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1 Corinthians 11:27-34
In 1 Corinthians 11:27 (NKJV) the Apostle Paul states, “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” To partake of the Lord’s Supper is to profess one’s trust and belief in God and in His One and only Son Jesus; and to believe that He died for our sins on the cross and then was raised from the dead three days later, claiming victory over sin, death, and Satan. Paul declares in Romans 6:4-11 (HCSB), “Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin’s claims. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over Him. For in light of the fact that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” The Bible teaches us in Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” This is what we are to be thinking about and celebrating as we partake of the Lord’s Supper. We should be thinking of ourselves – not anyone else, but our own gift of salvation that we have received because God loves us so much – and that He did it all for you, and for me. There is another reason that this is so important for us to realize and understand: Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:29, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”
This is a command to prepare oneself properly in Christ Jesus as we partake of the Lord’s Supper.
This is a promise that failing to humble oneself before God in partaking of the Lord’s Supper will bring judgment on oneself.
To eat the bread that represents the body of Christ Jesus, and to drink from the cup that represents His blood that He shed for our sins is in remembrance of what He has done for us to bring salvation to all who will believe in Him, but even more is in remembrance of what He has done for you personally to save you from your sins. It is a time of giving personal thanks to Jesus for taking your place on the cross and dying in your place. It is a time of personal thanksgiving to God Almighty for loving you so much that in the death that Jesus died for you, God raised Him from the dead as death has no power over Him. The Bible declares in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Dear LORD,
Please help to not be like the early congregation of the church at Corinth as they did not celebrate the Lord’s Supper with the proper realization and understanding of the gift that You have given us in Christ Jesus – in His death, and in His life – eternal life that He offers to us who will put our trust and belief in Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.