1 Corinthians 11
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 11
This is a very familiar passage to most of us as this passage is often referred to during Holy Communion.
And as I read it again today, a few thoughts came to mind…
We Should Look Back
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said,“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
~ 1 Cor 11:23-26
The broken bread reminds us of Christ’s body, given for us; and the cup of grape juice reminds us that He shed His precious blood for us. It is a remarkable thing that Jesus wants us to remember His death. Most of us would try to forget how those we loved died, but Jesus wants us to remember how He died.
Why? Because everything we have as Christians centres around that death.
We Should Look Ahead
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
~ 1 Cor 11:26
We observe the Holy Communion until He comes again. The return of Jesus is the great hope that we have. Jesus not only died for us, but He arose again and ascended to heaven. And one day, He will return and take us back to heaven.
Today, we are not all that we should be; but when we see Him, “we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2). What a glorious day that will be!
We Should Look Within
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
~ 1 Cor 11:27-32
Paul did not say that we had to be worthy to partake of the Holy Communion. But he said that we should partake it in a worthy manner.
If we are to partake it in a worthy manner, we must examine our own hearts, judge our sins and confess them to the Lord. To participate in the Holy Communion without confessing our sins will make us guilty of Christ’s body and blood, for it was sin that nailed Him to the cross.
The Corinthians failed to examine themselves. But they were experts at examining everybody else. W
When we gather together as a church, we must be careful we don’t only see the speck in our brethren’s eyes and fail to see the log in our own eyes. We must acknowledge our own sins. If we eat and drink in an unworthy manner, we eat and drink judgement on ourselves, and that is nothing to take lightly.
So the next time when we come to participate in the Holy Communion, let us look back, look up and look within.
May the Lord keep us in His grace.