
(More on the Lord's Supper in our next lesson)