BLOG 8 - DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY

1 Corinthians 11 has some rather stern words that might often be misunderstood. It says "For he who eats and drinks in unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." In prayerfully letting the Holy Spirit and the context guide my understanding, I see this as referring to the people who are gathered at the Lord's supper - for scripture tells us quite clearly in the following chapter, in 1 Corinthians 12:27: "We are the Body of Christ." Remember, chapters and verses are not part of God's inspiration. They are merely a tool to help us more easliy find passages of scripture. Therefore, chapter 12 is very much a part of the context of chapter 11; the portion of the letter written by Paul and by the Holy Spirit, to the Corinthian church.

In what way were they "not discerning the Body"? Perhaps they were not giving the Lord's Supper proper reverence and not thinking about the meaning of the meal and Christ's work on the cross on their behalf. Perhaps they were coming to the meal with unconfessed sin. But on further reading it seems to describe the problem very clearly. As verse 33 points out, they were not waiting for one another when they came together for the Lord's supper, so that one was hungry still and another was drunk having had an excess. It says also that there were divisions and factions among them in verse 18 and 19. These were necessary, is says, in order that those who are approved may be recognized among you. In other words, if someone did not care about the body of Christ, God's people, then he would just rush ahead concerned only about himself. But if a person discerned the body of Christ, they would genuinely be concerned for the members of that body - For as verse 26 of chapter 12 says "If one member suffers, all (who are truly part of the body) the members suffer with it..." We cannot have communion with Christ and not also have communion with the body of Christ, for we are "members of one another (Ephesians 4:25). It all climaxes at the end of chapter 12 and in chapter 13, when he says, "I show you a more excellent way." Then begins the famous Love chapter.

What all this means to me is that when I take communion it is most special to me, not only to focus on Jesus, but also to look around at the heart of Jesus which is in His people, His body, my brothers and sisters sitting in the fellowship with me and also those who are missing perhaps because of physical or spiritual ailments for whom I need to pray. For if one member suffers, I should also suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all members rejoice with it. Otherwise if communion was just a thing between God and me, I could take it anywhere, anytime and any place. Why would I need the body there? I must "discern the body," because of the new commandment which fulfills the Law: to love one another AS HE LOVES US. (John 13:34, 35) By this we will be able to discern the true body of Christ. To me it is the whole reason He chose to call us His body. How am I treating His body? This is how I am treating Him! I may say I love Him. I may sing about how much I love Jesus. But the proof is my words and actions towards those members of His body He has placed around me. I must treat them as if they are His flesh and blood, because they truly, truly are.

I do not love Jesus anymore than I love the least of these, His brethren. If I ignore them, I ignore Him. If I hurt one of these, I hurt Him. If I love and serve them, I love and serve Him. This is Agape Love, that only comes from the Holy Spirit in us. We can love one another, because He first loved us. When we become one with Him, we love what He loves. Our hearts break when His does. O Lord, draw Your people with Your everlasting love in us, to Your glory only and by Your grace alone. Let Your love cover the multitude of our sins and knit us together and help us to open our eyes and discern Your body and our true communion in You.