1 Corinthians 11:23-26 I Received From the Lord

Observation: Paul is frustrated with the practice of the Communion meal in the Corinthian church. Is it because they don't cross themselves at the right time, or have the right theological concept in their head as the bread is raised? Nope. It's because in those days, Communion was a full meal for the whole Church, and the wealthy were gathering earlier than the poor, and eating and drinking everything they had brought, leaving little or nothing to share. It's in this context that Paul shares his understanding of the Lord's Supper: an understanding Paul says he "received from the Lord."

Application: Today is Maundy Thursday, the day when Jesus gathered with his friends in an upper room and shared with them the words: "This is my body, that is for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood." I'm not sure what Paul means when he says he "received from the Lord" these special words. Paul never knew Jesus personally, so was this another revelation, like the blinding light in Damascus? I don't know. But I do know the feeling, standing before God's people, of holding up a gift: bread and wine from God's creation, and words not my own. Words that, even after all these years, I still find mysterious. Words that transport us back to that first night in Jerusalem, the last night of Jesus' earthly life. Words that transport us forward to the final feast he envisioned for all. We can receive these words, but we can't fully explain them. We can pass them on, but we can't transfer ownership. Not even Paul could. We can share only what we received from the Lord.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this meal to unite us with you and each other. Amen.