1 Corinthians 11:17-22 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 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. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. 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!
Paul speaks sternly to the Corinthians about how they are treating each other. When they come together they are emphasizing divisions and separation. Even in the Lord's Supper, they forget to show deference to each other or concern for others, especially the less fortunate. Instead some satisfy their own needs by consuming all the food and drink before others even have a chance to participate with them in the Lord's Supper. Of course their demeanor and behavior are in opposition to what believers should emphasize when they come together. Christians should express love, do good to others by seeing to the needs of others first before they satisfy their own needs. Instead, their behavior reveals divisions among them. When Peter talks about redemption through the blood of Jesus, he goes on to say, Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23) Peter knows believers should love one another as a consequence of their love for God and their salvation experience. Paul tries to stir up the faith of these wayward Corinthians who have forgotten their responsibilities and bonds of love with God and with each other. Facetiously, Paul says: No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. He tells them that human nature, the old sinful nature, causes people to enjoy being one up on others, to have the inside track on someone else, to be the one who really knows how to please God. In this case, the Corinthians were rushing to be the first at the table, the first to have their fill, while totally losing track of the meaning of this holy remembrance. We will study this further as Paul goes on in the verses following today's passage to describe how Jesus ministered the Last Supper.
Unfortunately, as we read about the early church's problems, we recognize this self-centered, unloving attitude invading churches today. Churches tend to meet the needs of the individual rather that the whole, the body of Christ. They forget about building a loving and caring community where people feel safe and loved. A while back, we met a friend from another church. We mentioned that we had heard her church had a new pastor, and we were shocked and saddened by her comments. "Yes, we got rid of our pastor. He just would not listen to what we wanted. My husband and I were talking to one of our fellow church members about how we have gone through 8 pastors, but we are still there!" She and her other church members were proud of such a legacy: how many pastors they had kicked out for not changing their minds on various theological issues. With so many scriptures on love at our fingertips, why would people emphasize division and differences that led to separation in the body? The protestant movement has split hundreds of times in the history of the church with each side in the contest believing they are right. Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-14 Scriptures such as these verses from Colossians are important because they tell us to take action. They say: People of God, you clothe yourselves with the virtues of Christ; you put on the garments that Jesus wore when He walked this earth. We are not to wait around for God to fill us with kindness or seek him for many years for a loving heart. No, the Bible says, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5) Let that mind be in you! If you have the mind of Christ, which is your inheritance, then you will not seek first place. You will love as Christ loved, serve as He served, give as He gave. Of course we must walk in the Spirit to attain the will of God. Jesus said He must go away to send us the Spirit, who would be the great Comforter, our Counselor, and Guide. He will take our lives and lead us into all truth.
In a place of security, peace, and love, believers should stand fast in their freedom in Christ as the Bible tells us, remembering the great price Christ paid for that freedom. Paul was concerned for the church in Corinth because he knew a divided church would eventually crumble. If they lost sight of the true nature of Christ, the significance of his death and resurrection, they would lose the power and victory of the cross. His words were harsh: your meetings do more harm than good. He was trying to wake them up and to stir their hearts to remember the truth of who Christ is and who He was in them, to rightly discern his body and his power. Paul wanted them to stand on solid ground. What was true to him should be true to them: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35 & 38-39) Return to your first love, Paul tells these willful Christians. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember what Christ died for and what we believe. We are called to spread the Good News of the gospel of Christ. We bring light into darkness, and we love others as we love our own selves. If he had to be a little rough in his speaking to get their attention and to bring the church into harmony, Paul would do that for the sake of people he dearly loved. This same Paul writes to the church in Rome: For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. (Romans 9:3-4) He would have given up his own place in the kingdom of God to make a place for his brothers, the people of Israel. This is a man of love, God's love. This same love reached out to the Corinthians to return to the right path, the straight and narrow way of a servant of the Lord. Today if any of us are wandering a bit into self-gratification, serving ourselves before others, putting our needs and wants in the forefront, Lord bring us back to your ways and your will. Help us to put on the cloak you want us to wear, to clothe ourselves with the characteristics of your sweet spirit.
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