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Paul describes a sad looking church. The problems identified through their treatment of the Lord's Supper: Communion.
Communion is a spiritual discipline practiced to remind us of our union with Christ and with other Believers. A time for grace, humility, love, and thanksgiving. But here in the Corinthian church this sacrament highlighted a broken community full of divisions, inequalities, and prejudices.
What does Communion reveal about our church? Do we gather with grace? humility? thanksgiving? Or do we complain? criticize? the way in which the elements are offered? Is it a time when every member makes a special effort to come together? Or is it a Sunday to avoid?
The way a church receives the Lord's Supper says a lot about the health of a church.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 NIV
To proclaim the Lord's death is to remember He died for us. Made the way for life. Saved us from death. A total act of grace. Undeserved. Unmerited.
As we receive and proclaim His death through bread and the fruit of the vine we remember His love for us and in turn should be moved to share His love with others. Beginning with our church family.
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread
and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without
discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.
1 Corinthians 11:28-29 NIV
This next Sunday is a Communion Sunday. Maybe we should each take Paul's counsel and examine ourselves and our attitude toward the Lord's Supper and our brothers and sisters in Christ before we partake.
Lord, I pray First United Methodist Church - Jacksonville
will glorify You each time we gather for Communion.
Amen.
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