1ST CORINTHIANS 11
Notes
Transcript
LAST WEEK
LAST WEEK
We finished Chapter 10.
We took a look at our liberties, our freedoms, and how they affect others.
We also saw how we are to approach other’s lack of maturity.
THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK
We are going to look at a tough text.
A text that needs a lot of context.
A text that can help us be better men and women in Christ
TURN TO
TURN TO
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
1 cor 11
PRAY
PRAY
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
AS A LEADER
AS AN APOSTLE
AS THE FOUNDER OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
Paul asks the Corinthians to do something that may seem a little prideful
But may actually help them mature
He says
Imitate me as I also imitate Christ
You might see this and be like “Dang Paul, like that?”
Yup, just like that!
Why would Paul say this?
Well the beginning of the verse is separated by what makes this verse doable.
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Friends, if we were one of Paul’s contemporaries
We would have been overwhelmed by stories of Faith in Paul’s life
So many live examples of him following Christ
In Verse 1, Paul isn’t being prideful, but encouraging the believers of Corinth.
He says:
As long as I am following Christ
I
As I follow the example of Christ
As I imitate Christ
Follow my lead
For in doing so, you are indirectly imitating Christ.
Church, the one thing that makes this hard
Is when we imitate people for the wrong reasons
Is when we imitate people in the wrong areas
Where we idolize lifestyles and behaviors that are not centered on Jesus
The best rule to follow is this:
You may not agree with some of the music im listening to
As I follow Jesus
As I take steps of Faith
You may not agree with some of the podcasts I subscribe to
As I grow in my walk with Jesus
So imitate me, as I imitate Christ.
But in the things
One question we must ask ourselves is this:
IS THERE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE IN OUR LIVES THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER IN THIS?
CAN YOU SAY, “IMITATE ME AS I IMITATE CHRIST?”
IN VERSE 2-14 PAUL TRANSITIONS TO A PRACTICAL ISSUE
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.
13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
1 COR 11:2
AS WE READ THIS, SOME OF US MAY HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED
SOME OF US MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THIS TEXT
SOME OF US HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AS DO I.
BUT WE MUST REMEMBER TO KEEP IT IN CONTEXT
THE CORINTHIAN CULTURE WAS AT ODDS WITH SOME OF THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRACTICES
SPECIFICALLY: HEAD COVERINGS DURING WORSHIP/PRAYER
Paul begins by setting precedence for the subject
He says
The head of every man is Christ
The word Head in the greek is Kephale
Which means source or authority
So, the source/authority of every man is Christ
The source/authority of every woman is man.
The source/authority of Christ is God.
Now you may be thinking
That’s a big difference
Source would merely speak to order in creation
But Authority speaks to hierarchy
What does this have to do with prayer and prophesying?
Well, because of their lack of maturity
Because of their poor understanding
There was an imbalance in the culture
The Corinthian women wanted to pray without their heads covered
The Jewish men saw it as provacative
Paul had to set some ground rules for the issue.
Now, you may think,
In verse 2 Paul said that they were keeping the traditions
What you may not know, was that Paul was saying this sarcastically
Paul was hitting on many subjects in this text
But at its core, it was the misunderstanding of authority
Normally, we see authority in a hierarchical sense
We say, “Because I’m in authority, I am better or more valuable”
However that is not the Biblical precept
Authority speaks to order and process
Not Value
For Example
Jesus was under the authority of God the Father right?
He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me” :34
However, Jesus also said, “I and My Father are one” John 10:30
Jesus’ submission to the Father didn’t make him less than the Father
Jesus’ submission to the Father declared His devotion, love, and respect of His Father’s authority.
They were in full communion with one another
Communication between the two was clear
They had a common goal, and they executed the plan to save humanity.
For a Husband and a Wife
The only way a Wife will submit to her husband
The only way a Wife will place her trust in the husbands leadership
The only way a Wife will willingly place herself under her husbands authority
Is when the Husband is actively following Christ
It is when the Husband is sacrificially serving his family
It is when the Husband is leading and serving
Why?
Why?
Because she will understand her value through the servanthood of the husband
She will have a clearer view of her value, when her husband serves her.
But when the husband is not imitating Christ
When he is not serving his family
When he is not willing to lay down his life
The wife will have trouble submitting to his authority.
Yes, God created Adam first
Yes, through Adam, Eve was brought forth
Yes, she was created as man’s helpmate
But ultimately, she is a gift from God, and man is to steward his gift in the same manner through which Christ stewards his church
Think about it
The Church was bought at a price
What price?
The Blood of Jesus.
MEN, WE HAVE THE HONOR OF IMITATING CHRIST IN OUR MARRIAGES
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING OUR WIVES LIKE CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER.
So should a woman uncover her head during worship, prayer, or prophesying?
Should she shave her head?
Should she be unveiled?
Culturally, I don’t think it was a good idea
For Prostitutes, adulteress women, and lesbians were the ones that did so.
Paul, goes on to say,
If there are some of you who want to contend with me
We have no such custom and neither does the church.
:17-
17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.
PAUL WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
IT WAS A MESS, AND HE WAS NOT STOKED
IN VERSE 18 WE ARE CLUED INTO SOME VERY GRIEVING NEWS
THE CHURCH WAS DIVIDED
Not only was the church divided
It was divided by social class
The rich gathered with the rich, and the poor with the poor.
This revealed a lot about the church
But it also revealed a lot about who in leadership was faithful
NOT ONLY WAS THE CHURCH DIVIDED
SLOWLY BUT SURELY, COMMUNION WAS BEING PHASED OUT BY DISORDER
In the early church, there was an order of service
For instance, here
We gather at 9:30 for setup
At 10:30 we begin the service
There are 3 songs, one in which we take the offering
Then we pray for the offering, give announcements, and go into the teaching
Then their is an introduction of Communion, and we all have the opportunity to partake.
We close with 3 songs and in prayer.
In early church history
There was a love feast weekly
Where the people would gather, eat, and partake of the communion elements before prayer
From what it sounds like
Some were gathering beforehand
Pregaming church according to social status
By the time they got to the house church
No one was hungry
Some were drunk
Others went without food because no one brought any
Paul was not having it
So he reintroduces them to the Lord’s Supper
The right way to do it
Having the right motives
Bringing them back to what mattered most.
Remembering what Jesus had done for us on the cross.