Making The Lord's Supper Communion

Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? 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 will not praise you. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22 NASB)

The practice of sharing the Lord's Supper in worship is one of two things Jesus commanded of His disciples, the other being baptism.  Some denominations refer to them as 'ordinances' others as 'sacraments' and others as other references denoting something commanded and required.  So, as believers, we have to do it.

The views about how it's done, who participates, and so on varies even more than denominational terminology.  Some believe only believers can partake, others permit anyone.  Some say only members of a congregation, others anyone of any congregation.  Some take it every week, others every quarter, others semiannually, some even annually.  Some use crackers, others an actual loaf of bread.  Some use little plastic cups, others share one actual cup.  Some use real wine, others grape juice.  It also seems possible to mix and match these views, practices, and elements.

So, without consistency in practice, terminology, or ingredients, what is it from this passage in 1 Corinthians 11 that can be applied to the eclectic experience of believers in our culture, or simply in my own experience?  There are actually several I can find laying about on the surface, and a few lying just below.

First off, the problem that Paul is addressing in practice is where the wealthy are behaving in a way that segregates them from the poorer believers.  So that is one area easy to see, where I can apply it.  In the practice of my own church, I can be one of those influences that does what I can to connect to those around me with whom I take the Lord's Supper.  While it may not be a difference of economic affluence, it could be a difference in anything, dress, speech, appearance, skin color, even weight in our culture; any of these can be separating influences that can be overcome by doing something to connect with the person to whom I 'pass the plate.'  The connection can be as simple as 'here you go', 'the body and blood of our Lord', or even a look that connects rather than divides.  It's not like I can guarantee that what I do or say will connect with the person, or even that it won't be taken wrong; but it's the extension of myself into the life of another during the practice that I see as important.

Second thing I see here is that an actual meal is involved.  In our church we do like to eat.  So, being an influence that does what I can to make sure no one is left out is important.  In this there are lots of opportunities.  The differences in diet within our church are enormous.  Some can't have gluten, my wife doesn't eat sugar, others are vegetarians, and so on.  I can make sure that I help (since I can't control) others getting something they can eat so we can, as a church, share together.  Being mindful that not everyone can have everything, so not depleting those special dishes for those with restrictions is actually courteous and thoughtful.  I can do that.  This doesn't have to do specifically with a Lord's Supper as it did in Corinth, but is a communal event even so.

A third surface observation is that I see this practice is a proclamation of Jesus' death; the very thing we share in common enabling us to have a relationship with our Creator.  So, how can I, in my practice of this ensure that my practice faithfully proclaims the salvation of the world by my Master?  The application here may change or drift from one activity to another and back.  It may depend on the Sunday, the people around whom I sit.  I can lift the elements to my Master as I partake, in thanks and recognition.  As other see this, they see my proclamation in my actions.  Perhaps I can say something to the person to whom I pass the plate to 'proclaim the Lord's death'.  I don't know, and I don't think it necessarily has to be the same action each time, but it needs to be done.

One problem I see just below the surface here is an attitude that my cultural behavior, whatever status I have outside the congregation, or whatever influence I have should be a part of my relationship to others in the church.  That is a gross error.  The error lies in that it assumes that my status in this world reflects my status before my Master and in His Kingdom.  Before my Master I am whatever He declares me, but whatever He declares me isn't any more or less than what He has declared of my brothers and sisters.  My role is different, my name on His lips is different, and my position within His Kingdom could be different.  But I am as equal before my Master as the highest, lowest, newest, oldest and youngest of my fellow believers.  Seeing myself any other way, and treating others in any other way, violates and cheapens my treatment of the Bride of my Master.  We are to be one, even as He is.  His Spirit unifies us, and I have the same Spirit as do my fellow worshipers and fellow followers of Jesus.  That, within the church, trumps any cultural social or economic status I may enjoy outside in the world.

Non-Communal Communion?

Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk.  What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? 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 will not praise you. (1 Corinthians 11:20-22 NASB)

The practice of Communion or the Lord's Supper in modern congregations has probably changed from the pattern gone wrong here.  That's just a guess and a gross generalization, but I seriously doubt anyone gets drunk from the miniscule amounts used in those small plastic cups, nor considers the little square crackers satisfying of hunger.  Something seems definitely different here.

It is possible, I suppose, that the practice of the Lord's Supper/Communion in the very early church was  patterned off of the Jewish Passover meal, but abbreviated in some way.  Regardless of whether it did, or to what degree, what seems clear is that a much more substantial meal is involved.  What is also clear is that this meal has become more substantial for some and not for others.

