Continued From Post #100
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C: 114-115
114) 1Cor 11:33-34 . . My brethren, when you come together to eat, wait
for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when
you meet together it may not result in judgment.
The command doesn't frown upon things like church banquets, men's'
breakfasts, ladies' luncheons, and/or potlucks per se. What it's criticizing is a
lack of congregational unity. Here's comments leading up to that verse.
†. 1Cor 11:17-22 . . Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you,
since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 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. For there must also be factions among you, that
those who are approved may be recognized among you.
. . .Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the
Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others;
and one is hungry and another is drunk. 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.
Their lack of love and unity during church functions was nothing short of
hypocrisy seeing as how the Lord's supper speaks of sacrifice rather than
selfishness, elitism, and hoarding. In other words; seeing as how Christians
all share in Christ's blood equally, then everyone should be given equal
treatment at church regardless of age, gender, skin color, intelligence,
income level, nationality, what side of the tracks they live on, or social
status. None of Christ's body parts are untouchable; nor are any of them
expendable. God forbid that there should be some sort of caste system in a
gathering of people for whom Christ suffered and died equally for each one.
That just| wouldn't right: it would be an insult to the principles underlying
the Lord's supper.
†. Matt 26:27 . . Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them,
saying: Drink from it, all of you.
If Christians are all drinking from the same cup, then they should all be, at
the very least, eating the same food and not be overly concerned about
where they sit and/or who they sit next to and/or who they're seen with.
And they should also make double sure that everyone gets enough to eat
and that no one gets left out and nobody gets more than his fair share. And
they should all sit down together at the same time. I just hate it when
people don't wait for each other. Some get back to the table and start in
gulping, slurping, clattering, and clanking while others from their table are
still in line.
And they should also take into consideration the possibility that a number of
their congregation are in assistance programs like TANF and SNAP. In other
words; don't just bring enough food from home for yourself; but, if you're
able, bring enough for those among you who can't bring anything at all. And
for God's sake, don't bring a side dish of gourmet food along just for
yourself. Leave your special gourmet stuff at home. There's just no excuse
for flaunting your "sophistication" around church thus giving everyone the
impression that everyone else's tastes are below yours.
You know; why am I even saying these things? In point of fact, why even
did Paul? I mean: shouldn't Christians be eo ipso sources of the milk of
human kindness without somebody shaming them and lecturing them into
being humane with their fellow believers and taking thought for their
feelings? Why must so many Christians be practically strong-armed into
being humble and civil with one another?
115) 1Cor 12:24-27 . . God has combined the members of the body and has
given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no
schism in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each
other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored,
every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of
you is a part of it.
It's sad that congregations have been reduced to the level of an invasive
species in some churches by over-achieving, ambitious types passing
themselves off as pastors, deacons, and elders. Churches like that might just
as well start selling tickets to their sermons and Sunday schools; and set up
red carpets outside so the rank and file might crowd up like the Oscars;
where they can ooh and ahh over the Cadillac Escalades and Lexus LX10's
driven by their church's managers; admire their fashions, cheer, kiss
derrieres, lick shoes, pose for selfies, and ask for autographs.
The rank and file are not expendable commodities; nor do they constitute a
fan base. And God forbid that church managers should begin to think of their
congregation as just numbers. I once attended a mega Baptist church in San
Diego that hired a hot shot business man that we all had to address as
"reverend" to help them increase their membership. Why would they do that
when there was already 4,000+ members on the books already? Well; I'll
tell you why. They had an ambitious building program in mind that couldn't
proceed without more money in the church's coffers. Well; Mister HotShot
got the church's numbers up, and the managers got their building program.
My wife and I bailed. We wanted no part of it.
BTW: after the church's managers got the congregation deeply in debt to
finance the building program, they all took new positions elsewhere,
including the pastor, leaving their "flock" holding the bag. That was the most
disappointing church I ever attended. It treated the congregation like so
many head of livestock: just dollars per pound on the hoof.
