(#055) 1 Corinthians 11 - The Lord Doesn’t Take Mistreatment Among Believers Lightly

That's why millstones are so heavy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!  

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Welcome to this Bible lesson!  First John, Chapter 4, Verses 1 to 4 get our study today off to a great start with a warning that will come in handy in the days ahead…  

 

FIRST JOHN 4:1

Beloved (divinely loved ones…believers in Christ)…do not believe every spirit…but test the spirits (dokimazo…discerning if they are real or fake)… to see whether the spirits are from God the Father…because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

 

Spirits with a small "s" are referring to false prophets…false teachers… messengers of Satan, the enemy of God, who exists to deceive.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:2 

By this (discernment is how) you know the Holy Spirit of God…every spirit (true teachers) that confesses that Jesus Christ (as God…as Deity) has come in the flesh is a spirit from God the Father…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:3 

…and every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ as God is not from God the Father…this other spirit is the spirit of those who are anti-Christ (against Christ)…of which spirits you have heard that it is coming…and now you have heard this spirit (of rejecting Christ) is already in the world.

 

FIRST JOHN 4:4 

All of you (believers in Christ) are from God the Father…you are dear little

children (of God…divinely loved ones)…and all of you have overcome the spirit that is in the world…because greater is He who is indwelling you (Christ in you)…than he who is in the world.

 

At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God.  As the Lord He is 100% Deity…He is God the Son, a member of the Triune Godhead.  He is also 100% human just like you and me, and His name is Jesus Christ.  The Lord…God the Son…became flesh…Jesus Christ...and lived among us.  He is the uniquely born One…100% God and 100% man in one Person forever.  He is the Sovereign God of the Universe.  He is the Jewish Messiah.  

 

At Barah Ministries, we make a difference by teaching the Word of God from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective.  As those who make Barah Ministries our spiritual home, we are Christians.  Being a Christian means we believe in the DEITY of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with Him.  

 

God has an enemy, Satan, whom God made “the ruler of this world.” He is a

liar who deceives the whole world, including you and me.  He doesn’t want us to get to know God, and he interferes with our chance to know God. Satan’s strategy against the human race is religion, which is designed to make us either indifferent or antagonistic to God.  Religion deceives many into thinking they are saved when they might not be.  And it works!

 

The Word of God is the truth…and it informs us about Satan’s insidious 

deceptions.  As believers in Christ, we are in union with Christ, and we have

the victory over Satan through our Lord, who has overcome the world. 

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Doesn’t Take Mistreatment Among Believers Lightly

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you know the Lord loves you unconditionally…and even though you may forget it at times, you know the truth of Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 8:1 

Therefore…(with all these things in Romans, Chapter 7, Verses 15 to 25 being the case, believers need to remember that...) there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in union with Christ Jesus. 

 

The Lord sees believers in Christ the same way He sees Himself…as holy and blameless.  He made us that way.  This does not mean that the Lord is willing to tolerate it when believers in Christ mistreat each other.  The Lord has a message for those of us who think we’re “all that and a bag of chips” …for those of us who think it’s okay to mistreat other believers…Matthew, Chapter 25, Verses 34 to 40…

 

MATTHEW 25:34

“Then the King (the Lord Jesus Christ) will say to those on His right (believers in Christ), ‘Come, you who are the blessed ones of My Father…inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”

 

MATTHEW 25:35 

“‘For I (the Lord Jesus Christ) was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat…I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink…I was a stranger, and you invited Me in…’” 

 

MATTHEW 25:36 

“‘…I was naked and you clothed Me…I was sick and you visited Me…I was in prison and you came to Me.’”

 

MATTHEW 25:37 

“Then the righteous will answer Him (and say), ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You…or when did we see You thirsty and give You something to drink?’”

 

MATTHEW 25:38 

“‘And when did we see You a stranger and invite You in…or when did we see You naked, and clothe You?’”

 

MATTHEW 25:39 

“‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’”

 

 

MATTHEW 25:40 

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you…to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine…even the least of them…you did it to Me.’”

 

The believers in Corinth were mistreating each other…the “haves” were mistreating the “have nots.”  In today’s lesson, Paul tells us how the Lord deals with His believers when they mistreat each other.

