34 What it Means to Take Communion in an Unworthy Manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-34)

Taking communion “in an unworthy manner” is not about achieving sinless perfection; it’s about whether our actions fit the very meaning of the Lord’s Supper. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 11:27–34, Krisan Marotta explains how the Corinthians’ behavior at the Lord’s table flatly contradicted the message of the cross they claimed to celebrate, and why Paul calls them to examine what they truly believe about Christ’s death. In this week’s episode, we explore:What it means to eat and drink “in an unworthy manner”: not proving ourselves morally worthy, but behaving in ways that are unfitting for a meal that remembers Christ’s body and blood given for undeserving sinners How the Lord’s Supper in Corinth had become a class-divided feast where the rich indulged and the poor went hungry, in a ceremony meant to proclaim that the cross levels every distinctionPaul’s warning that those who treat this meal casually are “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord”—showing contempt for the very sacrifice the bread and cup proclaimA fresh look at “examine yourself”: not hunting for every unconfessed sin in terror, but asking whether you truly see yourself as a sinner in need of the cross and trust Christ as your only hope What it means to “judge the body rightly” Paul’s sober words about weakness, sickness, and sleep, including different ways Christians have understood these verses and how God’s discipline can serve as a merciful wake-up call rather than final condemnationThe distinction between worldly values that prize status and comfort and gospel values that see every believer as equally unworthy and equally blessed in ChristPaul’s simple, practical remedy: “wait for one another,” make sure everyone is cared for, and if what you want is just a private feast, eat at home rather than turning the Lord’s Supper into a denial of the gospel After listening, you’ll see this passage less as a threat hanging over every communion service and more as a searching invitation to let the Lord’s Supper say what it is meant to say: that you were lost, and Christ has rescued you; that every good thing you have is mercy; and that you now belong to a people bound together by his blood. You’ll be encouraged to come to the table with humility and gratitude, to let go of worldly ways of measuring yourself and others, and to treat this shared meal as a living reminder of the cross that defines who you are and how you live. Series: 1 Corinthians: Pride & Prejudice in the ChurchMost people fail at Bible study because no one ever taught them how. Bible Study Boot Camp fixes that: one short email a day for a week, plus a worksheet you can use on any passage for the rest of your life.Sign up for Bible Study Boot Camp