Introduction
Let me begin with a discipleship question: how will you follow Jesus in prayer and dependence on God this week?
Main Points
In this lesson shaped by Calvary Boise's teaching on DISTRACTED: Grace Over Guilt, Christ invites us to receive truth with humility, practice repentance, and walk in faithful obedience.
Grace and Justification
As you're turning to first Corinthians chapter 11 let me start with just a very informal poll who is excited for this holiday season. That we are entering into is showing hands who's excited we this is such an exciting time to just be in our city to.
- Be in church because there's so much in this season that is the low-hanging fruit of worshiping God we're about to celebrate Thanksgiving in.
- A couple of weeks and it's this time to remember that in all circumstances we can thank God because we trust that he'll work.
- Everything out and then we're going to go into a time of remembering that God so loved us that he sent his son into.
- Our world will remember his birth the Nativity and celebrate Christmas and there's just so much about that bringing family together that is exciting.
Giving gifts receiving but I as you notice is I took that informal poll not every hand went up and that doesn't surprise me. At all because the holiday season can really go one of two ways and you may be someone who's very excited we've got someone.
Prayer and Dependence
Each other build each other up or it can be burdensome it can turn into all of us just seeking our own kind of. Spiritual help at the and we're not really concerned with what's going on around us it can be a challenge to get the kids.
- Into the car and check them in and then get them out and then get out of the parking lot and it can be.
- A burdensome and stressful and difficult time sometimes and I say all that because what we're going to look at in this passage of.
- Scripture this morning is a moment where church has gone the wrong way in this church in Corinth this first century church is divided.
- And they're quarreling and they're coming together in their gathering time and it's really more about themselves they're forming these little groups and hangouts.
And they can't get wait to get to church and just see the people they like and they really have no concern for the. Other people that aren't part of their group and what we're going to see in this is that Paul says that when you do.
Sin and Salvation
A body of Christ in our gathering so we'll start with addressing some of the issues that have come up in the Corinthian church. And then Paul is going to give this amazing refreshing reminder of the power of passing out the representation of the body and the.
- Blood of Christ given for us so that we could have unity where otherwise we'd have division and we can have healthy and good.
- Soul wellness where otherwise we would be going into a place of danger of the soul so this is where it starts in verse.
- 17 of chapter 11 he says now I'm given these instructions I do not praise you since you come together not for the better.
- But for the worse that is that warning you can get all together and get into the sunday gathering it can actually be bad.
It can be worse for you instead of better why verse 18 for first of all when you come together as a church I. Hear there are divisions among you and in part I believe it now divisions among the church are one of the main things that.
Sin and Salvation
Which included a lot of feasting and partying and they went so far as Paul will say that it was more about the party. Than it was about remembering what the food and the drink represented and he's going to lay this out now in verse 20 he.
- Says in verse 21 for in eating each one takes his own supper ahead of another and one is hungry and another is drunk.
- Now this give us some indication that the first church was coming with wine to celebrate the remembrance of the Upper Room moment where.
- Jesus was giving that picture of his body and blood given for the world to cover their sin and he's saying here's what you're.
- Doing with this you're coming and you're bringing your food and then you just start eating you don't care if someone else is hungry.
Because you've got your food and that's all that matters and you're coming and you're just starting to drink you really don't care about. What that represents and what it's calling you to remember you're drinking just to have fun you're getting to the point of being drunk.
Sin and Salvation
You feel better so that you can go and live your life to how you see God is calling you as an individual seeker. And if those are the things that are happening for us then we too need to be very reverent and are coming back to.
- Saying why are we here this morning what is it so what Paul is going to do is he's going to lay out the.
- Importance and the radical power of what we have in Christ remembering with what we're going to celebrate as this sermon prepares our hearts.
- For this week's time of communion and I pray as we continue week by week coming together to have our feast with the lord.
- In his word and then to remember I pray that at a new and refreshed way we would realize the power and the importance.
Of what it is we're doing when we pass the bread and the cup remembering the sacrifice of Christ on the cross we're gonna. Look at it in three ways this morning there are three aspects of remembering the cross of Christ through communion that are vital to.
Life in the Church
Rails in that so we look at the memorial we look at the moment that it holds up the mirror to who we are. This morning before God and then we look at the medicine that it applies to our relationships with God and each other we start.
- With the memorial he says in verse 24 and when he had given thanks he broke it and said take eat this is my.
- Body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me then in the same manner he also took the cup after supper.
- Saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as.
- Often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes there are three things that I.
Want to point out that all of us who believe are being called into remembrance of this morning the first is he said remember. My body given for you and as we think about remembering Jesus in your life know that one of the biggest challenges to any.
Grace and Justification
A historical event that we are remembering this morning we believe in a God that has not been revealed simply through the theology that. Comes through his written word not simply through creation that points us to his design but also through the visible image of his son.
- Dying on the cross for our sins a fixed time in history that is there for all of us to remember the foundation or.
- Faith has already happened and we must remember it all the time the first thing I want to point you to and the remembrance.
- Of God's goodness for your life that we're gonna celebrate this morning with the bread and the cup is when he says remember my.
- Body is broken for you and earlier in our study in 1st Corinthians it says you've been bought with a price God redeemed you.
From your life of sin apart from him the wages of sin are death but God so loved the world that He gave His. Only Son he who knew no sin becomes sin so that you could become righteousness God has given us his son here's what you.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.
Conclusion
We return to the opening teaching: discipleship is not just information, it is transformation through faith and obedience to Jesus. If we receive His Word and walk it out, He will shape us into people who endure and bear fruit.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me hear Your Word, obey it with faith, and grow as Your disciple. Amen.