I Corinthians 11 : The Lord's Supper

‘The Lord Jesus on the night when 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.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’ I Cor. 11:23-26


Everyone who grew up in a church has probably heard this scripture spoken before communion. In my church, we would have communion every fourth Sunday of the month. After worship, we would all sit down and the pastor would come up to the pulpit. He would say “Ushers come down as we prepare for communion” then he would give what I at first thought was a speech on how we should make ourselves ready. He would talk on how in coming to God our hearts should be clean. Meaning that as we consume Jesus’ body and blood nothing should be standing in the way between us and the Lord keeping us from standing in his presence. My pastor told us that if there was any sin in our lives that we should lay it before God. When I was younger, in Elementary school, I really didn’t understand this and just wanted food because Mom hadn’t fed us our breakfast yet, so I took and ate unknowing what it really meant for my heart to be clean. But why would I? I was a child. As I got older I understood what my pastor was saying and I began to pray so that I could part with a clean heart but I still didn’t shake that idea that it was also a meal.


In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul speaks to the Cortinthian’s Church about this same issue and why many of them became weak and ill, or died. He tells them that as a church they are not eating the Lord’s supper but selfishly eating his own meal; leaving some to go hungry while others drink heavily of the wine. In verse 27, it says, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” ‘Concerning the body and blood of the Lord’: the bread is the Lord’s body and the cup is the Lord’s blood. Drinking and eating of an unworthily is just as if you dishonored the Father and snuffed at him sending his son to save our sins. He goes on in verse 29-32, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” The Lord in no way wants to condemn us but he does ask that we do these thing in remembrance.


Paul instructs the Corinthian church on what they should do in two simple steps:

1. Is that when in coming together we should wait on one another. - Communion should be done in fellowship with other believers and the Lord. And there should be no divisions in the church when communion is taken or that would be going against God’s word.

2. If anyone is hungry they should eat at home . - in order not bring judgement upon themselves and in dishonoring God.


So Flood, just remember that communion is a gift from God. God sent his Son to die on the cross for us but before he died Jesus lefts us this intimate fellowship with the Lord.


Catrese