Celebrating the Lord’s Supper

I have attended many churches over the years and partaken of the Lord’s Supper at many of them. Each time it was a quiet, mournful and solemn experience. I have often wondered why everyone appears so sad by what should be a celebration. The popular belief among Christians is that church is the place where we do a lot of introspection of our selves. In our Sunday worship service, we do some worrying about our performance and our current standing on the sin scale. We sing. We hear the preached word and leave. Hopefully we leave challenged to change our lives. This is very serious business. It would appear that with all the solemnest, many people don’t believe the church is also a place for smiles, lightheartedness and celebration.

If we look back at church tradition, viewing the history of the church; we see in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, that many of us believe this is a time for solemnest or sadness. If you could visit churches around the country, as they participate in the Lord’s Supper, you might find lots of people looking solemn, sad or even crying. Some people are concerning themselves with this week’s record of their sins, in order to participate in the Lord’s Supper. They feel this is what they should do; Examine themselves! They want to determine if they are worthy to participate in the Lord’s Supper, according to a recited scripture by the pastor. We know that this understanding comes from a Bible Scripture cited in         1 Corinthians Chapter 11. This scripture is preached from pulpits every First Sunday or whenever a church partakes in the Lord’s Supper.

The scripture I am referring to comes in the pastor’s invitation to the body, to partake of “The Lord’s Supper.” It is 1 Corinthians 11: 27-28 (NIV), wherein states:  “Therfore, whoever eats the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28) A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”

However, some Pastors read it and comment to their congregations as if it said: (My paraphrase)

“You must examine yourself (assess your worthiness by reflecting on your sins) for worthiness to partake of the Lord’s Supper. If you partake of it and you are not saved, (having accepted Christ as you personal savior); you will bring divine judgment upon yourself, because you have partaken of it in an unworthy manner. They imply that if you have sinned in any way, you are not worthy and therefore, should not partake of it until you have confessed your sins; however, if you partake of it anyway, (supernatural) bad things will happen to you, such as sickness and death.”

After hearing this, the believers and visitors don’t know what to do!  They have feelings of guilt. If they don’t partake of the Lord’s Supper, everyone will assume they are guilty of sins. If they do partake of the Lord’s Supper, then they bring damnation upon themselves. I have heard this scripture expressed in this way many times over the years. Fortunately, they heard the Word first!

I question whether or not a visitor attending church services where the Lord’s Supper is commencing; can be denied the right (by scripture intimidation);  to participate in the Lord’s Supper, based on this particular scripture and the assumption they are unsaved??

If we look a little deeper into this passage, I believe we will find that, instead of this celebration being about us; it’s really about someone who is not us. With this understanding, we should feel relieved!  That means now, when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we can smile, celebrate and enjoy!  That means we don’t have to sit there with solemn faces, reflecting on our sins, past and present; and questioning ourselves, if we should partake or not. That means we don’t have to be concerned with what other believers think!

How preachers arrived at this understanding of this scripture, I cannot say. I don't know if the cause is just plain ignorance of scripture or they just refuse to continue their study and explore the scriptures to get the correct understanding. I can only tell you what I believe scripture does say from my studies and the understanding the Holy Spirit has granted me. Let’s take a look at the background story in order to appreciate and put this scripture in very possibly, the correct context!

The main theme of the Epistle to the Corinthians is Christian Conduct. It was written by the Apostle Paul at the close of his three years residence in Ephesus. This occasion for this epistle was a letter of inquiry from the Corinthian Church. They asked questions of Paul concerning such things as was it advisable for Christians to enter into the married state? Should a husbands or wife after being converted continue to live with an unconverted partner? What should the Christian attitude be toward the eating of meat which had previously been offered in sacrifice to idols? Should women have their heads covered when attending public worship? What is the significance of the variety of spiritual gifts?

But Paul was also greatly troubled by reports from Corinth of deepening division, increasing contentions, and other problems among the believers; and by a case of incest which had not been judged by the church. Located on the Mediterranean, the city of Corinth was a wealthy trading center. It was also a wicked city and was known for its wickedness throughout the Roman world. Because the church in Corinth was new, it was hard for the newly converted Jew and Gentile Christians there not to act like their pagan neighbors. So the church had some very serious problems.

The Christians in Corinth were not getting along with one another. There was division amongst them and they were taking sides. They divided themselves with false pride by exalting themselves over which Apostle baptized them; whether it was Paul, Peter, Apollos or Jesus. Some of them were living very sinful lives while claiming to be Christians. Paul wrote this letter to scold them and teach them how Christians should act. He tried to teach practical lessons about the Christian life so that people in Corinth would know right from wrong.

The main thrust of the epistle is correction of error brought about more by the carnality of the believers at Corinth, than by heresy. While Paul defends his apostleship because it involves the authority of the doctrine revealed through him; the letter is also an expression of his grief, concern and holy indignation on account of the unspiritual and immoral behavior of Christians at the Corinthian church.

Although this Epistle covers 16 chapters and subjects concerning, division in the church, sexual immorality; lawsuits, marriage, Christian rights and responsibilities, public worship and the importance of spiritual gifts, I am directing my examination to the issue of The Lord’s Supper in the church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11: 27-34 (NIV)

This scripture has been quoted from pulpits by preachers for a very long time. I believe it has been quoted without the correct understanding of it. Thus it has been misquoted and misunderstood by the preacher and his listening audience. I know that one can only speak from that which he has learned and believes. However, one should be open to continued knowledge, learning and understanding. After all, scripture says in, Prov.4:7 “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.”  So one should adjust his understanding in light of that knowledge accordingly!

As I mentioned earlier, this scripture is quoted in a way that guilt’s a person into not partaking of the communion or Lord’s Supper. I believe that many pastors have the wrong understanding of the true purpose of The Lord’s Supper. Paul indicates plainly the true purpose of the Lord’s Supper, quoting directly from Jesus’ mouth, in the preceding verses,   1 Cor. 24-26

V.24    And when He (Jesus) had given thanks, He (Jesus) broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

V.25    In the same way, after supper (finished eating) He (Jesus) took the cup saying, “This cup is the new covenant (agreement, testament) in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

V.26   (Paul speaking) For whenever you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

According to these verses, The Last Supper Celebration is a “Remembrance Supper.”

So what do these scriptures tell us? They say that Jesus commanded His followers to eat the bread and drink the wine “In Remembrance of Him.”  Jesus knew that eating and drinking were a natural, every day occurrence in the lives of His followers. Therefore He insured that they would not forget the significance of his coming death, by commanding them to do this as often as they would normally eat and drink, in “Remembrance of Me”

The Apostle Paul added in V.26, (My paraphrase) - that as often as His followers did eat and drink, they would be proclaiming (announcing, making known to others) the fact of Jesus’ death and resurrection; until Jesus’ returns in glory.

You should also remember that the believer converts of the early First century believed they were living in the “Last Days.” They believed that Jesus’ return in Glory was imminent and they would witness it within their lifetime; of course, unless Jesus delays His coming. This was the common understanding amongst the early Christians. It was this understanding that led to their decisions to sell their unneeded property; give to the poor and needy; pool their money and resources to take care of one another, in their small home churches.

V. 27 (Paul speaking) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

V. 28   But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

So what is Paul trying to tell the Corinthians in verse 27?  If you eat of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner, you are guilty of disrespecting Jesus and the purpose of the celebration…The remembrance of Jesus’s sacrifice for us!

Nowhere in this scripture does ‘Jesus’ say a man must “examine himself” before he can partake of the Remembrance Supper.  Surely, if this was so important a prerequisite to eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper, Jesus would have commanded it right then. But Jesus did not command this of His followers at the Last Supper.

V. 28 was a commandment of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians! NOT JESUS!!  Are we as believers in Christ, obligated to do as Paul commands? Just because it is “In the Book?”  There is much in the Book that we do not follow, for good reason. We don’t even pretend to try and follow the 10 commandments or the 600 plus Mosaic Laws. The reason is simple.  We cannot keep these laws! That is why God gave us a New Covenant in the person of Jesus Christ! We who are saved by Jesus’s redemptive work on the cross, live under and by Grace!  Which means we are covered under a new covenant with God because of Jesus’ blood sacrifice; and by His Grace we have been cleansed of sin once for all. God no longer sees us as sinners! We are restored to good relationship with God, through Jesus Christ!

 We are no longer under or bound by Old Testament Mosaic Law! Jesus stated plainly, “This cup is the New Covenant (agreement, testament) in my blood”  And Hebrews 10:9-10 confirms this:       9 “Then He said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first (Old Testament covenant) to establish the second.” (New Testament covenant) 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”        See also Hebrews 8:10-13; Hebrews 9:15; and Hebrews 10: 15-18

We need to examine the background story of the Apostle Paul and the Corinthians a little closer, to understand why Paul commanded the Corinthians in this way. This letter of Paul to the Church at Corinth not only gives counsel and instruction on important issues of Christian faith and conduct, but it also throws a revealing light on the serious problems facing this young church, shortly after its beginning in the middle of the first century.  Consider the background story as it was two thousand years ago!

Paul had brought the message of Christ to Corinth during the course of his second missionary journey. This city presented a tremendous challenge to the Gospel, both as one of the great cosmopolitan centers of commerce in the ancient world and as a place notorious for corruption and sexual immorality. If the message of the Cross had power to reach and transform the lives of men and women in such a setting, then it was powerful indeed!  And this is precisely what happened. The members of this young church had been enriched with a variety of spiritual gifts. Gifts of the Spirit! This was a confirmation to them, and to the world, that God was present and working powerfully in their midst.

But it was not long before serious errors of doctrine and practice, which threatened the well-being and even the survival of the Christian community there, arose within the ranks of the believers. It is to the correction of these errors that 1 Corinthians is mainly devoted. In the first place, deplorable division had split the church into hostile factions; shattering the unity in which all who profess to be brothers in Christ, should be bound together.

Secondly, one of their number had been guilty of gross immorality, (incest) of a kind even the profligate society of pagans around them, would have condemned. However, much to Paul’s surprise, the congregation of Corinth had failed to impose discipline upon the offender by expelling him from their fellowship.