There is a distinction between those that are abusing the meal and those 'who have nothing', and this is most likely a distinction between the wealthy and poor.  Since, in the setting in Corinth, churches were 'house churches', and the wealthy would be the most likely hosts, this would have to be happening either by the hosts, or at least in their households.  The divisions Paul has already pointed out among them back in Chapter 1 seemed to be between groups/households; where this additional division is more socioeconomic within households.

I host and lead a Bible study on Thursdays, and one meeting a month includes a 'pot luck' meal.  We don't consider what we share together to be a "Lord's Supper" or Communion, but I can imagine adding that element.  In our church we celebrate Communion every week, and do so along common conventions used in modern Evangelical Protestant churches.  So, we use 'juice' rather than wine, and miniscule crackers.  Due to the frequency, I don't see a need or much value to adding such an element to the Bible study's monthly meal.  I'm going to need to look elsewhere for application here.

If I look along the lines drawn by Paul in describing the problem, there are those who have nothing being shamed by the behavior of others.  There are those who seem to be proceeding with a meal on their own, and are well into it by the time others arrive, and are drunk by the time the others arrive.  The result of this behavior is that those who are not waiting, both despise the church and shame those with less. 

I have to wonder why those who have informed Paul haven't addressed this with the ones practicing it.  Or have they to no effect, not having the 'authority' or recognized respect to make the correction?  I think it's more likely this is happening in some 'household churches' and not others, and Paul is hearing from those for whom it's not a problem.  There is a difficulty with this view, though.  Paul also refers to 'when you come together as a church' which could refer to a single gathering of the entire collection of households within the ancient city of Corinth in one place.  That would have to be a big place, and serving a meal as part of it would be a big undertaking.  On the other hand, we really don't know just how large this church was if assembled all together.  Perhaps it wasn't all that difficult to put together a meal for everyone.

I think it most likely that this problem existed in some house-churches and not others.  I suspect that the meal was regular, but not every meeting.  And I think what happened is that the hosts had developed a 'preferential' practice among the others in their socioeconomic circles within the group to have their own version of the meal exclusive of the others meeting to worship in the house.  But that's a lot to derive with any certainty from what Paul has written.  It could just as well have been a larger communal meal.  My application I think would be easier if it were many separate practices, so I will pull it from there.

I see the application for myself here to be in not making those without feel any less accepted or blessed by my Master.  I have a nice house, well suited to hosting.  Consequentially, I believe my Master provided it for that purpose.  In essence, my wife and I went looking for such a house.  This is the house that my Master enabled us to acquire.  It fit all and more that we looked and hoped for.  We are amazingly blessed.  I believe that I honor the One providing the house when I make it available to others, and seek to bless those who visit.  So we host a Bible study.  We seek to council and mentor here.  We seek to meet here for meals with groups or other families.  We have had travelers we didn't even know stay the night (THAT was one of the best blessings so far!).

On the other hand, how we practice this abbreviated form of the meal at church is also important.  In our church some share it with their kids, and that takes time.  Some hold up an element before God, and this is visible to others.  Some look to others around them and say something as part of their practice.  In all of this there is potential for abuse by me.  I may not eat more or drink more, nor is there much danger of me bringing my own more tasty crackers (Ritz?) and juice (raspberry grape?).  So the more direct application would be in how I treat or think of my fellow worshipers.  Do I despise those who take so much time to share with their kids?  Do look with jealousy or contempt on those who hold up the elements?  Do I wonder what was said by those whisper something to a companion as part of the practice?  Do I consider myself as above all that, or consider those as 'theologically inferior' or 'flawed'?  There's really a lot of room here for me to be just as faulty as those in Corinth, only no one would know in my circumstances.

I believe that there are lots of ways to practice the Lord's Supper in a communal fashion and treat it and those around me with contempt.  And that is something I must guard against.  And there are also lots of ways that I can cause those who have less than I do to feel less than I am (when they may very well be much more before my Master).  The reality is that this passage has all sort of possible applications for me, because I have all sorts of flaws to which it speaks.  I am blessed, but that does not make me somehow superior.  I share the Communion plate with many, and there are many very valid and meaningful ways we who share the plate practice the 'meal'.  The best question might be, 'Do I honor my Master among all my brothers and sisters?'  That is a question I should answer at home and as we worship together each week.