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Quite often, it looks like our enemies are winning.  When he was just a shepherd boy, David knew this was not the case.  He was so confident in the Lord that he brought a rock to a sword fight!  In First Samuel, Chapter 17, Verses 46 and 47, David said to Goliath…

 

FIRST SAMUEL 17:46

“This day the Lord will deliver you up (Goliath) into my hands…and I (David) will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth…that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel…”

 

FIRST SAMUEL 17:47 

“…and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear…for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

 

Therefore, as believers in Christ, we take the advice of Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 6…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:6

Stop worrying about anything…instead, in everything by prayer and petition with an attitude of thanksgiving…let your requests be made known to God the Father. 

 

Here’s Aaron Cole along with Toby Mac to remind us that when we’re in trouble, the Lord is always RIGHT ON TIME.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

RIGHT ON TIME

Aaron Cole

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father…thank you for the uncertainty that comes with living in Satan’s kingdom…thank you for letting us be subject to tyranny so we can distinguish between the slavery of this world and the freedom You offer…thank you for putting us through a spiritual gymnasium in the world so that we can grow to maturity through the direction set by God the Holy Spirit…

 

Check our attitudes Father…help us to think and to act like free people in this struggle…help us to demonstrate the payoff of our faith in You…let us be examples of hope to others, not as if we are worthy or perfect in any way…but as if we are excellent reflections of You and Your Son and the Spirit indwelling us…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Doesn’t Take Mistreatment Among Believers Lightly

 

We continue our study of First Corinthians, Chapter 11 verse-by-verse.  In the passage under study, you’ll notice this structure…

 

THE STRUCTURE 

First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verses 17 to 34

 

(Verses 17-22)

The Selfish Mistreatment and Disunity Present in the Church at Corinth 

 

(Verses 23-26)

The Lord’s Instructions About His Supper 

 

(Verse 27-34)

How the Lord Handles Mistreatment Among the Brethren

 

In this passage, Paul is rebuking the conduct of the believers at Corinth.  What is a rebuke?

 

REBUKE

The expression of very strong disapproval…a reprimand.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:17

But in giving this instruction (about women and their headwear when praying and prophesying in the first sixteen verses of First Corinthians Chapter 11), I (Paul) do not praise you…because you come together (as a church) not for the betterment (not for the good of all of you)…but you come together for the worse (to mistreat each other).

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:18 

For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you…and I believe the report.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:19 

For (it’s inevitable) there must also be factions among you (that you are causing)…so that those who are “elite” may become evident among you.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:20 

Therefore, when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:21 

…for in your eating each one takes his own supper first (in front of everyone else)…and one is hungry (the poor ones with no food or less food) and another is drunk (the “elite” ones with the expensive wine).

 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:22 

Wait 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 (the “have-nots”)? What shall I say to you?  Shall I praise you?  In this matter, I will not praise you.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:23 

For I (Paul) received from the Lord (as the authoritative Source in this matter) that which I also delivered to you…that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed (by Judas and his treacherous wickedness…the night He was handed over to a corrupt government…the night He was served up for slaughter)…Jesus took a loaf of bread…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:24 

…and when Jesus had given thanks, He broke the bread and said, “This is My body, which is (broken) for you…keep on doing this (sacrifice) in remembrance of Me.”

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:25 

In the same way, Jesus also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant (a new testament) in My blood…keep on doing this…and as often as you drink it…do this in remembrance of Me…”

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:26

…for as often as you eat this bread (representing His body)…and as often as you drink this cup (representing His blood)…as part of The Lord’s Supper Celebration…you proclaim as a reality and you announce the significance of the Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross…and His resurrection from the dead…until He comes again at the second coming.

 

When we come back from the break we’ll take the offering and then we will hear how the Lord handles mistreatment among believers.

 

FIVE MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Doesn’t Take Mistreatment Among Believers Lightly

Freely you have received everything from the Lord Jesus Christ…from your everything, freely give…because the Lord loves a gracious giver.  Let the offering be a time when you are generous on behalf of those who can’t afford the resources to study the Word of God.  At Barah Ministries, no price is placed on anything we have.  God is gracious to us, and through your contributions we can be gracious to others, offering resources without charge in a lost and dying world.  Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with today’s offering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PROVERBS 19:11

A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger…and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PROVERBS 14:17

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly…and a man of evil devices is hated.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Don Moen

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Doesn’t Take Mistreatment Among Believers Lightly

 

Let’s study the final part of this passage verse-by-verse…starting at First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verse 27…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:27 

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord (during the Lord’s Supper) in an UNWORTHY MANNER, shall be liable for the body and the blood of the Lord.

