1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Central to the gathering of the early church was the Love Feast or Lord's Supper, a time to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of the work of Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection. The meal signifies the new covenant - God's new way of dealing with humanity through his Son - and it was meant to sustain a radically inclusive and just community, where all the world's ways of measuring worth and value were undermined and rejected by the scandal of grace. When we eat the bread and drink the wine, we proclaim Jesus as our one Savior and shape a culture of justice and mercy.
FOR REFLECTION:
1. Read 1 Corinthians 11.17-34, Paul’s challenging rebuke of the church’s practice of the Lord’s Supper. Notice he says, “It is not the Lord’s supper you eat,” highlighting just how far their practice is from Jesus’ intent. What are they doing wrong, according to v.17-22?
2. What does Paul highlight about the meal Jesus shared with his disciples on the night he was betrayed (v.23-26)? What are the intentions of this shared meal of bread and wine? What does it proclaim?
3. What instructions does Paul give regarding how we’re to personally engage the Lord’s Supper (v.27-32)?
4. What instructions does Paul give regarding how we’re to engage the Lord’s Supper as a community (v.33-34)?
5. Partake of the Lord’s Supper when your community gathers this week, taking time to discuss either what Jesus has done or what we’re still longing for him to do. Allow time for confession, prayer, and/or words of encouragement to be spoken to one another.
May 26, 2019 | Steve Hart