Thirdly, members of the church had been dragging each other before pagan secular courts to settle disputes that had arisen between them, instead of resolving their quarrels in a spirit of Christian love within the community of the church, or being willing, after Christ’s example, to endure wrongs without retaliation.

Fourthly, some had been committing fornication with prostitutes and attempting to justify their conduct by arguing that only the body was involved and that the deeds of the body were of no consequence. Therefore, they had not sinned!

Fifthly, the Lords Supper, which should have been a Celebration in Remembrance, and an expression of loving harmony, had degenerated into an occasion for irreverence, gluttony, and uncharitable behavior.

Sixthly, there were disorderly and unedifying scenes when they met together for public worship, especially in the exercise of the spiritual gifts with which they had been endowed. Paul found it necessary to remind them that the gift which is best of all and most to be coveted is the gift of love. Apart from which all other gifts are worthless.

Seventhly, heretical teaching had gained a footing in the Corinthian church. Which, by its denial of the fact of Christ’s resurrection and indeed of the possibility of any resurrection from the dead; had struck at the very cornerstone of the Christian faith.

These matters, of which every one is appalling, received Paul’s careful and urgent attention in this epistle letter to the Corinthians. It is through this background narrative that Paul found himself having to rebuke and instruct, the Christians of the Church at Corinth.

Now we have to go back a few verses to see and understand the context of the problem; that prompted Paul to command them to examine themselves. There is a type of examination that the Corinthians needed to do two thousand years ago. However, it’s not the same type of examination that Christians are engaging in today. Reflecting on past and current sins!

 In 1 Corinthians 17-22 (NIV) Paul states the problem very clearly. V17- “In following directives I have no praise for you, for your meeting do more harm than good. 18- In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.     19- No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20- When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21- for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 22- Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!”

So when we look at this passage, what do we see they were doing? They did not follow the directions Paul had given to them to guide themselves and their budding church. When they would meet together for home church, they quarreled so; it did more harm than good. They were divided into factions within the church. They were coming to the home church celebration of the Lord’s Supper and they were not just eating the little half ounce serving of bread and wine.  They were sharing a whole meal together first.  Then they would break the bread and drink of the cup.

Other people were showing up for this celebration at the home church early and not waiting for anybody else to eat.  You know what happens when people show up early to a buffet. They get the best of the food. They get fed first! They get full! They get to make sure they eat enough!  So what happens to the late comers? They get very little or nothing!  They go away hungry! The others, who got there early primarily for the alcohol, would go away drunk.

Can you see now what type of examination is required by these people? They were eating and drinking in an unworthy manner. Gluttony & Greediness!!  A manner that is not worthy of Christians. Inconsideration & Greediness! A manner that is not worthy of the celebration. self-centeredness!  So what should they do????    Examine Themselves!!!!

 Examine what they are doing!  Re-evaluate their behavior! Consider that maybe there is a less selfish way to eat the meal and celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

Now fast forward two thousand years! What have we turned this scripture into by taking it out of its true context? When pastors emphasize the words, EXAMINE HIMSELF?  We have made this a scripture about US!  Pastors have shifted the attention on US! When it never was really intended to be that way.   THIS COMAND IS SOLEY ABOUT THE CORINTHIANS!  IT IS NOT ABOUT US TODAY!!

Paul’s next question says frankly, “Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? (Can’t you eat and drink at home?) Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!  There were poor people among the believers, who also would show up for the celebration. They knew there would be a meal served beforehand. Perhaps this was the only full meal they would have that day. So by some people showing up and hoarding all the food, many had to go away hungry. Paul asked “ Do you despise the church so much that you are shaming those who have nothing?”  Should I praise your behavior? I most certainly will not!  Do see the problems he was trying to correct??

In the verses to follow, you will see that Paul instructs them in the right way to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, according to what he received from Jesus. What is the right way to do it?? If we can figure out the right way, then God will be pleased! The only right way to celebrate the Lord’s Supper correctly is to do it “IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIM!”  That is what Jesus asked of them in 1 Corinthians 11: 24-25.

THE LORD’S SUPPER IS A “REMEMBRANCE SUPPER” AND IT IS NOT ABOUT US EXAMINING OURSELVES AND REMEMBERING OUR SINS…IT’S ABOUT REMEMBERING  HIM….AND HIS DEATH!

Can we deny a visitor or unsaved person the Lord’s Supper?  Certainly not! The Apostles did not do this! The unsaved were amongst the converted believers eating and drinking. The Remembrance Supper was a great “teaching point” for the Apostle!

So the next time, when we are sitting in service, about to partake of the Lord’s Supper; and we hear a Pastor say “A man ought to examine himself;” if we bow our heads and begin to introspect about yesterday, this week, this month; this kind of sin and that kind of sin; reflecting on all of our sins that seem to impress us in the guilt category; what are we remembering? Are we doing it in remembrance of Him? Or are we doing it in remembrance of ourselves and our sins?

REMEMBER….. It’s not about US…It’s about Jesus!

Your brother, In His Service

Min. Douglas