The Lord’s Supper

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that 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 of me.” 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. Whoever, therefore, 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. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 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. (1 Corinthians 11:23–32)

After moving many times and taking communion in many churches, it has become a great blessing to be involved in this special event. Various churches do it in a variety of ways: every Sunday, one Sunday a month, ushers passing out the elements, members coming forward to take the bread and wine from the pastor, or from a table. Most give the instructions from this passage.

While at least one congregation hurried through and seemed to treat it as a nuisance ritual, most congregations treat it as seriously special. In our church it is serious, but so much a coming together of God's family that watching a few hundred people remembering what Christ has done always blesses my heart. 

The warning is important. It isn’t just for those who do not believe in Jesus but for anyone who is in conflict with others, or who has other unconfessed sin in their lives. I remember a mother upset with her adult son for not participating although he usually did. He told her he had a bad attitude that day and needed to get right with God first. Rather than taking the bread and juice and hiding a sin issue is to be admired.

Our rules are not otherwise strict. If people are watching at home on YouTube, they are encouraged to participate when it is okay for them to do so. This stresses that the Lord’s supper is a time to focus on the sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation, no matter where we are. 

The church at Corinth had other problems. Some were weak, ill, or had died because they had not dealt with their sin. Communion is a good reminder that Jesus died for that sin and I must therefore die to it — and live for Him.

Lord God, how I am blessed to participate with several hundred people in this most precious ordinance. While thinking about the Body of Your Son who died for me and who lives for me is not limited to one Sunday a month, in the busyness of life, the reality of all that You have done can easily slip out of my mind. Thank Your for keeping me me close with such an important and special ritual.

 

Guilty of idolatry?

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters. . . . (or) indulge in sexual immorality. . . . (or) put Christ to the test. . . . nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed. . . . Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. (1 Corinthians 10:1–15)

Even as I try to purge our home of unneeded items, it is not easy. However, yesterday our son said that after we are gone, it will take him two days to empty the house. At first I was shocked to think my stuff might wind up in the dump, but this remark is helping me. I can give things to family, friends and needy people before I go to be with Jesus. But I cannot take them with me.
That thought actually helps with the purging, but it also makes me wonder if some of my beloved stuff could be called idols. While I do not worship them as gods, they are far more important to me than to easily give them away.

God's OT people were guilty of making their desires and activities more important than obeying God. Idolatry as God sees it is not merely putting a statue on a shelf. It can also be a deep unwillingness to let go of anything, and to make them treasures instead of gifts from God that He entrusts to my stewardship.

Lord, as I get older, that stewardship needs to be honored and I must gladly yield those gifts to You . You may lend them to someone else as You decide. Most of them may not last long and none of them will enter eternity. Emotionally, this is a challenge, but give me total victory over the temptation to make stuff more important than it is.

When weeping is better than words…

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

While this seems strange in our culture, on a holiday in Asia we saw shrines where food was offered to idols. No one told us what happened to the food when the idol didn’t consume it, but for anyone who became a Christian, idol worship would be a sin. Eating the food, if done, would also be sinful by association. So if I was hungry and snacked off that shrine and a new Christian in that culture saw me do it, I might defile their conscience. 

In other words, if another Christian thinks anything is a sin and I am convinced otherwise, I would be wounding their conscience by doing whatever they think is sin. I’m to consider my freedoms in Christ a blessing but not to the point of boasting or harming the faith of someone who has not come to that freedom. This is about loving others and not doing anything that encourages them to violate their own conscience. It is not my role to demonstrate my deeper faith, but to meet people where they are at.

At the same time, I can edify others in love by doing and saying what the Holy Spirit tells me, as the NT says:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29–32)

Being loved as Jesus loves me has a powerful effect of setting me free from worry, hangups, discouragement, and trying to make myself a better person. This is what God wants in my treatment of others too. The passage says I might know things others do not know, but that is not a reason proudly pat myself on the back or spout off what I know. Loving people is far more helpful and more like Jesus who told His disciples only what they were ready to hear.

Jesus, in the past week You have brought into our lives an angry and alone divorced woman, a family who lost a loved one and is very upset that he cannot travel to be with the other survivors, and a man who had a stroke and will need to be in a care facility the rest of his life. You tell us to weep with those who weep and not be wise in our own eyes. Love is not always giving answers or mini-sermons, but about weeping with them.

 

Sins that defile God’s people…

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:1–13)

This passage seems to focus on only one sin, yet the instructions to rid the church covers more than those involved in sexual sin. The list includes: greed, idolatry, reviler (those who slander others), drunkards, and swindlers. While all of us are sinners, these are particularly evil and harmful to God's people and if any who claim to be Christians are involved in such things, they need to be disciplined rather than tolerated.

We attend a particularly incredible assembly of several hundred believers. I’m aware of only one person guilty of one of the sins included in this passage. I don’t know if he was told to leave but he did. Those related to him have stayed and been comforted and cared for as they hope for repentance.

