The Church - Connected 9/21
Sermon Series: The Church ________________
Sermon Title: The Church – Connected
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-26
Theme: This passage of scripture is a climax to the central discussion which Paul has been having with these Corinthians since chapter one about the internal strife which is a big part of the congregation there. The answer he says is a refocus of personalities on Christ.
Introduction: The big fight over the last drink of kool-aid in a glass.
Transition: As we have been looking at this letter from Paul to the Corinthians, I have been convinced that a description of this church’s character would have to be contentious. Fighting and disagreement have become a way of life for this congregation. In todays passage Paul teaches the Corinthians and us some hard lessons about the problem of tension among members in the Church.
I. Disagreement results in disconnectedness
a. Most of the 16 chapters of the book of 1 Corinthians are a result of Paul’s correction of this church concerning the disagreements that exist among their congregation.
b. There are literally nine areas where there is significant tension in this church. They are arguing over
i. Which preacher is best
ii. What constitutes immorality
iii. Taking their arguments to civil court
iv. The role of marriage in the Christians life
v. What to do about meat that has been offered to idols
vi. The role of women in the Church.
vii. The importance and focus of the Lord’s Supper.
viii. The role of spiritual gifts in the believer’s life.
ix. And finally what the resurrection was all about
c. In today’s passage we are looking at how the thing which should have joined them together – the act of communion – was a also a point of contention. This arguing is so bad that there are visible divisions among the congregation here.
d. The Lord’s Supper was a very different type of service than what we experienced here today in our service. Most church historians believe that communion was practiced in one of two ways. Either there was a big meal or “love feast” and that was followed up by a sharing of a single cup of wine and a single loaf of bread shared as a worship time at the end of this meal. Or during the course of this meal the person hosting would call a break in the food service and a special loaf and cup were passed around with a prayer for communion.
e. Apparently what was happening here at Corinth was that when this special love meal was arranged well to do members were given an earlier invitation than the less fortunate class of whom most would probably have been slaves. While this practice was very common in the pagan world at this time where there is a clear demarcation between classes of people, the apostle makes it clear that this is unacceptable in the church.
f. While this kind of class distinction would have been a common problem in the Church of the ancient world we do not really see that kind of problem, at least in our congregation today. There is however in every church I have been a part of the inclination to find things which we want to have disagreements over. Churches become factionalized over almost every irrelevant thing that you can think of.
g. The answer to this kind of in fighting today is the same answer to the Corinthians problem 19 centuries ago.
II. Disconnectedness leads to self absorption
a. There are some people who have allowed their universe to shrink around them to the point where they are the only significant thing left in it. Sometimes the public shares a lot of blame in this category. One of the most exciting sports rivalries of all time had to be in the 80’s when the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers were constant foes in the NBA finals. There were probably not two more famous people on earth than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The over indulgence of those times have resulted in Magic contracting the AIDs virus. I am sure that he believed he was invincible and deserved all of these young women throwing themselves at his feet, in the end his self absorption has led to virtually a life sentence.
b. People in the Church can sometimes wear this same kind of self focus. It is easy to believe that we are the only ones who know what needs to be done and we bristle up at those who disagree with our point of view.
c. Paul describes two significant results of this self-absorption in the Church of God. When we live in such a way that we are the center of our universe then the significance of the communities take on less and less importance.
i. He says they despise the Church of God.
1. The word used here is one that communicates the idea that they are viewing something with contempt. There are individuals at Corinth who are so wrapped up in themselves that they are looking down on the community as if it is below their own station.
2. Once we believe that we are better than most of the people which we go to Church with than we lose connection with each other and our behaviors will display this attitude.
ii. People here are also humiliating others in the congregation.
1. Literally in the Greek it says they are humiliating the “have-nots.”
2. The word for humiliate here is one that carries the connotation of putting shame on someone. One of the attitudes which we have to guard against is the idea that people are poor is because they somehow deserve it. If we come to the conclusion that people deserve a poor station in life then we also believe that somehow we deserve a better station. This kind of class bigotry has no place in God’s community.
III. Reconnected-ness is a result of a focus on Christ.
a. What the apostle tells the Corinthians is exactly what the congregation at Prairie Hill needs to hear in order to be a connected community. – Focus your attention on the thing that makes you a community in Jesus Christ.
b. Paul points out three things which the Lord’s Supper accomplishes in the believer’s life.
i. We memorialize the Savior.
1. By consuming these small pieces of unleavened bread and juice we are reminded of the fact that the only reason that we get to stand I the grace of God has nothing at all to do with accomplishment or ability of our own, it is because Jesus died on a cross broken and bleeding to take my sins on His bloody shoulders.
ii. We re-covenant with the Savior.
1. These few moments of time spent in the middle of our service also give a chance to renew our end of the bargain which we made with God when we climbed into the baptismal waters. We are once more freshly initiated into the covenant of God’s grace. – Jeremiah 31:31.
iii. We proclaim the Savior.
1. Finally Paul tells us that communion is an acted out sermon. When we as a community come together and join in this small symbolic meal we are shouting out to everyone around that this – this is why we come together.
