Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:17-22
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
Thoughts
As I understand it, the "Lord's Supper" (or Communion as many of us call it now) wasn't a tiny cup of juice and a cracker in Paul's time. It was an actual meal that the church ate together. It both served to celebrate and remember what Jesus had done on the cross for them, and fostered community. Or at least it was supposed to.
In Corinth, the town this letter is written to, the Supper had become yet another way for people to cause division. Rather than coming together in unity, they became exclusive. Those who had a lot, enjoyed their plenty, and those who didn't, went hungry. Selfishness, greed, and favoritism were being allowed to thrive during the Lord's Supper. No wonder Paul is upset.
I wonder how we do this in our churches today? In what ways do we draw circles around ourselves, and exclude other people? In what ways do we form cliques? In what ways do we conveniently ignore those who have less than us?
It's not easy to have unity. We are all different and difference (especially today) is seen as a barrier. But in the Kingdom of God, we are called to unify under the name of Jesus, regardless of any other differences: rich or poor, male or female, skin color, ethnicity, etc. As you read this, I wonder, how would Jesus invite you to be a person of unity in your church, in your school, and in your community?
Prayer
Help me, Lord, to be a person who invites others into your family. Help me to be someone who seeks unity and love, and actively works against division and exclusivity.