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Ask God: Coming to the Lord's Supper is such a special time. A time to reflect on what Christ did for us and what that means to us. Praise and give honor to Christ.

Good Evening Reader,

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about their unholy attitude when they observed the Lord's Supper. Instead of it being a time of worship, it showed their divisiveness. Their attitude was not one of reverence to God.

May God bless you and keep you in His love.

All Glory to God.

Elvin

The Believer’s Attitude at the Lord's Supper

A Call to Worship with a Whole Heart

Every believer who longs to please the Lord must pause and ask: Am I truly worshiping God with my heart—or merely going through the motions? The Lord's Supper is not just a tradition; it is a sacred moment, designed by Christ Himself, for His people to remember His sacrifice and renew their unity as one body.

Yet even in the early Corinthian church, this holy observance was treated carelessly. In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul delivers a sobering rebuke to the Corinthian believers for turning this sacred act into a scene of division and selfishness. Their attitude and conduct were displeasing to the Lord.

This Scripture challenges us to examine our own hearts. Are we honoring God with our lips while our minds wander and our spirits remain distant? If you desire a deeper walk with Christ and long to honor Him in truth, let these Scriptures awaken your soul. God is not looking for ritual—He's looking for relationship. Let us return to the Lord's table with humility and hearts that truly seek Him.

The Division in the Corinthian Church

In 1 Corinthians 11:17–34, Paul addresses a troubling issue within the Corinthian church regarding their conduct during the Lord's Supper. These gatherings, meant to reflect unity in Christ and remember His sacrificial death, had instead become occasions of division and selfishness.

In Corinth, the setting for the Lord’s Supper resembled a communal meal, similar to a potluck, held in the homes of wealthier members who had space for gatherings. But instead of everyone sharing equally, some arrived early and indulged in excessive eating and drinking.

In contrast, others, likely the poorer members who came later because of work, went hungry (verse 21). There was no reverence, no humility—just disorder and disregard for fellow believers.

Paul sharply rebukes this behavior when he said, "When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat" (verse 20). They were dishonoring the very purpose of the Supper. He reminded them of Jesus' institution of this sacred meal, where He took bread and wine and said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (verses 23–25). Paul calls them to self-examination before partaking, warning that careless participation brings judgment (verses 28–29).

This message is still vital for Christians today. The Lord's Supper is not merely a religious ritual; it's a sacred remembrance of Christ's body broken and blood shed for us. It's also a time to reflect on His return (verse 26).

When believers approach the table with selfishness and disregard for the body of Christ—the Church—they dishonor its values. Paul calls for them to show love for the church and worship in love and unity.

Modern Christians must guard against treating communion as routine. Whether it's a formal church service or a home fellowship, the Lord's Supper should center on Christ and renew our commitment to live in harmony. As Paul said, "Wait for one another" (verse 33)—a simple command that reminded us to love as Christ loved.

Attitudes Toward Observance of the Lord's Supper

It is the custom of our local church to observe the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of each month. It is meant to remind us of what Christ did for us.

I look back over my Christian life and consider my attitude toward this monthly observance. What I realize is that there were many times when I just went through the motions of the ritual. I would have other things on my mind, or I just wanted to move on to something else. This is not the way God wants his children to act, and it falls short of what God wants us to do.

Matthew 15:8 says, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me." This verse describes the attitude of many who go through the motions of worship. "Their heart is far from Me." How sad this must make our heavenly Father.

Lacking Inward Devotion

Jesus quoted Isaiah in Matthew 15:8 when He said, "their hearts are far from me." God wants all of us, and that means coming into His presence with an attitude of worship.

This same attitude sadly reflects the way many Christians approach worship and the Lord's Supper today. It is easy to go through the motions without true reverence and self-examination.

Paul warned the Corinthian church about this issue when he said those who eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord "in an unworthy manner" are guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

Worship becomes empty when our hearts are disengaged, and we forget the sacred meaning behind the Lord's Supper. It is so much more than a mere routine or tradition.

Isaiah 29:13 echoes the same concern: "The Lord says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.'" God desires heartfelt worship, not empty rituals.

