1Corinthians 11:17-22 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses 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 commend you in this? No, I will not.

I have never actually been in a church that matches this description, and I am very thankful for that. Even so, as we consider this passage, it does tell us some important aspects of communion that we should consider.

Vs. 17 – It is supposed to be about coming together.

Vs. 17 – It is supposed to be for the better – (for edification/building up of the body).

Vs. 18 – It is specifically the coming together as the church – the united family of God.

Vs. 19 – It is a meal that is supposed to be shared by all who are genuine in Christ. (not just some).

Vs. 20 – It is not our supper, it’s the Lord’s supper.

Vs. 21 – It is supposed to show the unity of all believers, rich or poor or otherwise.

Vs. 22 – It is not supposed to be like any other meal.

The first point of concern for Paul is that the Lord’s supper in Corinth had become a display of sinful indulgence and division in the church. This was to their shame. Even if we are not displaying the same type of visible division among us, it does give us pause to remember that we come to the Lord’s supper with a common bond. That bond is found in the broken body of Christ and his blood shed for us. To come to the Lord’s table with others is to consider that those others share this meal having experienced the same infinite grace that we also desperately need. This means we must not approach the celebration of Christ’s sacrifice for us with a heart of bias against another. In Corinth it seems there were differing factions, and while our church may not have such clear divisions (praise God), it can be easy for us to think lesser of others based on our own selfish criteria. Before we come to the Lord’s table, we should check our hearts of love for our brothers and sisters as we prepare to share it in unity and love.

1Corinthians 11:27-30 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

We should also seriously heed the warning that Paul gives to the Corinthians and consider ourselves before the Lord lest we take this supper in an unworthy manner. In one sense, we are never worthy. None of us can ever claim our own holiness before the Lord, but the Lord’s supper is about remembering that Jesus died for the unworthy. Paul is saying that if we are truly in Christ, we will check our lives and consider if our lives are representative of our faith in Christ. Is our walk, worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Do we have unconfessed sin? Are we guilty of sinful bias against our brothers or sisters? Are we living as if the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t matter?

Getting some notice about the Lord’s supper is a great thing. Check your heart. Confess your sin. Put your mind right about your brothers and sisters, and in need, ask for forgiveness where you have been showing your sinful biases. Pray and ask the Lord to ready your heart and mind to share together in a remembrance of Christ with others. Remind yourself that they are your brothers and sisters in the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus, Savior, and King.