FHBC Sermon Notes

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 - Communion, the Lord's supper, is not just a ritual and a demonstration of the gospel itself in the life of the church.
The church at Corinth was a schismatic church with divisions along many issues of which Paul addresses throughout the book.  On sexual immorality, the nature of apostles, on singleness and marriage, on the nature of the resurrection, and spiritual gifts.  Paul lovingly, boldly, extols the people to unity in Christ. In this chapter, he centers this message around the Lord's supper.

In this chapter let is look at what is the issue in question in this chapter. There were some abuses taking place. Some possible examples are the difference between the rich and poor, either separated in the house, or perhaps the rich are eating before hand, and the poor had nothing. Lastly, perhaps the rich are taking the choice cuts for themselves, or some combination of all three.

Something though is clear, the reason for their gathering has nothing to do with their place as either rich or poor. Their unity in Christ is why they gather. As such they have one loaf that they all share. They are gathering with wrong motives, and such are wrongfully presenting the gospel itself. Their lives make them liars.

1. Christian community. (11:17-22, 33-34)
The gathering, the fellowship in Greek means to share. The church comes together to share. This is more than just a gathering though. Gathering itself does not make us a church. We must be active each other's lives, sharing our burdens together in the love the Jesus has demonstrated to us and in us. We don't isolate ourselves and do church stuff here, home stuff here, and work stuff here. As Jesus did for us, we are to lay down ourselves for one another.

2. A central desire for union with Christ. (11:23-32)

   a. Jesus Christ is the basis for Christian fellowship.
It is not natural for us to gather, most especially with though that are different from us, but what we do as Christians is gather in love, because Christ has loved us, and so we have that same sacrificial love for one another. To gather without this love for one another is to mock the gospel and the be "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

   b. Christian fellowship must keep Jesus Christ a its primary focus. (11:27-32)
We are sustained and overcome all our divisions because Jesus is our focus. If we cannot overcome our divisions, then what are we. One of the most powerful declarations of the gospel is the diversity of persons that the gospel can reach and gather. We do not sweep our divisions under the rug. We overcome all that divides the world, that divides us because the love of Christ conquers all.

   c. The kind of fellowship we should practice:
        I. Biblical encouragement. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
       II. Biblical accountability. (James 5:19-20)
      III. Biblical reconciliation. (Matthew 5:23-24) - We are ministers of reconciliation.
       IV. Corporate prayer . (Acts 4:23-31)

3. Christian unity.
There is one body!  Not parts thrown across the lawn, but one body, united, supernaturally united with Jesus as the head. We are one with Jesus, just as he and the Father are one. Amen!

Let us work at this. We are a family, the family of God.