This reminds me of someone attending a birthday party, singing "Happy Birthday," eating the cake, and enjoying the celebration—yet never acknowledging or speaking to the person whose birthday it is. It's possible to be present physically but absent relationally.

Likewise, at the Lord's Supper, it is easy to take the bread and cup but fail to reflect on Christ's sacrifice.

The Presence of God

Worship is recognizing and responding to the presence of God with reverence and love. We are to honor God with not only our lips but with our hearts full of love for God. True worship happens when our hearts draw near to God, not just our words or actions.

God's presence is what makes worship meaningful. In Exodus 33:14, the Lord told Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then Moses made a bold and profound statement when he said he would not move forward without God's presence (verse 15).

That's a heart of worship—desiring God above all else. Insisting on God's presence in all we do is an attitude that benefits all believers.

When we gather for the Lord's Supper and bow our heads in prayer, we are not simply fulfilling religious duties. We are stepping into sacred moments where the presence of the living God is among us. Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

Suppose our minds are distracted and our hearts are distant. In that case, we may be physically present but miss the beauty of being with our heavenly Father.

We often see this displayed in public places. We see families sitting together in restaurants, but are so busy with their phones that they don't notice others at the table. They're in the same room, at the same table, but unaware of each other's presence. How often do we do this to God?

Likewise, worship is honoring God's presence—stopping everything else to say, "Lord, I'm here, and I know You are here too." That is true worship as we come near to God.

The Lord said, "Find Me by Diligently Seeking Me."

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." This verse reminds us that finding God is not a passive experience—it is the result of intentionally seeking Him. Those who truly find God do so because their hearts long for Him, and they earnestly seek His presence in their daily lives.

Seeking God should not be limited to Sunday worship—it should be a daily walk with God. It is an attitude of a heart that wakes up saying, "Lord, I want to know You more today."

Daily worship is the fruit of a seeking heart. It may be a quiet prayer in the morning, a moment of praise during a busy afternoon, or a whisper of thanks before sleep. When we live this way, the Lord's Supper becomes more than a ritual—it becomes a holy moment of deep connection. We come to the table not out of habit, but out of hunger for God.

When we diligently seek Him, we find He draws near to us. James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." In worship and at the Lord's table, our seeking turns into finding—and finding Him is the greatest reward.

Mere Tradition or a Sacred Act of Worship

The Lord's Supper is a sacred act of worship, not a routine to rush through or a ceremony to take lightly. As Paul reminded the Corinthians, it is a moment to remember Christ's sacrifice and unite as one body.

When we treat it as a mere tradition, we risk becoming like those Jesus described in Matthew 15:8—honoring God with our lips while our hearts remain far from Him. But when we approach the table with reverence, aware of God's holy presence, our worship becomes genuine and focused on God.

As we earnestly seek God, He promises to draw near to us (James 4:8). Let each observance of the Lord's Supper renew our love and remind us that true worship begins with a seeking heart.

Worship That Honors Christ Begins with the Heart

For every believer who longs to please the Lord, the message of 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 is a divine wake-up call. Paul exposes the danger of taking the Lord's Supper lightly—of turning a holy remembrance into a selfish routine.

Instead of unity, the Corinthian church displayed division. Instead of reverence, they showed carelessness. Paul calls them—and us—to self-examination and renewed devotion.

The Lord's Supper is more than bread and wine; it is an encounter with the living God, a moment to reflect deeply on Christ's sacrifice and His presence among us. Jesus warned against worship that is all lips and no heart. True worship begins when our hearts are fully turned toward Him.

If you want your worship to be more pleasing to God, let every communion be a sacred time to seek Him and remember what Christ has done for us. He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Let's let this time be a time of celebration and come to the table with hearts on fire for our Savior.

Elvin

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Growing Spiritually pleases God.

Ask God For Help

Christian faith

Reader,

Hosea said his people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. Knowledge give believers and non-believers a choice. When a person does not know, they cannot choose.

Feel free to forward this lesson to your friends and family.

Grow in the knowledge of God.

Elvin

Send your comments to elvin.aycock@AskGodForHelp.net and let me know what you think of the lessons.

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