I Corinthians 11:17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
The Lord's Supper, Communion - a regular part of the Christian life, whether one does it weekly, monthly, or twice a year. It looks back to Christ's selfless sacrifice on our behalf to bring us together with God and one another. It can and should be a precious time of fellowship and a common reminder of our faith. But it is not always so. It can be for show - not only in the sense of "going through the motions," but also in a "look at me and what I have" kind of way. It can even be selfish if one can afford to bring something to the table, but it too lazy or cheap to do so. If there is any holding back on sharing freely and fully, we are totally missing the point. The next time you prepare (and if you're not going to for any reason - that's an issue too!), step back, look at your heart, your motives, your words and actions. It is all in honor and memory of Christ? Is there any way He would look, shake His head and say: "Not what I had in mind..."
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