It's Not a Buffet

When you get a chance, read I Corinthians 11:17-34 in its entirety. It's kinda funny. First of all, the church at Corinth was having some problems with unity. Paul chastised them for the divisions among them. Furthermore, it sounds as if these early Christians were treating the Lord's Supper as a potluck, instead of a time to fellowship and remember Christ's sacrifice. From what I understand, the intention of Communion (think about the meaning of this word) is to recognize that we are all unified by Jesus' blood and to fellowship with each other. Apparently, the Christians at Corinth were showing up at the church home (they met in homes then) ready to dig in and eat! This seems utterly ridiculous to us today. We know that you're supposed to bow your head and fold your hands in your lap and be solemn during the Lord's Supper. (I heard someone in the pulpit once say that we really ought to be looking around at each other and encouraging each other.) Anyway, Paul's words are still important to us today. How often do you just participate in this ritual without really thinking about what it means?

Paul reminds the church of what Jesus said on the night He was betrayed--that the bread was His body, and the cup was His blood. He also said we should do this to remember Him. Paul then says:

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup" (I Cor. 11:27-28).

Now, again, I don't think this means you should make sure you've got that somber look on your face. Of course the idea of Jesus' sacrifice is sobering. But it is the reason why we should be a joyful people! The point is that the next time you are in church and it's time to remember our Lord with Communion, do it--remember Him. My mind tends to wander during this quiet time of a church service. Rein your mind back in and focus on how awesome your God is. Focus on the family of fellow Christians into which He has adopted you. And when you're at a church potluck supper, go ahead and eat. But keep thinking about God and His family. I'll bet that spaghetti nestled in the old Crockpot will taste even better.