The Meaning of Communion 1 Corinthians 11 17

The Meaning of Communion 1 Corinthians 11: 17 -34

Corinthians: A Window into the 1 st Century Church n Rapid Growth u Coleman (Master Plan of Discipleship): F Acts 1: 100 -200 Christians. F 22% Growth Every Year for 2 Centuries F 200, 000 Christians by Acts 28 F End of 1 st Century: . 5 Million F Nero: “Multitudes [in Rome & elsewhere] are…embracing the new religion. ” F Tacitus says Nero martyred “immense multitudes. ” F Justin Martyr “throughout the cities of the world… barbarians, Greeks, nomads, vagrants, herdsmen…”

Corinthians: A Window into the 1 st Century Church Rapid Growth n A Different Kind of Meeting n u In Homes u Not Institutional, formal, ritualistic. u “Love Feast” u Communion u Reading/Teaching for 4 hours! u Corporate Prayer

Corinthians: A Window into the 1 st Century Church Rapid Growth n A Different Kind of Meeting n A Spirit-Led Church n

Paul’s Rebuke 11: 17 -23 n A Really Bad Meeting. “But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. ”

Paul’s Rebuke 11: 17 -23 A Really Bad Meeting. n Divisions n For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part, I believe it. v. 19 For there must also be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may have become evident among you. v. 18

Paul’s Rebuke 11: 17 -23 A Really Bad Meeting. n Divisions n Rampant Self-Focus n v. 20 -21 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper fortogether in your eatingnot eachfor one the takes better his own “You come supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. but for the worse. ” 1 Cor. 11: 17 v. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God, and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.

Having a Successful Meeting 1. Get God’s perspective beforehand. u “When you come together as a church…” Ekklesia - “Called Out” James have you notinto made distinctions James 2: 2 ifyou a…When man your assembly with James 2: 3 For and 2: 4 paycomes special attention to the whoa is 1 Cor. 11: 18 you come together asone a among James 3: 15 on divisions: yourselves, and become judges with motives? gold ring and dressed fine clothes, and there also comes wearing the finethat clothes, and say, "You sit evil here infrom a good church, Iwisdom hear exist among you… “This isindivisions not that which comes down in asay poor in dirty clothes, place, " andabove, you the poor man, "You stand over there, buttoisman earthly, natural, demonic. ” or sit down by my footstool, "

Having a Successful Meeting 1. 2. Get God’s perspective beforehand. Come together to Fellowship. n Koinonia - “Fellowship”, “Share”, “Make Common” n Finding Contributor / Investor. Acts. Role 2: 42 as “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ”

Having a Successful Meeting 1. 2. 3. Get God’s perspective beforehand. Come together to Fellowship. Our Heart Attitudes are Paramount. 1. It’s not a Christian meeting otherwise. 1 Cor. 11: 20 “Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper…”

Communion: An Example of Koinonia 23 -26 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me. “ In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. “ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

Communion: An Example of Koinonia n Remembering Christ’s Death on the Cross. u Appreciation and worship. u Rejecting self-glorification. u Basis for Koinonia. n A Corporate Act: Proclaims our unity. 1 Cor. 10: 16 -17 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

The Story of Eutychus Acts 20: 7 -9 And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them…and he prolonged his message until midnight. And there was a certain young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he…fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead.