There is a danger in becoming so familiar with the things of God that we begin to treat them lightly. In 1 Corinthians 11:27–34, Paul brings the Corinthian church back to the seriousness of the Lord’s Table. Communion was given to the church as a time to remember Christ and proclaim His death, but their carnality had distorted even this sacred memorial. Instead of reflecting the grace of the gospel, their divisions, selfishness, and treatment of one another were contradicting the very message they claimed to proclaim.
Paul’s call to “examine” ourselves is not an invitation to become consumed with trying to uncover every hidden failure before we can come to the Table. It is a call to consider whether we are coming in a manner that honors Christ—remembering who He is, what He has done, and allowing the gospel to shape the way we treat one another. The Corinthians had forgotten that the broken body and shed blood of Christ declare that sinners are welcomed through His sacrifice. To come together while harboring bitterness, division, pride, or a willingness to shame another believer was completely contrary to the Savior they were remembering.
The Lord’s Table should therefore be approached with both reverence and rejoicing—not fear, routine, or flippancy. We remember the One who bore our sin, took our judgment, and gave Himself so that we could be forgiven and brought into the family of God. And as we remember Him, His love should change the way we love one another. The gospel is what brings the church together, and when we gather around the Table, our lives should proclaim the same grace that the bread and the cup represent: Christ has given Himself for sinners, and because of Him, we belong to one another.