1 Corinthians 11:31-34  

³¹But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. ³²Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. ³³So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

Inheritance

Recently, someone talked about a retiree who had several investments. Her daughter asked her, “Mother, what would do with your many houses? You have house here. You’ve got house in the other city. You have house abroad.” The mother replied, “I am giving to you as inheritance!” Surprisingly, her daughter replied, “I don’t want your house. I don’t want your money. I have my own house. I have my own money. You can sell your house and give the money to charity.”

Imagine if you were the mother. You worked all your life to prepare for the future of your child. Your child was influenced to work hard for herself. But your child rejected and does not want to get anything from you. How do you react? Will you regret that your good intention for your child did not materialize?

How do you interpret what it declares in Ecclesiastes 2:26? ²⁶To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Western people appear to be enjoying abundance of their wealth. Even Christians are influenced to accumulate much wealth. Well, having much money is far better than being poor. Sure, money can buy momentary happiness but true and eternal gladness of heart can only be found in the eternally joyful God.

If we are concerned about storing up wealth for our future or retirement, should we be more concerned about our life in eternity? Make sure that you store up for yourselves, treasure in heaven. How serious do you consider what Christ had admonished in Matthew 6:20-21? ²⁰Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Evaluate how much you spend your time! What is it that you spend more efforts? Do you prioritize your temporal pleasures or eternal treasures? Prioritize the Lord and everything you need for godly life will be added. Can you believe it?

In the past few Sundays, we were learning more about the Lord’s Supper. There are practical further directions for us to follow and not just simply celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper to remember him. Meaning, it is crucial to practice of faith in him.

How can the Lord’s Supper be very significant in our spiritual growth? We remember the sacrificial crucifixion of Christ, his death and his resurrection from the dead. Does the resurrection of Christ inspire you to consider and expect his return and take us into heaven? If we expect anytime sooner than we assume, for the return of Christ returns, should we not prepare for it more seriously?

If we expect that Christ returns, we expect that God will judge everyone. What do you think? Should we not consider our eternal dwelling more seriously, if we have any hope and regard to ourselves living in heaven with God forever?

1. Regard

³¹But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 

Previously, we learned that the church in Corinth celebrated the Lord’s Supper improperly. Some of them brought their own food they ate during Lord’s Supper. They shared their food with their faction but not with anyone who did not belong to their group. Some of them were hungry because they did not bring their food. Such improper Lord’s Supper celebration was recorded to remind us.

Reflect on what it states in 1 Corinthians 11:29? ²⁹For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

The term judgment is a reminder for us to be more discerning with regard to ourselves or properly judge ourselves when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We should be mindful that the bread we eat during Lord’s Supper, reminds us that Christ carried and punished all our sins at his cross, and the cup we drink reminds us that the Lord washed all our sins with the shed blood of Jesus.

Worry or anger cannot control us anymore. Temptation of materialism cannot bother us anymore. But if we’re freed from sin, why should we still bother to consider that God will judge us about improper Lord’s Supper celebration?

Proper celebration of the Lord Supper is expression of our faith in Christ. Therefore, improper celebration of the Lord Supper is mockery to our faith in him. Apparently, mockery of the Lord’s Supper expresses no faith all in Christ. Faith in Christ is expressed in following and remembering him, instead of mockery.

Meme

Have you heard of the word “meme?” A meme could be an image, video, phrase that, typically humorous in nature. Internet users with similar humorous mindset copy a meme to spread rapidly. While they may not direct admit it, they spread a particular meme to mock or disrespect the object in the meme.

For example: When a popular basketball player cried joyfully after winning the championship trophy, they recorded him in a video and the media spread it. Those who were envious tried to highlight such joyous moment to mock him. While meme may tickle people with similar mindset, mockery of others reflects negative view about the mocker. Mockery is apparent expression of sinful nature.

Anyone who spread a meme that originated from mockery, are they guilty of committing the sin of mockery? It doesn’t matter if you agree or not. The Lord will judge us according to our behavior, even if we admit it or violently deny it.

Remember or even seriously memorize what it declares in Psalm 1:1-3.

¹Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ²but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

It is far better to be attentive and delight in the law of the Lord rather than spreading mockery. Do you expect that if you prioritize godly prescriptions, you gain wisdom and prosper in whatever you do? This is biblical promise! Therefore, we need stronger faith in God to trust and obey his laws. Remember that Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God, to all who regard Christ as Lord.

How can anyone who delights in the law of the Lord prosper in whatever they do? King David wrote it, and it is proper to learn from his own experience.