The church at Corinth thought it was spiritual to forgive their sinner, but there is no mention of repentance or that he quit this particular sin. Instead, they were rebuked for not dealing with him. The last lines say we are to judge those in the church, guarding the purity of Christ’s body. 

However, it also says we are not to judge those outside the body. This isn’t about overlooking the sin in the world but about realizing that those without Christ have no power to be godly. Without Jesus, we were the same — helpless and hopeless. Those who have Christ are not. He has given us new life in Him and we have all we need to do His will and say NO to evil.

Lord Jesus, I know that Your forgiveness and faith in You changes lives. While sin is powerful, and while the enemy is strong with his deception, You tell us that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) While it is easy to excuse sin, there is no excuse for it. You provide. Enable me and all Your children to say NO to temptation and rely on You to keep us in Your will. Thank You for salvation from sin and the power of the Holy Spirit.

All goodness is a gift

For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 3:19–4:7)

One evening at Bible study I shared how God rebuked me for praising another person. She quoted Scripture that glorified Him instead of taking the praise for herself. I was startled but realized that she knew how God wanted her to think about her skills. She gave Him credit for giving them to her. 

I don’t always do that. While praise feels good for my ego, it does not build my faith. It is better to feel needy and unable than to have confidence in myself. The people in that Bible study did not agree. They thought she was being rude to me, not realizing the importance of humility that knows all good things are a gift from Him. 

I’ve since thought much about human effort apart from relying on the Lord and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The OT says: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) 

Turning to my own way, relying on me instead of the Lord, means I’ve gone astray. The Word calls it ‘iniquity’ which means ‘guilt’ in Hebrew, My thesaurus says it is like: wickedness, sinfulness, immorality, impropriety, vice, evil, sin; villainy, criminality, crime, heinousness, nefariousness, knavery; vileness, foulness, baseness, odiousness, atrociousness, dreadfulness, egregiousness; outrageousness, outrage, monstrousness, obscenity, reprehensibility; ungodliness, godlessness, impiety, devilry, among other nasty words. 

The NT puts it like this: “. . . . . whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) and this:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

When I think about who God is and what He has done through the power of His Spirit and the love of Jesus Christ His Son, how arrogant to think that I can live without trusting Him and doing it my way.

Lord, this is an important truth that brings unity to Your children. Help each one of us to think rightly about ourselves and one another. No pedestals, no boasting, just serving faithfully without judging others or even ourselves. All goodness comes from You. 

 

Jesus unites enemies…

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:8–13)

God intended that the nation He called to be His people also sing His praises to non-Jews and be a witness to them of His glory. This didn’t happen, however the plan did not change. It happened through one man, Jesus Christ who made the gospel available to everyone. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:8–22)

Uniting Jew and Gentile seemed impossible yet the God of the impossible did it, and most of the world is beginning to persecute all who believe in Jesus, including those who call themselves God’s people and haven’t yet trusted Jesus as their Messiah. It seems that putting faith in Him is a slap in the face to all who would rather do life “my way.”

Jesus, help me hold on to the truth of what You have done and are doing as Your people experience so much hatred and violence. Also remind me of how You respond to these threats. Psalm 2 says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’” (Psalm 2:4–6) I have read the last page of the history book and know that You will not be defeated! As for me, keep me from having any bad attitudes toward those who are outside of God’s family and remember my responsibility to show them Your love.

 


 

Sharing the love of Jesus

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:1–7)

Christians vary in their level of understanding the will of God and in living for Him. Some liken this to climbing a mountain. We are all going the same direction but at different levels. Some are in a steep spot. Others may be sliding on a graveled slope, and others in a grassy glen. 

I’ve noticed how delightful I feel communicating with someone near to the same place as I am. I’m in awe around those who are higher, and a bit impatient with others farther down. But this passage says I should not feel either way about anyone.

Welcoming others is not about levels of understanding; it is about unity and harmony. No matter where someone is in their spiritual journey, we have much in common and can encourage one another. One person may give me hope for future growth and another a reminder of how much God has done for me, yet we can together praise the Lord and love each other. 

This is what it means to welcome other believers. One commentary says that where this grace exists, there is one mind, with mutual love. Yet that one mind does not press us to have the same opinion about all things, only a “similar disposition towards Christ.” 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:1–8)

Our example is the attitude of Jesus Christ who puts the needs of others above all else to humbly serve our needs. He died for everyone.

Needs is a key word too. This isn’t about wearing out myself to fill the wants of others. They may want to go to a movie or order pizza, but I must make a meal for my family. Love can invite them to eat with us. Life offers many examples of how to look out for others, and welcome them.

Lord, Your Word makes it clear that this welcome attitude is important to Christian unity. It is not merely in kind words or in outward association in activities, but motivated by a spirit of love that simply shares my grateful adoration of You with others who also love You.