The Lord's Supper

1. Paul deprecates the Corinthians self-serving attitude 17-19

• The reality of Divisions
• The necessity of Divisions
• The purpose of Divisions

2. The self-centered chaos of Corinth 20-22

• Gluttony
• Drunkenness
• Insensitivity to the poor

3. Correcting the malpractice regarding the Lord’s Table 23-34
   a. The Institution of the Ordinance (Sacrament) 23-26

THE ELEMENTS

Broken bread: as the symbolism of Him being crushed on a cross, even when none of His bones were broken, His body was mangled previous and during the crucifixion.

The blood poured: this is the language of OT sacrifices, where the animal was slain and its blood sprinkled on the altar.

Communion is a memorial:

A memorial of the person: Do this in remembrance of Me.
A memorial of the sacrifice
A memorial of the purpose of that sacrifice
 
The Frequency of the celebration is not prescribed: Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

b. The Necessary Posture to celebrate the Ordinance 27-29

What is eating in an unworthy manner? The word itself means “careless” or “improper”

The consequences are serious: “shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”

c. The Temporal Consequences of despising the Ordinance 30-32

Partaking without discernment is eating judgment.

d. Sundry Practical Instructions and deductions 33-34

An orderly celebration: wait for one another

A Corporate celebration: do not come together for judgment – communion is done under a gathering of the church – it is not a private institution

A celebration of redemption:

Beware of clericalism: