Psalm 116 (ESV)

I Love the Lord

116 I love the Lord, because he has heard
    my voice and my pleas for mercy.
² Because he inclined his ear to me,
    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

Acts 2:42 (NIV)

The Fellowship of the Believers

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

1 Corinthians 11:17-22 (NIV)

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. ¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. ²⁰ So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, ²¹ for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. ²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

Warning One:

Don't let your differences destroy your worship.

Unite in Christ!

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NIV)

Warning 2: Don't forget the meaning of the Lord's Supper.

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (NIV)

Warning Three: Don't participate unworthily.

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

Prayer of Confession:

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep.

We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.

We have offended against Your holy laws.

We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;

and we have done those things which we ought not to have done;

and there is nothing good in us.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.

Spare those, O God, who confess their faults.

Restore those who are penitent;

according to Your promises declared unto us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Grant that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life;

to the glory of His name.