 

That’s a pretty serious comment.  Doing something in an UNWORTHY MANNER means doing something that is not a reflection of the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Notice that the Lord is talking about the deed and not the doer.  There is no condemnation for those is union with Christ.  Yet we still do things as believers in Christ that are reprehensible.  The Lord’s character is sacrificial and unifying.  The Corinthian believers were not reflecting the Lord during the Lord’s Supper Celebration by being selfish and divisive.  The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to promote unity among the brethren.  To engage in disunity is unworthy conduct.

 

To be liable for the body and blood of Christ is to act in a way that makes you responsible for misconduct that was just as serious s the conduct of those who led the Lord to crucifixion.  That’s a pretty serious comment.  This is a rebuke of the highest order.  Those who treat the Lord’s Supper in a casual way…those who treat each other poorly during the Lord’s Supper, as the Corinthian believers were, will incur severe discipline from the Lord.

 

How can we test ourselves to see if we are partaking of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:28 

But a man (an individual) must EXAMINE himself…and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

 

Examine is the Greek word dokimazo.  It is a reference to a test to see if gold is real or counterfeit.  When we examine our conduct as human beings, we can justify anything we do… “everything happens for a reason” is what stupid people say… we can convince ourselves that everything we’re doing is right.  What if our standard of examining ourselves was the Lord’s eyes?  What does the Lord see when He looks at our conduct?  That’s a much better test.  Are you real?  Or are you fake?

 

The Lord’s Supper is a time for reflection.  As individuals, we ask ourselves, “How am I treating the people in my life?  How am I treating my family?  How am I treating my friends?  How am I treating my enemies?  How am I treating the people I think of as lesser on the social totem pole?” Are you real?  Or are you fake?  

 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:29 

For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not JUDGE (his treatment of) the body (of Christ) rightly.

 

When we examine ourselves rightly as individuals, we know we would not be worthy of anything if reflect the Lord’s thoughts rightly, we know this… Galatians, Chapter 3, Verse 28…in God’s eyes…

 

GALATIANS 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek (no racial distinction)…there is neither slave nor free man (no social distinction)…there is neither male nor female (no gender distinction)…for you are all one (in a state of unity…one body…the body of Christ…for all those) in union with Christ Jesus.

 

The Lord invites us to the Lord’s Table where all are equal.  It’s an ideal on which the United States of America is founded…

 

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
We hold these truths to be self-evident…that all are created equal…that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights…and among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

 

Or as Peter put it in Acts, Chapter 10, Verse 34…

 

ACTS 10:34

Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality…”

 

As much as we may not like it, how we treat believers we despise matters.  The Lord thinks so.  To JUDGE in Verse 29 invites us to distinguish one thing from another…to realize that God’s thoughts are higher than the world’s thought AND our thoughts.  The Lord wants us to treat others in a way that reflects His thoughts.

 

How does the Lord handle it when we mistreat others?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:30 

For this reason (for not discerning our treatment of others as a body of

Christ reflecting Christ)…many among all of you are weak and sick, and a number of you are dying.

 

The conversation shifts from the individual to the congregation.  The "you" here is plural.  The Lord wants all of us to partake of the Lord's Supper with the right attitude…the right attitude toward God…the right attitude toward self…and the right attitude toward others.  When we operate with the wrong attitude…selfishness and divisiveness, there is divine discipline.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:31 

But if we were examining ourselves (as a congregation) rightly…we would not be judged by God.

 

Self-examination is not selfish…it also considers others.  Self-examination during the Lord’s Supper looks to the lesson of the Cross…a lesson of sacrifice.  It calls us. As individuals and as a congregation, to examine the sacrifices we are making for others.  

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:32 

But when we are judged by the Lord (as operating in a way that does not reflect His character and nature), we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

 

What is discipline?

 

DISCIPLINE
Training in a character pattern

 

The Lord desires a character pattern of selflessness from his servants.  The Lord does not punish Hie servants…He trains them up as if they are children.  Hebrews, Chapter 12, Verses 5 and 6…

 

HEBREWS 12:5

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord…nor faint when you are reproved by Him…”

 

HEBREWS 12:6 

“…for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines…and He scourges (with a whip) every son whom He calls to Himself.”

 

You can tell you are a good parent if you are training up your children in a character pattern…and sometimes that involves discipline…using their gluteus maximum as a target.  Proverbs, Chapter 13, Verse 24…

 

PROVERBS 13:24

He who withholds spanking with a rod hates his son…but he who loves his son disciplines him diligently.

