The Meal of the Movement
The church can be described as a body, a family, an army. It’s a movement of influence—one that seeks to bring glory to God and point people toward the Savior. On the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He initiated the movement with a meal. He chose food and drink as a picture of His body that would be broken and His blood that would be shed. Through the simple act of eating a meal, the movement called the church is to be reminded of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Many people think of “church” as a building or a “church service.” How do you describe what church is?
Read Luke 22:14-23. Describe this setting with Jesus and His disciples. Even though this is a Passover meal, Jesus adds special significance to the elements. What is Jesus saying about the bread and the cup?
Notice how the description of that first communion meal in Luke gets repeated in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. What do you learn about the purpose of receiving communion?
It’s clear that when a church celebrates communion together, the experience should be one of unity. How was the Corinthian church divided around communion? (See 1 Cor. 11:17-22)
What does Paul mean by “unworthy” in 1 Corinthians 11:27-34? What is the danger of a divided church (11:29-30)? What does Paul mean when he says for us to “judge” ourselves (11:31-32)?
How are you tempted to disengage from church? What is the warning in Hebrews 10:24-25 saying to you?
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