I pray that your group's study of this passage will be viewed with new and fresh eyes. I pray that God will remind all of us that we must not allow the participation in the Lord’s Supper to become trivial or a means of calling attention to ourselves. It is all about Jesus Christ, His sacrifice, His payment for our sins, and of His coming return!
BACKGROUND STUDY HELPS
The following video by Gene Getz should help you gain a better perspective as you prepare to teach.
LOOK UP ACTIVITY
The sample teaching plan provides a Memorial Day quiz that could be used to begin a discussion related to the meanings of a memorial.
If you use the quiz, consider asking the following questions regarding Memorial Day to bridge the ducussion to the possible abuses and misuses of Memorial Day, transitioning to how the Corinthian church has begun to abuse the “memorial” of the Lord’s Supper.
Facts about Memorial Day: The following are facts about consumer habits during the Memorial Day weekend as published by Wallet Hub in 2017.
- 75% of Americans plan to barbecue.
- 818 hot dogs are consumed every second from Memorial Day to Labor day (7 billion total).
- 207+ running races are held each Memorial Day.
- 39.3 million U.S. travelers expected to take to the road, skies, rails and water, according to a forecast released Wednesday from auto club AAA.
- Number 1 travel destination is Orlando, FL.
- 41.4% of Americans are “likely” to take advantage of Memorial Day deals.
- 25% more home-cooking fires happen on Memorial Day than average.
- $139+ million estimated value of items that will be lost this Memoiral Day weekend.
- 44% of all traffic fatalities that occur over Memiorial Day weekend are alcohol-related.
- The most popular Memorial Day food – Hamburger.
Paul needed the believers in Corinth and us to understand that whenever we eat the bread and drink the cup, the death of Jesus is declared. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, it is an act of worship and should be approached with a clean heart because we are presenting the gospel to the lost who might be observing. They need to know that Christ’s death does make a difference in the lives of those who profess Him as Savior. Not only do we look back to Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper; we also look forward to His return (until he comes) which reminds us of the hope we have in Christ!
Paul viewed any behavior that dishonored Christ’s sacrificial death as a very serious matter especially as it related to the observance of the Lord’s Supper. When rich Christians discriminated against poor Christians at the Lord’s Supper, they were sinning against those for whom Jesus died. They were sinning against Christ Himself. When anyone come’s to the Lord’s Supper table with known sin in their heart, they are treating Christ’s death with contempt. The Lord’s Supper is not to be entered into flippantly.
LOOK OUT - CLOSING VIDEO
Consider using the following video as a part of your closing or just enjoy listening to it as you prepare to lead the group!
