For Shame!

One of the most common phobias among the general population is glossophobia, the fear of public speaking. Public speaking can be intimidating and even terrifying in normal circumstances, but imagine speaking to a crowd that is yelling at you and deriding you! That would be unbelievably difficult! But in parliamentary debate, that is exactly what happens. In parliamentary debate when a speaker makes a point the members disagree with, they will pound their fists on the tables and benches while yelling "for shame!"

Parliament

In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Paul discloses his displeasure at the behavior of this wayward church, behavior that can only be described as disgraceful and unloving. In short, the apostle's message is "for shame!"

What was happening: A common tradition in the first century church was something called "Love Feasts" which was a time of church fellowship gathered around a meal. Often at the conclusion of the love feast, the church family would celebrate the ordinance of communion. It was a beautiful picture, enjoying fellowship together around a meal as a family of believers, and then celebrating your union in Christ together in communion. Unfortunately, the practice in Corinth was not nearly so sanctified. There were a couple issues at play:

1) The church was not united in Christian fellowship, but divided. "For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it." (v.18) What a sad indictment--how can the family of God be divided? If Christ is what unites Christians together, what can be greater that can divide?

2) Some are stuffing themselves to the point of gluttony, while others are left hungry. This is a love feast gone wrong--all the feasting but none of the love. The wealthy Christians were bringing their own food to eat and nothing to share, so that when the poorer Christians arrived, the wealthy believers were stuffed to excess, and there was no food left for the poor! "For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you." (v. 21-22)

For shame!

The Consequence: Their behavior was so emphatically unchristian, so unlike the Savior, that these Corinthian believers who thought they were celebrating communion had disqualified their meal from being anything like partaking in the Lord's Supper.(v. 20) They were not remembering Christ in honor, so they were not practicing true communion. Worse, because they claimed to be partaking of the symbolic body and blood of Christ in such an unworthy manner, God brought sickness and even death on members of their fellowship! (v. 29-30) God is not mocked.

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Application: We must learn to live in loving Christian fellowship with our fellow believers before we can hope to bring glory to God and live in worthy remembrance of Christ's sacrifice. How are we loving one another? Before you partake of communion, do you consider if you are not in right fellowship with another brother or sister? Paul urges that we should examine ourselves--our conduct, thoughts, and secret desires, to ensure we are not coming to the Lord's Table in an unworthy manner, eating and drinking judgement on ourselves. (v. 28-29) What is your practice of self-examination before God?

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Read: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34