As someone involved in preaching and teaching, I often get feedback and in fact actively seek it. How did I do? Was the talk the right length? Did I speak clearly but not too loudly? Was there variation in tone and emotion? Was the application relevant?
However, beyond occasionally being reminded that I sing out of tune, I don’t think I’ve ever really received or sought feedback about how I am doing at participating as a congregation member. Nor do we really evaluate how we do at gathering together as a congregation.
Now, there’s a risk to saying this. It’s easy for the preacher to get his own back or deflect isn’t it? “It’s not me, it’s you!” So, this isn’t about us and them but the question is “How are we all doing, together?” Paul’s assessment of the Corinthian Church is “Requires Improvement” especially in this area.
This comes back to our question from last time. “What is the point of worship”
We saw that it is to
Glorify God
Hear God speak to us
Encourage one another and witness to others.
Here the specific focus is on the “one another” bit. How are we doing?
- Be aware – where do problems tend to come from? (v 17-22)
Remember no church is perfect, so there will be problems here at our church. In Corinth it involves divisions at Communion. Note Paul’s comment in v 19 that “ there have to be divisions.” It looks like this is probably ironic. They constantly need to establish who the elite are, who are mature, who’s really in. Early on it was about who followed the right leader. Here, it’s about haves and have nots (v 22).
The context is that those with big houses hosted congregations but even the mansions tended to have small private dining rooms. Not everyone would fit in. So, most people would gather in the atrium. It’s possible that the rich folk are eating together as friends in the dining room, getting their own food, starting early whilst the poor arrive as soon as they are able to from work and are stuck outside going without.
The world’s divisions where the rich had the luxury of eating at home in comfort and the poor had to rely on the fast food equivalents of their day have been “tracked in” to church life. Rich people were able to have meals prepared for them and eat in luxury at home. Poorer people often had to rely on the fast food shops of their day! (v22)
They have privatised things so that it isn’t the Lord’s Supper they eat. It’s lost its significance. Some in the church are shamed. They are actually despising the church instead of loving it. What about us? Do we love the church. Do we see it (ourselves and each other) as Christ sees it?
- Be captured by a better vision – The solution is a deeper grasp of the Gospel (v23 -26)
Pauls’ response is a reminder of exactly what communion is, why we do it, who instituted it. It’s received from the Lord and passed on by revelation. It’s something we are commanded to do. It’s an act of remembrance and an act of proclamation. It represents his body given on behalf of us. It tells us about the New Covenant
This is not about ritual or legalism. Instead, it is about going back to Christ and the Gospel
Do we really grasp what Christ has done for us?
- Act, motivated by love (V 27-34)
The implication for the Corinthians is that they were to examine themselves. There’s a need for discernment of self, what were their motives and attitudes? There also needs to be discernment of the body. As Paul says in the previous chapter, “Though we are many we are one because we share in the one loaf” (1 Cor 10:17).Communion is meant to be about unity together and how we show -love for the whole body.
Their lack of love and discernment was causing sickness and death. What’s this all about?
- Possibly spiritual sickness, a failure to build one another up
- Judgement/discipline. Probably in the context of a plague/famine and this is likely to be what Paul also is referring to as “the present crisis” (1 Cor 7:26). Paul connects their actions to this.
- Possibly a practical dimension. What happens at the meal has a wider impact. If you fail to discern the body when you gather, you are probably not looking after the needy the rest of the time so some go without and this leads to ill health and death.
I find that third suggestion helpful, I remember hearing this suggestion from Chris Green when he was Vice Principal at Oak Hill Theological College. We should not ignore the point that our actions bring consequences. However, it’s unwise going around second guessing and making links between one person’s sickness and sin or even a natural disaster and sin.
The crucial point is that how we live can bring its consequences and if the City of Corinth lived in this unjust unloving way it would have brought consequences. The church was wrapped up In the culture of the city so that it could not claim to be innocent victims.
If you hold onto bitterness and isolate yourself from others then it can lead to emotional and even physical torment. Neglect to care for the vulnerable and it will lead to the breakdown of society. Do that in the church and it will poison relations and cause splits and fall out there too.
What is needed? The answer is repentance, discernment and genuine love for one another. So for the Corinthians there is a call to respect and love each other demonstrated by waiting for one another to worship and fellowship properly together.
Application for us
Is our worship helping us to encourage each other and be a witness to others? The positive opposite of despising the church is loving the church. I love the church by putting to death selfish individualism in my life. This means that we should show love to others. This starts with the church family through hospitality, practical help, giving time to listen and prayer.
It means that we should have a sense of togetherness when we gather. This is not the place for individual consumerism. This links to the end of chapter 10, am I aware of the spiritual needs of others, not just what I need/want? The aim is for all to be fed by God’s Word so that all are built up in Christ together. This means I will come ready to use my gifts for the benefit of all.
Conclusion
We might want to pray this prayer together.
“Lord help us to love your church and not to despise it. Give us a greater vision of your great love for us. May your love transform us so that we are able to love and serve one another. May the world around us see that we are your disciples because we love one another.”
Faithroots 