The Table of the Lord

The Table of the Lord

Holy (Maundy) Thursday, 4/17/2025

1 Corinthians 11:23–32

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer – St. John’s Lutheran Church of Oakes, ND

                That portion from God’s holy Word for consideration this evening is our Epistle lesson from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians in the eleventh chapter with special emphasis on verses twenty-seven through twenty-nine which read as follows:

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are some things in life that are so sacred, so weighty, so important that they demand reverence and careful attention. Standing at the bedside of a dying loved one, holding a newborn child, witnessing the vows of marriage; these are things that we instinctively know should not be treated casually. They are important. So important, in fact, that someone who is glib, irreverent, or careless in these things would be quickly and rightly condemned.

This evening, St. Paul teaches us in First Corinthians chapter eleven to consider one of the most sacred things in the life of the church: the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Here, at our altar, in this blessed Sacrament, heaven meets earth. Christ Himself comes to serve His people His true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. And because this is a holy thing, a literal giving of God Jesus Christ to us, we must approach it in a way that honors Him, benefits our neighbor, and preserves the unity of His body. That is why we practice what is often called “closed Communion.” This is not a way of excluding people out of arrogance, but as a way of loving them deeply, by treating Christ’s gift with the reverence it deserves. Let me explain.

Christ’s Gift: "This is My Body … This is My Blood"

St. Paul begins by taking us back to the night when Jesus was betrayed. He reminds us of the institution of the Supper. This is no mere human invention, rather it is the Lord’s command and promise. As Paul says, " I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you…"[2] This is the Lord’s Supper, not ours. And at this altar, He gives us His true body and blood, not symbols or representations. By giving us His own body and blood, He serves a  Sacrament of astonishing grace. Here, Christ places into your hands the very price of your redemption.

Because this is His Supper and His gift, we don’t get to treat it lightly. We don’t get to rewrite the invitation list or change the menu. Everything is set by Christ Himself. For this reason we cannot change out the bread and wine for other things. We cannot add or subtract from the invitation list. Everything is under the Lord’s instruction and design.

The Danger: "Whoever Eats and Drinks Without Discerning…"

But Paul does not stop at the words of institution. He adds a sober warning, one that is part of the instruction that he received from the Lord: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord."[3] In other words, we cannot, as a congregation, allow people to come to the Supper who have not been instructed with the instruction given by the Lord. More still, those who deny Christ by denying His bodily presence in the Supper are to be prevented from communing. More still, this is connected with what Paul says a few verses earlier. Namely, that when potential communicants come divided in their understanding of the Supper, there is a threat against the very integrity of the Supper. Some of the Corinthians were coming to the table in selfishness, division, and without understanding what was really happening in the meal.  And as a result, Paul says, some have fallen ill, and some have even died.[4] 

Division is a significant reason to not partake in the Lord’s Supper and a biblically mandated reason to prevent those who bring division from partaking of the Supper. Shortly before this passage, Paul condemns the Corinthians for communing while divided.[5] Division is always related to doctrine, to what a person confesses.[6] Each congregation has a confession of faith and by communing there, each person publicly joins with that confession. Communing where you do not share a confession is an Eighth Commandment violating dishonesty.

This warning is not to scare us away from the Supper. No, this is to call us to receive it properly  in  faith in Christ and His promises.

The Call: "Examine Yourselves"

So how do we prepare? Paul gives us the answer: "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup."[7] Self-examination includes a few things: an examination for one’s sins and to acknowledge the need for forgiveness for them; that one not only believes that Jesus came in the flesh, that He gives His body and blood here in the Sacrament in the bread and wine; that I am not divided from my fellow Christians, particularly those of our own congregations; and that we desire and profess unity in a common understanding of Christ and His work for us. All of these things are to be taught and overseen by our congregation and pastor. In fact, the pastor is tasked to administer and oversee the Lord’s Supper, as St. Paul notes earlier in 1 Corinthians.[8]

This is why we practice closed Communion. It is an act of love: love for Christ, love for His gifts, and love for our neighbor. We want to make sure that all who commune do so with understanding and faith. This is not about judging hearts, but about caring for souls and seeking to ensure that no one is brought to condemnation by receiving the body and blood of Jesus at this altar. When family members or visitors come to our church, and we ask them to wait before partaking, we are not turning them away from Christ. Rather, we are inviting them into a more complete understanding of His gifts. We long for the day when we can say to them, in true unity of faith, “Come, the table is ready for you.”

The Purpose: "Until He Comes"

Finally, Paul reminds us that every time we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.[9] This Supper is a foretaste of the feast to come, the heavenly banquet of the Lamb in His kingdom. What we do here is not routine or trivial, it is eternal because it is Christ. The practice of closed Communion is not about building walls; it is about building bridges, bridges of faithful teaching, honest confession, and responsible pastoral care. It expresses our deep yearning for unity in the truth of God’s Word.

Conclusion

Dear friends, as we come to the Lord’s table today, let us come with joy, with reverence, and with love for one another. Receive Christ’s gift with grateful hearts, discerning His body and trusting in His promises. Closed Communion is not about exclusion. It is about treasuring the gifts of God so deeply that we want all to receive them rightly, to their great blessing and not to their harm.

So come, examine yourselves, believe His Word, and receive the blessings of salvation given in this blessed Sacrament.

In the Holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

 The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 English Standard Version. All subsequent Bible citations are from the ESV.

[2] 1 Corinthians 11:23

[3] 1 Corinthians 11:27

[4] 1 Corinthians 11:30

[5] 1 Corinthians 11:18

[6] 1 Corinthians 11:10

[7] 1 Corinthians 11:28

[8] 1 Corinthians 4:1

[9] 1 Corinthians 11:26