17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Co 11:17–22.
In the opening of the movie, Forrest Gump, the character Forest walks down the aisle of the bus and every child tells him that he is not welcome to sit with them until he connects with the kindness of a young girl who invites him to sit with her. Religion has been likened to a bus to many of the Forrests throughout our society. You don’t look right for one faith, you don’t speak right for another, you don’t act right for yet another. In a similar circumstance, Jesus appeared in a world where people were constantly told they were not good enough to be part of the church. Breaking through that rhetoric, Jesus opened up His table to the outcast, the broken, the left behind, and even His betrayer. The early church would go on to practice meals together to show that they were all equal in the eyes of God and the Church, and background didn’t matter because at the table, they were all one. However, over time, the meal at the table began to be plagued by the same spirit that infected the children on Forrest Gump’s bus, fear and ostracism of those who were different. Specifically, Paul uses this letter to call out the Corinthian church for coming to the table to highlight their differences, rather than the good that they have been called to do by Christ.
Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthian church’s gatherings reveals how their assemblies, intended for spiritual growth, were actively causing harm and destroying fellowship. The apostle, who previously commended them, now states, “I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse” (1 Corinthians 11:17, ESV). This stark contrast highlights the severity of the issue, as the church’s conduct was not only failing to improve its community but was actively making it worse. This rebuke must lead each of us to investigate whether our times of meeting are a cause for good or lead to further division. Christian ordinances that don’t make us better will likely make us worse, as spiritual acts can harden rather than heal. The seriousness of this “coming together for the worse” is an inevitable outcome of failing to come together for the better. In Corinth, the destructive behavior was so severe that it was leading to the destruction of the body of Christ. If church meetings cause “more destruction than edification,” it’s better to abstain from them altogether. Ultimately, Paul reminds the faith community that a church gathering that lacks love and peace can break down community rather than build it up. It is imperative that the church heed Paul’s warning.
Divisions within the church, evident in cliques and factions, can seriously damage community trust and undermine the very message of the Gospel. In Corinth, these breaks were not just minor disagreements; they were visible divisions that manifested during communal gatherings like the Lord’s Supper. Paul’s language use regarding the conflicts indicates a progression from internal disagreements to more serious, confirmed rifts within the congregation. What might we see in our congregations as cliques rise? So too does the chasm between people. Look at where and how we sit in the sanctuary, or in the fellowship hall, is it done in such a way that we, even unintentionally, cause people to be left out? We are not all the same, and God has blessed us with diversity of thought and mind, so that while division might naturally occur, God calls us all to the table, as it is a good place where our differences might exist while being united under Christ’s mandate to come together. While some are divided on doctrine, others have interpersonal division; however, both point to a deep-seated disunity. Paul even admits that factions are, in a way, necessary, not because God desires evil, but because He uses these challenges to reveal who the genuine, approved believers are, much like fire refines gold. Often, the root of these divisions stemmed from social and economic differences, creating an environment where opposing viewpoints led to schism and a breakdown of fellowship. Ultimately, such internal strife compromises the church’s peace and unity. Even in the face of difference, the church must be a place where we can come together.
The Communion Table, or the Lord’s Supper, is the ultimate way that the church opens the door to unity even among disagreements and differences. The way the early Corinthian church conducted its gatherings was so flawed that it betrayed the very nature of the Lord’s Supper. Their assemblies were marked by a shocking selfishness and exclusion where wealthier members would arrive early, eat their own provisions, and become intoxicated, leaving nothing for the poorer members who came later. This behavior transformed a sacred, communal feast into a private meal, emphasizing individual needs over shared fellowship. Such conduct demonstrated a profound contempt for the church and a deep disregard for its members, particularly those with little. The purpose of the Lord’s Supper was to be a unifying symbol of Christ’s body, and by their actions, the Corinthians were doing the opposite—they were humiliating the poor and showing that they did not value all members equally. No one member of the church can be valued more than any other by any person. This act of favoritism and isolation will break the purpose of the Lord’s Supper and create a schism that places a shroud over the Gospel. A meal that fails to welcome everyone to the table, and instead is driven by selfish desires, is fundamentally not the table the Lord invites his followers to. Therefore, it is the purpose of the church to welcome one another and share the Gospel in a spirit of overwhelming generosity.
As we approach the Communion Table, we must examine the purpose with which we arrive to participate in the sacrament. If it is simply going through the motions without recognizing what Jesus changed within our faith community at the table, we need to stop and reflect. The table brings us together and obliterates our differences. The purpose for coming to the table must be good, and to share with one another that we are part of a new covenant that forgives our sins and allows us to be made worthy by the blood of Christ. This allows equality among all of us while we embrace the beauty in each person in the same way God looks upon us and, through the sacrifice of Christ, sees us as GOOD. As people walk down the aisle of life, the churches proclaiming Christ must not look like each of the children rejecting a spot for a young Forrest Gump. Instead, we must follow the example of Jenny and offer a seat at the table to those looking for hope, peace, and love. By doing this, the table becomes a place where good happens, good is expressed, and good is experienced by all.
Elpis and Shalom 