==============================
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C: 114-115
114) 1Cor 11:33-34 . . My brethren, when you come together to eat, wait
for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when
you meet together it may not result in judgment.
The command doesn't frown upon things like church banquets, men's'
breakfasts, ladies' luncheons, and/or potlucks per se. What it's criticizing is a
lack of congregational unity. Here's comments leading up to that verse.
†. 1Cor 11:17-22 . . Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you,
since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 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. For there must also be factions among you, that
those who are approved may be recognized among you.
. . .Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the
Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others;
and one is hungry and another is drunk. 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.
Their lack of love and unity during church functions was nothing short of
hypocrisy seeing as how the Lord's supper speaks of sacrifice rather than
selfishness, elitism, and hoarding. In other words; seeing as how Christians
all share in Christ's blood equally, then everyone should be given equal
treatment at church regardless of age, gender, skin color, intelligence,
income level, nationality, what side of the tracks they live on, or social
status. None of Christ's body parts are untouchable; nor are any of them
expendable. God forbid that there should be some sort of caste system in a
gathering of people for whom Christ suffered and died equally for each one.
That just| wouldn't right: it would be an insult to the principles underlying
the Lord's supper.
†. Matt 26:27 . . Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them,
saying: Drink from it, all of you.
If Christians are all drinking from the same cup, then they should all be, at
the very least, eating the same food and not be overly concerned about
where they sit and/or who they sit next to and/or who they're seen with.
And they should also make double sure that everyone gets enough to eat
and that no one gets left out and nobody gets more than his fair share. And
they should all sit down together at the same time. I just hate it when
people don't wait for each other. Some get back to the table and start in
gulping, slurping, clattering, and clanking while others from their table are
still in line.
And they should also take into consideration the possibility that a number of
their congregation are in assistance programs like TANF and SNAP. In other
words; don't just bring enough food from home for yourself; but, if you're
able, bring enough for those among you who can't bring anything at all. And
for God's sake, don't bring a side dish of gourmet food along just for
yourself. Leave your special gourmet stuff at home. There's just no excuse
for flaunting your "sophistication" around church thus giving everyone the
impression that everyone else's tastes are below yours.
You know; why am I even saying these things? In point of fact, why even
did Paul? I mean: shouldn't Christians be eo ipso sources of the milk of
human kindness without somebody shaming them and lecturing them into
being humane with their fellow believers and taking thought for their
feelings? Why must so many Christians be practically strong-armed into
being humble and civil with one another?
115) 1Cor 12:24-27 . . God has combined the members of the body and has
given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no
schism in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each
other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored,
every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of
you is a part of it.
It's sad that congregations have been reduced to the level of an invasive
species in some churches by over-achieving, ambitious types passing
themselves off as pastors, deacons, and elders. Churches like that might just
as well start selling tickets to their sermons and Sunday schools; and set up
red carpets outside so the rank and file might crowd up like the Oscars;
where they can ooh and ahh over the Cadillac Escalades and Lexus LX10's
driven by their church's managers; admire their fashions, cheer, kiss
derrieres, lick shoes, pose for selfies, and ask for autographs.
The rank and file are not expendable commodities; nor do they constitute a
fan base. And God forbid that church managers should begin to think of their
congregation as just numbers. I once attended a mega Baptist church in San
Diego that hired a hot shot business man that we all had to address as
"reverend" to help them increase their membership. Why would they do that
when there was already 4,000+ members on the books already? Well; I'll
tell you why. They had an ambitious building program in mind that couldn't
proceed without more money in the church's coffers. Well; Mister HotShot
got the church's numbers up, and the managers got their building program.
My wife and I bailed. We wanted no part of it.
BTW: after the church's managers got the congregation deeply in debt to
finance the building program, they all took new positions elsewhere,
including the pastor, leaving their "flock" holding the bag. That was the most
disappointing church I ever attended. It treated the congregation like so
many head of livestock: just dollars per pound on the hoof.
==============================
