I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. (1 Cor. 11:18)
When I was growing up, Sunday family dinners were times for us to experience a meal together. With our best dishes and full menu, this family ritual and time together was the highlight of our week as we laughed, shared stories, and enjoyed each other’s company.
This was not the case for the Corinthian believers. Having already spoken to the divisions among them, Paul also charged the church to follow the established order for the communal supper. The Lord’s Supper was meant as a time of peaceful fellowship, interconnection, and solidarity. The assembling together, however, was rife with dissension, fractured relationships, and self-serving behavior. The resulting separation and divisibility of the believers resulted in the breaking of the spirit and intent of the gathering. The wealthy during this time were behaving according to the social norms of the day, elevating their status over the poor among them. The order for these suppers was an attempt to change that.
The Corinthian believers neglected to remember that the Lord, who was given equal access to God, chose to serve all equally, regardless of position, prestige, or power. The community of believers were called to do likewise and to negate the social barriers and current norms. They were called not only to make the change from what they were accustomed to, but also, specifically, to be the change agents.
Gather together to pursue the unity God desires.
Susan Gordon is a wife, mom, and grammie who recently received her master’s degree at age 69. She enjoys art, photography, being active, and creation.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.