I Corinthians 11:20,21
“Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.”
The issue here isn’t eating or drinking wine as a few verses later, he says to do those things at your own home (v. 22). This is done to a degree that some are acting with complete disregard to others. There appears to be reference to those who aren’t of means who don’t have much to eat, but are going hungry. The ones getting drunk aren’t thinking about the ones who may have addiction struggles.
These aren’t loving ways. We are getting closer to chapter 13, the love chapter. There are surprising things said there. Verses 1-3 say, “If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.” The first point speaks of eloquence and the grace of beautifully delivering a godly message almost like an angel. He says it’s meaningless unless delivered in love. More than that, it’s an obnoxious banging of a gong. The next comparison is that of a prophetic word that has such insight of unwrapping spiritual mysteries. Yet, if it is delivered without love it’s meaningless and leaves a bad feeling.
Jude 1:12a gives a great description of them, “These people are blemishes at your love feasts”. At least two groups are offended. Probably many others who have sensitivity to see their selfish actions. This is not how a church is to be acting.
Churches are to be loving places. Tertullian, a christian from around 197 A.D. said, “See how these Christians love one another.” The main character of a christian is to be love. I can recall the lyrics of a christian song from the 70’s, “They will know we are christians by our love, by our love. They will know we are christians by our love.” The corinthian church was not loving. Paul had several reasons he was writing to them. This was one of them.
Lord, help us with our short comings? Fortunately You will tell us in Your time. You have a list of things in which You will address in us. It’s not our job to order that. If we are aware of something, we should work on that. There are more that we don’t know. You will take care of that. We have brothers (and sisters) in Christ in whom may bring these things up, if causing a problem. If of no consequence, than probably not.
A general principle that is to govern each of us is, “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins”, (I Peter 4:8). Lord, help us to walk in that principle, to be loving towards all.