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Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Psalm 119:1-64
1 Corinthians 11:27-12:11

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (CSB): “So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

There was a period of time as a young adult that lasted about 2-3 years when I didn’t observe the Lord’s Supper. I remember reading 1 Corinthians 11:27 and the prohibition of observing the Supper “in an unworthy manner.” As I looked inside my heart, I felt so unworthy to take the bread and wine. I felt that what Jesus did for me was too sacred for me to participate in. I was unworthy of the price He paid for me. So, every time the elements were passed, I abstained.

As I look at 1 Corinthians 11:27 now, I realize that I misunderstood what it actually said. Of course, all of us are unworthy of the grace that God bestows on us in Jesus. If taking the Lord’s Supper were based on being worthy of it, not a single one of us could ever observe it.

The Spirit of God had something else in mind as He wrote through the Apostle Paul. The words of Scripture didn’t say, “If you feel unworthy, don’t take it.” Instead, it said, Don’t observe the Supper “in an unworthy manner.” The passage does not address our unworthiness but, instead, addresses the unworthy way in which it is sometimes observed.

Essentially, 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 addresses two components of taking the Lord’s Supper in a way that respects it and what it represents. Let’s read the passage again, and then I will point out the two essentials.

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (CSB): “So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

First, we need to approach it forgiven and with a clean heart. None of us is perfect. We all sin. But we had better apply the truth of 1 John 1:9 and confess our sin and let Him forgive us and clean us up before we take the Lord’s Supper.

1 John 1:9 (CSB): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We are told: “Let a person examine himself.” So, before we take the Lord’s Supper, we need to make sure that we are actually saved and belong to the Lord, and then see if there is any sin that is not made right. There may need to be a time of confession and repentance before we observe the Lord’s Supper.

Second, we need to reflect on and value what the Supper pictures. First Corinthians 11:29 threatens bad things upon the person who “eats and drinks without recognizing the body.” If we are not prepared to pause and seriously reflect on what Jesus did to make us right in the Father’s eyes, then we need to abstain.

Clearly, this is what the Lord had in mind when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. It reminds us of what He did for us on the cross.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26).

So, if we have unconfessed sin or are not prepared to reflect seriously and soberly on what Jesus did to make us right in the Father’s eyes, then we had better not take the Lord’s Supper. Doing so would be taking it in an unworthy manner.

“It is necessary to set all sin before the Lord (v. 28), then partake, so as not to mock the sacrifice for sin, by holding on to it.” – John MacArthur in “The MacArthur Study Bible”

But the answer is not to perpetually abstain from observing the Lord’s Supper. Instead, our response should be to ask God’s Holy Spirit to help us find any unconfessed sin (Psalm 139:23-24) and then make it right. Then, as we take the elements, our minds should be consumed with what our loving God did for us in Jesus to deal with our sin and guilt and make us right in His eyes.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you live a life worthy of your calling (Ephesians 4:1) by valuing Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf and living for Him.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into how we should and shouldn’t observe the Lord’s Supper, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What does it mean to take communion unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:27)?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)