Transcript Observe the Sabbath day”

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 (p. 1060)
It’s the Lord’s Supper
The City and its People

Re-founded as a Roman colony by Julius Caesar in 44
BC; immigration from Rome and across the
Mediterranean

Diverse population: Corinth ‘was at once the New
York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas of the ancient
world’ (Gordon Fee)

Paul spent 18 months in Corinth during his second
missionary journey (Acts 18: 1-18) in 51 or 52 AD
The Letter and this passage

Paul wrote 1 Corinthians about 55 AD from Ephesus

Verses 17 to 22 What the Corinthian church was doing
wrong

Verses 23 to 26 The Lord’s Supper as Paul had
received it

Verses 27 to 34 Guidance as to how to approach the
meal
Origins of the Lord’s Supper

Matthew, Mark, Luke and 1 Corinthians 11

In the context of Jewish Passover, but transcending it

Jesus is the Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7)
A new truth

Jesus will uniquely embody
the supper but his disciples
are to remember

1 Corinthians 11:26 Church
proclaims the Lord’s death
until he returns – witness
to the world

Early church met on the
first day of the week to
break bread (Acts 20:7)
What the Corinthian Church
was doing wrong (vs. 17-22)

Divisions in the church was a theme of this letter

This division was between the wealthy (who went
ahead with their private suppers) and the poor (who
went hungry)

The wealthy were humiliating the poor and denying
the truth of the death of Christ for all the Church

They were not one body – neither Jew nor Greek,
neither slave nor free (1 Corinthians 12:13)

Guidance as to how to
approach the meal
(vs. 27-34)
Eating and drinking in an unworthy manner leads to
sinning against the body and blood of Jesus
 has led to judgement and discipline – some have
been sick and some have died

Examine ourselves before we eat and drink the Lord’s
Supper – that we do not partake in an unworthy
manner

It is not the person (we are all unworthy) but the
manner
How should we approach the
meal?

A cup of thanksgiving (1
Corinthians 10:16)

A participation in the body
and blood of Christ (1
Corinthians 10:16)

A remembrance of Jesus (1
Corinthians 11:24)

A proclamation of the Lord’s
death (1 Corinthians 11:26)
Remembering as a memorial

In OT, remembering was linked
with an activity – drama

We encounter the Trinity in
communion (John 16:15)

There is spiritual meaning and
reality, even if we do not fully
understand – enter into the
mystery
For the whole church

When you gather to eat, you should all eat together
(v. 33)

Come and celebrate with us – it is the Lord’s Supper