Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives a variety of gifts to believers. The emphasis is on the diversity of gifts. The word “diversity” is the first word in the Greek, giving to us focus of the Apostle’s exhortation. And although there are a variety of gifts, all believers has that same blessed Holy Spirit indwelling them when they become the children of God.
The Apostle Paul speaks now of spiritual gifts. And he brings before the Corinthian Christians the litmus test for the true spiritual gift that is from God. The Spirit of God will always enable the Christian to magnify the Name of Jesus Christ and be subjected to His authority as Lord.
The Corinthian Christians are commanded to “tarry” or “wait” one for another. He lovingly teaches them to take care to partake the Lord’s Supper in a godly manner as he has said. He urges them to observe the solemnity and sacred of the Lord’s Supper through proper self-examination and confession of sins, that they refrain from wanton feasting before the time of the Lord’s Supper is observed. If they would like to have a fellowship meal together, it may be done at home and not in church. As Barnes said well, “Do not be guilty of disorder, intemperance, and gluttony.”
William MacDonald observed well, “God is dealing with us as with His own children. He loves us too dearly to allow us to go on in sin. Thus we soon feel the shepherd’s crook on our necks pulling us back to Himself. “
We shall be spared of God’s chastening if we will examine our lives and repent of our sins. The institution of the Lord’s Supper enables believers to take the time to examine their lives before God on a regular basis. This is a means of grace whereby the people of God may judge themselves and find forgiveness with God. The Lord is gracious and merciful to those who are willing to surrender their lives to God.
The Lord gives a sobering picture of judgment for abusing the Lord’s Supper when God’s people fail to examine their lives and repent of their sins. May this be a wake-up call for self-examination and confession and restoration and renewal for God’s people. Amen.
William MacDonald observed rightly, “As we come to the Lord’s Supper, we should do so in a judged condition. Sin should be confessed and forsaken; restitution should be made; apologies should be offered to those we have offended. In general ,we should make sure that we are in a proper state of soul.”
William MacDonald observed well, “Having discussed the origin and purpose of the Lord’s Supper, the apostle now turns to the consequences of participating in it wrongly. Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. We are all unworthy to partake of this solemn Supper. In that sense, we are unworthy of any of the Lord’s mercy or kindness to us. But that is not the subject here.”
The instruction for self-examination preceding the partaking of the Lord’s Supper is clearly taught here in Scripture. It is a solemn feast as we remember Christ’s body broken and blood shed for the remission of our sins. While we have been saved to the uttermost by the finished work of Christ on the cross which we commemorate at the holy feast, in our daily life and living, we may have transgressed the holy commandments of God. We need to confess our sins and ask for the Lord’s forgiveness.
The observance of the Lord’s Supper is as a witness of the Lord’s death, that He indeed died for our sins according to Scriptures, by His broken body and shed blood, we received the remission of sins through repentance and faith toward Jesus Christ.