 

A lack of rod leads to an undisciplined life for our children.  The Lord would never consider not disciplining His children.  He has very effective ways of getting people's attention.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:33 

So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, (you are commanded by God to) wait for one another.

 

Stop the selfishness!  Stop the divisiveness!  Stop social discrimination!  Stop the elitism.  Paul expects sharing among the congregation during the Lord's Supper celebration as is the conduct of those who have had the ultimate sacrifice shared with them, the body and blood of Christ.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:34 

If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

 

If all eating is about for you is food, eat at home.  If food is about fellowship and selflessness and unity and sharing…come together!  You are reflecting the Lord.  We are one for all…we are all for One.

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

Where you spend eternity matters to God because YOU matter to God.  He wants you to be saved!  In John, Chapter 4, Verses 13 and 14, the Lord Jesus Christ is talking to a woman at a well…a Samaritan woman whom the Jews wanted nothing to do with.  After a brief introduction, the Lord says to the woman…

 

JOHN 4:13

“Everyone who drinks of the water in this well will thirst again…”

 

JOHN 4:14 

“…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him (the water of the Word…the gospel message) shall never thirst…but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to the resurrection life.”

 

It is the Lord’s will for you to live with Him in heaven forever when you close your eyes in this life. First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verses 3 and 4 say…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3

This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4 

…who desires all men to be saved and who desires for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

Is religion the way to be saved?  Is religion the truth?  Billions of people in this world are part of religions.  Many of them believe that religion and its rituals are their tickets into heaven. They embrace religious beliefs that tell them how to live a spiritual life. The religion claims either that there is a god…or there are many gods…but the religion does not discuss how to have a personal relationship with god. 

 

Religions propose that if you don't do everything their god expects that he will be quite disappointed….and regardless of your best efforts to follow the religious rituals…which you CAN’T and DON’T do…even if you did them all the religion does not GUARANTEE that following the rituals will get you into heaven.

 

Christianity is NOT a religion…it is a relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.  A relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ saves you.  The truth the Lord wants you to know is how to be saved…how to get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life, and HE sent me to tell you about it.

 

Getting to heaven when you close your eyes in this life is as simple as a nine-word conversation with God the Father…Luke, Chapter 23, Verses 42 and 43…

 

LUKE 23:42

And a thief being crucified next to Jesus was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

 

LUKE 23:43 

And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you…today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

 

Just a nine-word conversation with God can get you to heaven… Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.  Or if you prefer…it’s a five-word conversation with God the Father … “Father…I believe in Christ.”  Simply believe… which means take God’s word for what it takes to be saved…and that is the moment of eternal life for you.  

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4… 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance what the gospel message I also received … that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Scriptures…

 

If you reject the relationship offer the Lord Jesus Christ makes to you, He will honor your rejection…Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 49 and 50…

 

MATTHEW 13:49

So it will be at the end of the age…the elect angels will come forth and take out the wicked (a description of unbelievers) from among the righteous (believers in Christ) ...

 

 

MATTHEW 13:50 

…and will throw the wicked into the furnace of fire…and in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

On the other hand, once the Lord saves you, no matter how hard you try, you cannot lose your salvation…John, Chapter 10, Verse 28 says…

 

JOHN 10:28

“…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give eternal life to believers in Christ, and they will never perish…and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

 

Anyone who tells you that you can lose your salvation is lying to you.  

 

So, follow the advice of Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

It’s not religion that gets you to heaven…it’s relationship…relationship with the one and only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Have that conversation with Him right now and you will be saved!

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 18 reminds us that our suffering in this world is temporary…

 

ROMANS 8:18 

For I (Paul) know for a fact that the sufferings of this present time (both right now and throughout the Church Age...described by the Bible as “this present evil age”) are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us believers in Christ in the future...

 

Here’s June Murphy to remind us in song how to handle things WHEN YOU SUFFER.

 

 

 

CLOSING SONG

WHEN YOU SUFFER

June Murphy

 

CLOSING VERSES

 

         A Doxology of Praise to Our God

 

ROMANS 15:5 

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant all of you believers in Christ to be of the same mind with one another (to think the exact same way…operating in harmony) according to your union with Christ Jesus…

 

ROMANS 15:6 

…so that with one accord believers in Christ may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 15:7 

Therefore, keep on accepting one another…and keep on receiving one another…just as Christ also keeps on accepting us with His unconditional love…to the glory of God the Father.

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

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