Bible Reflections From Scripture Union Volume OneSample

Receive and Welcome One Another
Read 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 1 Corinthians 11:28

Paul here speaks against the abuse of the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthian church was in danger of despising the church of God and humiliating the poor members in their midst. Instead of sharing in unity there was obvious division. It appears that the rich members were eating their own generous portions that were not being shared with the poorer members. Paul had no praise for well-to-do Christians who had no regard for their poorer brethren. Paul reminds them that because they all eat of one loaf, they together constitute the one body of Christ. Their ‘divisions’ at the Table destroy that unity.

Furthermore, such an abuse of the ‘body’ is an abuse of Christ Himself. They were abusing the One Who through His death and resurrection, brought life to them and called them His body.

The Lord’s Supper is essentially a constant reminder of the sacrifice of Christ and the price He paid for the redemption of His people.

Thus, the Table is not a place of condemnation, but of grace and acceptance. A believer will never be ‘worthy’ to be at the Table; we come because of the finished work of Christ. Scriptures exhort us to examine ourselves before we partake of the bread and wine so that we will not regard lightly the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for our sins.

When we next partake of the Lord’s Supper, let us receive, accept, welcome and wait for each other. Let us also confess our sins, repent and desire to live to bring glory to the Lord.