Monday, 07 January 2013
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1 Corinthians 11: Lessons on Spiritual Hunger
...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. 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!
So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.And when I come I will give further directions.
- 1 Corinthians 11: 21-22, 33-341. Make sure everyone is being responsible with their path with God. Some are actually going home and actually seeking God, while others are going home and doing nothing. They spiritually get drunk, seeking enjoyment and pleasurable feelings, but silently poisoning them. Closing yourself off to everyone when it comes down to seeking the word of God is not always a good thing. Yes, we need alone time with Christ, but spreading the word is much more rewarding to the kingdom of God. Spread it and make sure that people stay sober by helping them search for the word of God.
2. Those who do not seek God, but attend the church should not be humiliated. We are not all perfect, we to once attended the church before seeking God. Just because someone is starving, does not mean that we have the right to laugh at their lack of spiritual food. Instead of acting superior, you should give them a meal, and give them the means to feed themselves. If you don’t help them learn how to feed themselves, they will be back in the same place starving the next day. Help those who are not seeking God, do not boast that you are full while they are empty, for we too were once empty.
3. When you are finding the word of God, it is always good to find him in a group. In a group setting, we are able to share. We are able to give encouragement. We are able to teach. And we are also able to learn. In a group setting, we are able to do much more than if we are alone. There truly is power in numbers.
4. Eat at home. Coming to church is nothing but a snack of the word of God. the true meals come from finding his truth by yourself. The portions that a pastor may give you could either fill you up to no end, or they could barely give you any sustenance. Pastors only give you what they have learned from God, and sometimes what they have learned is not what you need. Do your own seeking. Eat you meals at home and expect to only be fed a snack at service. If they give you more, cool. Take it. But God will surly reward you more by seeking him out yourself.
5. If you don’t eat meals regularly, you will perish. The same goes for your spiritual life. if you do not feed on the word of God, you will die spiritually. It’s also easy just to take snacks from your pastors and feel that you are sufficient enough to last spiritually for all of your life, but really you are only starving yourself. Eat spiritually regularly, or be hungry.
When have you faced spiritual hunger? How do you satisfy your spiritual hunger? How can you apply the above lessons to your life today?
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About the Author
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- From: jordon
- Name: Jordon
- Location: Redmond, Oregon, United States
- About Me: I am a full time christian seeking to help others know more about god and to even get to know god. I am only 17 but wisdom comes through experience, and experience can come from age. But god calls us all no matter our age. If he is using us for his glory then age means nothing. I currently am apart of my youth groups worship team playing the drums. And as a future career i want to become a youth pastor just like the ones i look up to.
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Comments (3)
i like number 2
Insightful =)
Jordon, you have a strong desire at the age of 17 to want to lead others in the wisdom of the Truth, and I commend you for it. But there are some contextual issues here to be wary of. I'll start with the main passage and then go down number by number.
First of all, this passage in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is specifically concerning communion or the Lord's Supper. On days that the church in Corinth would recognize the Lord's table, they also had something called the agape feast which we might think of as kind of like a potluck. What was happening was that the rich were bringing the most food to the table and the poor the least. So the rich would eat first and eat the most, but the poor ate less since they didn't contribute as much.When Paul is writing to them and reprimanding them for this behavior, he is literally talking about eating and drinking. There is no word-play here. He then goes on to give instructions about how the Lord's supper is to be considered and conducted, and that's all this is about. A proper, exegetical teaching of scripture is important to conveying the meaning of any passage in context. We must be careful how this Word is handled, and that it is done so correctly, not by our own devices. I leave this to you as instruction. Consider a breakdown of the following points you make, in order...
1) It's an interesting correlation that you make, but it's out of context with what Paul is saying. That someone can get "spiritually" drunk is kind of a stretch. What does that mean? In your second-to-last sentence, you suggest that "alone time with Christ" is not as rewarding as spreading the Word. On the contrary, they are both necessary, and one takes no precedence over the other. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6 that godliness is great gain, and this right after he told Timothy to teach. They're both important.
2) You make a great point here. Just be careful with contextual usage.
3) We were meant to worship together as a group, but not just because there is strength in number. Ephesians 4:11-13 reads, "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." However, not anyone can teach, and scripture is very clear on that point. James 3:1 says that not just anyone should aspire to be a teacher, because teachers will be judged more strictly. Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus give clear instructions on the qualifications of a teacher.
4) No, Jordon. Church is not a "snack." Consider again the reference to Ephesians 4, that we are expected to "become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." This is Paul's instruction to a church. Would you call the fullness of Christ a snack? To the church in Philippians, Paul writes, "It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment." Consider these stern words in Hebrews 5, written to an entire body of people: "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." In fact, Paul said something similar in 1 Corinthians 3. Personal growth is important. Growth as a body just as much. This helps us attain unity which we cannot do alone.
5) Very true. But again, be contextual.