Day 73 — 1 Corinthians 11 — Come to the Table: Remembering Christ with Reverence and Unity

“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 (ESV)

One of the most meaningful practices in the Christian life is gathering around the table. From the earliest days of the church, believers shared meals together as a way of expressing fellowship, unity, and spiritual encouragement. Hospitality and shared meals have always been an integral part of the Christian journey.

Many churches today still celebrate this through fellowship meals or the familiar church potluck. While those gatherings can bring laughter and joy, the deeper biblical picture is even richer. When believers sit down together to share food, they are reminded that they belong to a family—the family of God.

But among all the meals believers share, one meal stands above the rest: the Lord’s Supper.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul addresses the importance of this sacred moment in the life of the church. The Lord’s Supper, also called Communion, is far more than a religious ritual. It is a profound act of remembrance and unity instituted by Jesus Himself.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gathered with His disciples for the Passover meal. During that meal, He took bread, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” — 1 Corinthians 11:24 (ESV)

Then He took the cup and said: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” — 1 Corinthians 11:25 (ESV)

From that moment forward, the church has continued this sacred practice. Every time believers gather to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, they proclaim the greatest truth in history: Jesus Christ gave His body and shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins.

Paul explains that the Lord’s Supper is not merely a reflection of the past but also a declaration of hope for the future. “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 (ESV)

When we participate in Communion, we are doing three things simultaneously.

1. First, we look backward to the cross. The bread reminds us of Christ’s body broken for us. The cup reminds us of His blood poured out as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Every believer is invited to remember the incredible price Jesus paid to redeem humanity.
2. Second, we look inward. Paul makes it clear that the Lord’s Supper calls for self-examination. Communion is not a time for judging others but for honestly examining our own hearts before the Lord.  He writes: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” — 1 Corinthians 11:28 (ESV) This examination is not meant to produce fear but humility. It is a moment for believers to confess sin, restore broken relationships, and renew their devotion to Christ.
   
3. Third, we look forward. Communion reminds us that Jesus is coming again. The table points beyond the present moment to the future hope of Christ’s return and the great marriage supper of the Lamb described in Scripture.
   
   

In a very real sense, when believers gather around the Lord’s table, they are joining in a celebration that spans both time and eternity.
Think about that for a moment.

When you participate in the Lord’s Supper, you are joining believers across the world who are celebrating the same truth. More than that, you are joining a long line of faithful followers of Christ who have gathered around the table for more than two thousand years.

The early church did this.  Believers throughout history have done this.  And one day, we will gather in heaven with the “great cloud of witnesses” described in Hebrews 12, celebrating the victory of Christ together.

But Paul writes this chapter because something had gone terribly wrong in the Corinthian church.  The Lord’s Supper had become distorted. Instead of a sacred time of unity and remembrance, it had turned into a social gathering that exposed division and selfishness. Wealthy believers were eating lavish meals while poorer believers went hungry. Instead of expressing love and fellowship, the gathering revealed pride and inequality.

Paul confronts this behavior directly. The Lord’s Supper was never intended to be a social event or a place to display status. It is a family feast, where every believer—regardless of background, wealth, or position—comes together as one body in Christ. Because of the seriousness of this moment, Paul gives a sobering warning. “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 11:27 (ESV) To partake unworthily means approaching the table casually, selfishly, or without reverence for the sacrifice of Christ. 

Paul explains that some believers in Corinth had already experienced God’s discipline because of their careless attitude toward Communion. Some were weak and ill, and some had even died. This reminds us that God takes the unity and purity of His church seriously. Yet even in this warning, there is grace. Paul says that if we judge ourselves honestly—if we confess sin and return to the Lord—we will not fall under His discipline.

The Lord’s Supper is not meant to push believers away from the table but to invite them back to it with humble and repentant hearts. Scripture suggests that two groups should refrain from participating in the Lord’s Supper: the unsaved sinner, who has not yet trusted Christ, and the unclean saint, who refuses to deal with known sin. But the invitation remains open. Through confession and repentance, believers can come to the table with restored hearts and renewed fellowship.

Communion reminds us that we are not only connected to Christ but also to one another. We discern the body of Christ not only in the bread but also in the believers sitting beside us.

• The table is where pride is humbled.
• The table is where divisions are healed.
• The table is where grace is remembered.

So the question becomes personal. Is there anything in your heart today that needs to be confessed before the Lord? Is there a broken relationship that needs to be restored? Is there pride, bitterness, or hidden sin that is keeping you from approaching the table with a clear conscience?

If so, the invitation remains the same as it has always been... Come to the table.

• Come remembering the sacrifice of Jesus.
• Come confessing and receiving His grace.
• Come rejoicing in the unity of His church.
• And come looking forward to the day when we will sit at His table forever.

​Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for the incredible sacrifice You made on the cross for our salvation. As we remember Your body broken and Your blood shed for us, help us to approach Your table with humility, gratitude, and reverence. Search our hearts and reveal anything that needs to be confessed or surrendered. Restore unity among Your people and deepen our love for one another. May the Lord’s Supper always remind us of Your grace, Your sacrifice, and the hope of Your return. Amen.

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