The Lord gave success to David in all his battles, and envious King Saul schemed against David in 1 Samuel 18:17-18, ¹⁷“Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul said to himself, “I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!” ¹⁸ But David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

Aware of his social status, David was not attracted to King Saul’s offer. Marrying a princess could have made David prosper and powerful but it was not attractive to him. Envious people like King Saul may try to bring you down. If you become popular envious people may make a meme of you to mock you. Now, if we delight in the Law of the Lord, we can prosper or progress in whatever we do. Agree? Well, meditate on the law of the Lord day and night. Remember that!

2. Remember

³²Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Remember that the celebration the Lord’s Supper reminds us also that Christ returns and takes all believers into his heaven. After that, the Lord judges all sinners. Every person is sinful, and God decreed condemnation for sinners. How strong do you accept that? But by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, we’re saved from condemnation. John 3:16-18 says, ¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

God sent his only Son Jesus Christ and sacrificially died for every sinner.

With human logic, others are misled to think that they can practice Christianity without attending a church because they are already saved. How can we know practically that we are saved? The Holy Spirit of Christ lives in our hearts. If the Holy Spirit is active in our hearts, he inspires us to attend church, why?

The Holy Spirit inspired Bible authors to write in Hebrews 10:24-25.

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Reality TV Show

Why do we need to encourage one another when we are already saved by grace? Faith is also practically manifested as we trust and obey the Scripture.

There’s a Reality TV where participants were left on their own individually in the wilderness. The one who survives longer will be the winner. Participants prepare their shelter and make fire next to their shelter. The fire may discourage wild animals especially during night time. So, to make sure that fire continues to keep burning all the times, they have to put dry woods and sticks each time.

If there’s no fire next to their shelter, it could be very cold at night and wild animals may attack participants, or they have nothing to cook their food. To be winner of the show, they have to survive the rugged life in the wilderness.

Similarly, meeting together is like putting wood into the fire to keep burning and encouraging one another to be strong amidst life challenges. Not everyone has strong faith, and we encourage those who are weakening in their meeting together. It declares in James 2:17-18, ¹⁷Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

But then again, does it mean that we have faith in Christ when we sacrifice for our family or help someone else? If we secretly wish in our heart that they appreciate us when we help others, do you think that Christ is glorified in our kindness and goodness toward others? But, if we are inspired by the Holy Spirit, we’ve got love, joy, peace, kindness and goodness toward others. And we desire that the recipients of our kindness praise and thank God, instead of praising us.

The recipient is favored whether by selfish motivation or inspired by God. Human effort wants self appreciation while faith in Christ results to praise of God.

3. Result

³³So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

The Corinthians were told that they eat together when they gather to eat.

Why do they need such advisory? They were rebuked for being divisive even in their celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper is not an occasion to satisfy hunger. The bread we eat and the cup we drink during the Lord’s Supper celebration are very minimal and cannot satisfy hunger or thirst.

If anyone will think that they should have more portions to satisfy their hunger and thirst from the Lord’s Supper bread and cup, it results in judgment. So, why did Apostle Paul prefer to give in person and did not include in his letter further directions for future believers to learn from? Did he imply that every local church can agree of particular details about the elements of the Lord’s Supper?

There are local churches who prepare unleavened bread and grape juice for the Lord’s Supper celebration. A few local churches break bread from one piece of loaf and drink grape juice from only one cup. Still other local churches use grape wine, sofdrinks or soda instead of grape juice. Lately, we also used commercial sealed Lord’s Supper elements for hygiene, health safety measure.

Such could be the further directions that Apostle Paul implied in his letter.

What else? What further directions could you suggest that Apostle Paul may possibly give the Corinthians? Maybe, he told how often they should celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Some churches celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Others celebrate once in a while like, quarterly or special occasions.

Specifically for The Maples Evangelical Church (TMEC) our church leaders proposed and the church amended and included in the church Constitution and By-Laws. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper is written in Article II and says:

“The Lord’s Supper is both a memorial and a symbol.  It is observed in remembrance of Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His coming again. This ordinance is a visible expression of the Gospel and it is in the light of the Gospel that it must be understood. The Bread and the Cup speak of Christ’s broken body and shed blood, the price He so willingly paid for our salvation. It is the presence of Christ, mediated through the believer’s faith, which transforms this act of remembrance into a service of communion. Open Communion is our practice. This means that persons who are not members of church, but who are professing Christian believers walking in fellowship with the Lord, are welcomed to actively participate by receiving the Bread and the Cup.”

The Lord’s Supper is also written in TMEC Membership Handbook on page 8: The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.

Traditionally, we also celebrate the Lord’s Supper every first Sunday of the month or when we deem it as necessary. The Lord Jesus commanded that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of his sacrificial death on the cross.

We celebrate to rejoice that Christ had paid all the penalty for our sins, and as we wait for his return to take us into heaven, it reminds our duty to proclaim to potential believers about his death that reconciles believers to God.

Any further direction you may want to know attend a membership class.

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