Showing Contempt for the Church

Beyond the Present Time
Resurrection Hope
The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-22The Message

17-19 Regarding this next item, I’m not at all pleased. I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best! First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. I’m reluctant to believe it, but there it is. The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it.
20-22 And then I find that you bring your divisions to worship—you come together, and instead of eating the Lord’s Supper, you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I can’t believe it! Don’t you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating God’s church? Why would you actually shame God’s poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And I’m not going to stand by and say nothing.
 

For Reflection

Paul scolds those whose behavior does not exemplify the new faith that they have adopted. Divisiveness and competition for the most right thinking is not unknown in today's churches, both internally and between domination's.

 

 Perhaps Paul was right, at least where exchanging dialog produces mutual understanding about those things which differentiate faith points of view. But sometimes divisiveness leads to polarizing positions which inhibits the practice of loving relationships not only among those with whom we disagree. Such downward spirals of bolstering one's own opinion results in being closed to God's instruction.

 

Pray

for the church. Pray that the church's action follows the expression of Christ's love and compassion for humankind. Pray for each other. Pray that each of us who are committed to Christ's way grow in grace through the discussion of faith issues. Pray that we, who are committed to the practice of Christianity, remain alert to grow from the challenges of following God's call for justice and compassion.