Dealing with Human Abandonment

Have you ever thought you were communicating one thing, but the way you acted actually communicated another thing? The Corinthians found themselves in a similar problem because of the way they practiced communion. The early church often ate communion alongside a common meal. And while that’s perfectly fine, a problem was arising where some of the poor in the church were leaving these meals hungry, while the rich were gorging themselves on their own food—even getting drunk (1 Corinthians 11:21). Talk about a mess!

I don’t know how you would address this, but Paul started by letting the Corinthians know it doesn’t matter what you call it, this “is not the Lord’s Supper†if its communicating a message contrary to what Jesus had intended (verse 20). Paul wrote, “Do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing?†(verse 22). Communion was supposed to remind the church of Christ’s sacrificial death (verse 24), but the rich Christians in Corinth were serving themselves instead of following Christ’s example. This meal, that was supposed to signify Christ gathering the church together in the new covenant (verse 25), was doing the opposite: it was driving a wedge between them.

Instead, Paul called these Christians to practice communion in a way that builds unity—by recognizing the needs of the church. Communion is important, but God won’t have us waste our time with it if we aren’t treating our family in Christ in a way that displays the truths of communion. Paul said, “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†(verse 27). If we are proclaiming Christ’s death every time we practice communion (verse 26), let us proclaim His death—and its significance for us as the church—accurately. • James Driedger

• What does communion have to say about church unity (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)?

• Ask yourself: “Am I involved in anything that brings disunity to my church family?†Ask God to bring to mind any areas where He may be calling you to repent.

• How did Jesus show His love on the night He gave communion to His disciples (John 13)?

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Deuteronomy 31:6-8; Psalm 27:10; 38:11; Isaiah 49:15