Daily Lesson for October 11, 2017

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 27 through 32:

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 28Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves. 30For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. 32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

Here is a great irony of our faith. Jesus said, “Judge not lest you be judged,” whereas Paul tells us we will not be judged so long as we do judge — ourselves. 

Paul says this is how we are to take communion — in judgment of ourselves. We might also call this a state of introspection and penitence. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of our fallibility and and our need for grace. We come to the table always as beggars in search of bread. 

Paul is serious about this. He says some have fallen weak and ill and some have even died because they took the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. Yikes. 

The last time I preached on this, we were in our worship planning meeting reading Paul’s warning. I looked up, “Wow, have you ever eaten the Lord’s Supper unworthily?”  My very insightful pastor friend Stephanie chimes in, “Every time.”

Stephanie got it and helped me to see it. 

If we think we are worthy then we are unworthy and if we think we are unworthy then we will be made worthy. 

This is the meaning of the table — the miracle of the bread and the cup.

Let all who are unworthy come and take the water of life as gift.