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When You Come Together 1 Corinthians 11
When You Come Together 1 Corinthians 11
Reading 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 we see a reoccurring phrase:
- when you come together.. 17
- when you come together as a church - 18
- When you come together - 20
- when you come together to eat - 33
- when you come together it will not be for judgment - 34
What is evident in this is that the Lord’s supper is something that was done ‘when they came together’. Such coming together was a repeated activity.
From Acts 20:7 we see that the disciples came together TO break bread and they did so on the first day of the week. "7On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”
Because they came together for the eating of the Lord’s supper, Paul used that gathering as the time for them to collect their offering for the needy saints. "1Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come” 1 Corinthians 16:1–2).
What you can see is that such gathering together was done “On the first day of every week”. They came together to break bread, such being together facilitated a collecting of their funds, and it was done the first day of every week.
The writer of Hebrews adds another observation about such coming together of the disciples. In such a gathering, they had the opportunity to stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). Hence they were instructed to NOT neglect such meeting together. Some HAD made a habit (a BAD one) of neglecting such coming together. In neglecting to meet together they deprived themselves of the opportunity to encourage others and to BE encouraged by others.
This was the Lord’s chosen way of keeping us faithful. We are added together into one body of people that continually meet together to remember the Lord’s death and proclaim His coming. In such a gathering, we instruct and encourage each other creating a positive situation for us to be faithful. You need to develop this habit of coming together, if not for yourself then for your brothers.
Hugh DeLong
