Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 11:27–32
God had Paul remind not only the believers in Corinth but every believer about how we must approach the Lord’s Supper. We read in 1 Corinthians 1:27–32, “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” God has given us a warning through Paul that we should never partake of the Lord’s Supper flippantly, but rather, treat it with reverence and respect and participate with a spirit of self-examination. Those in Corinth had not done this, and God had Paul tell them that many were sick and even many had died because they had not treated the Lord’s Supper with the reverence and respect they were supposed to. The self-examination is critical before partaking of the Lord’s Supper. The Holy Spirit will reveal to us any hidden sins so that we can repent and confess them before our Lord before participating in the Lord’s Supper. God wants us in right fellowship with Him.
Challenge & Application
What happened to the believers in Corinth who treated the Lord’s Supper flippantly?
How do you think the church today would respond if God brought immediate judgment on all who treated the Lord’s Supper flippantly?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!