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1 Corinthians 11:1-34 MSG
[1-2] It pleases me that you continue to remember and honor me by keeping up the traditions of the faith I taught you. All actual authority stems from Christ. [3-9] In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herselfâan ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their âheadsâ to the Head: God. [10-12] Donât, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women. Neither man nor woman can go it alone or claim priority. Man was created first, as a beautiful shining reflection of Godâthat is true. But the head on a womanâs body clearly outshines in beauty the head of her âhead,â her husband. The first woman came from man, trueâbut ever since then, every man comes from a woman! And since virtually everything comes from God anyway, letâs quit going through these âwhoâs firstâ routines. [13-16] Donât you agree there is something naturally powerful in the symbolismâa woman, her beautiful hair reminiscent of angels, praying in adoration; a man, his head bared in reverence, praying in submission? I hope youâre not going to be argumentative about this. All Godâs churches see it this way; I donât want you standing out as an exception. [17-19] Regarding this next item, Iâm not at all pleased. I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best! First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. Iâm reluctant to believe it, but there it is. The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it. [20-22] And then I find that you bring your divisions to worshipâyou come together, and instead of eating the Lordâs Supper, you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I canât believe it! Donât you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating Godâs church? Why would you actually shame Godâs poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And Iâm not going to stand by and say nothing. [23-26] Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lordâs Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me. What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt. [27-28] Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of âremembranceâ you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe. [29-32] If you give no thought (or worse, donât care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, youâre running the risk of serious consequences. Thatâs why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we wonât have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later. [33-34] So, my friends, when you come together to the Lordâs Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. If youâre so hungry that you canât wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual mealâa love feast. The other things you asked about, Iâll respond to in person when I make my next visit.

