Practice of the Lord's Supper Part I - The Problem

PRACTICE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER: PART I—THE PROBLEM
1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-22

We must not create class distinctions in the Body of Christ!

The context:
Where the Lord's Supper came from
Simultaneous celebration of the Agape feast and the Lord's Supper
Integration of various classes of society in the Corinthian church

The problem: The Corinthians abused the Lord's Supper by making it their own meal
The Agape feast (individual meals) overshadowed the Lord's Supper (communal meal)
The “haves” were shaming the “have nots”

The results:
Disunity, disrespect, divisions in the church (“haves” and “have nots”)
Specific results:
The church is worse off for having met (17)
The church is divided (18-19)
One is hungry and another is drunk (21)
The church of God is despised (22)
The “have nots” are shamed (22)
People were getting sick and dying (v. 30)

Some applications:
We are commanded to celebrate the Lord's Supper
We may have fellowship meals
We are not to create factions (class distinctions—rank, money, education, spirituality)
We must unite as a body in celebrating the Lord's Supper