•I Corinthians 11:17-22
•Show No Partiality
•17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
(I Corinthians 11:17-22, ESV)
•Main Point
•These verses establish the first of three points concerning the abuse of congregational worship
•The Corinthians were segregating between those who have and have not
• How can they truly be celebrating the Eucharist when they are acting in a way which in opposition to Christ?
•Application Points
•Show No Partiality
•It has shown us how easy it is for good things to be abused
• It is possible for us to start with a good presupposition and come to the wrong conclusion
• The same can be true of worship services
• We can deviate so greatly from the original intent that we cease to be actually worshipping
• How can this happen?
• They are treating others as having lesser value
• It can be easy for us to show partiality when it comes to our own worship time
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•Application Points
•Show No Partiality (2)
•We are capable of such partiality by gender and by race
•Let’s say Clint Owlett showed up on the same day as some other newcomer, how easy would be for us to focus all of our attention on Mr. Owlett?
•We can also become starstruck with celebrities
•Do we not often fawn over those who have such privilege?
•Many people do not yawn
•It can be easy for us to fall into the same trap
•Perhaps the most focused warning of this is found in James when he says…
“1 My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
(James 2:1-4, ESV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”
(Colossians 1:15-20, ESV)
•Application Points
•Show No Partiality (3)
•This same Jesus who is the Christ tells us to humble ourselves like a child
•The world will tell us the greatest among us, are the ones who show the most partiality
•They tell us that the one with the most power should have the most respect
•There is only one power and that is God
•Any who has any authority, wealth, prestige has been given by God
•Who then should we place above another?
•We are all dependent children in sight of God
•Rich, poor, great, and small
•Application Points
•Show No Partiality (4)
•This salvation comes from Jesus Christ
•He did not come to redeem just the esteemed, nor those with no esteem
•To show partiality in any way is to be antithetical to this Christ who redeems all
•We are not to show any partiality to any person regardless of social status
•The only One we should be partial toward is God and showing His love to all people equally
• Let us be warned against allowing any kind of worship to be turned upside-down or inside-out by how we treat one another
•Let us see each other as we really are, equally in need of redemption, grace, and mercy
• Let us walk along with each other in this endeavor
•Application Points
•The Gospel of Christ
•Origins
•Where it begins
•Fall
•What went wrong
•Redemption
•How it is fixed
•Glorification
•Where it at leads
