READ: 1 Corinthians 11.27-28 NLT
'So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.'
If you are employed then you probably have the delight of an annual appraisal. The intention is to stand back from how things are going in order to acknowledge what went badly and what went well, and to reflect on how things could be strengthened for the year ahead. Conducted well, appraisals can be a great blessing and I have always been grateful for the ones that I have had. Here Paul is suggesting that we need to conduct a self-appraisal on a regular basis before we meet together to celebrate Christ’s death for us on the cross.
The Corinthian church had clearly made a huge mess of their services. When they had a meal together to celebrate Jesus’ death some of them ate so much that there was nothing left for others. It makes their services sound like a riot! Paul concluded that their services actually did more harm than good. That’s a very severe conclusion and although I have been to many different Christian services over the years, I have never had to be as harsh as that! For Paul, this special service was so important that everyone needed to prepare carefully for it, and crucial to that preparation was self-examination.
When we examine ourselves we need to be ruthlessly honest. This is a very serious business. No-one would want to be found guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. As we look hard at our lives we are not looking for perfection, because we will all fail that test. What the Lord wants to see in us as our honesty. As we shine the light on our lives we need to acknowledge our failings and seek his forgiveness and renewal as we rededicate our lives to him. We come with empty hands so that he may fill us again with his blessings.




QUESTIONS: When and how do you examine yourself before God?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to be totally honest with you as I look at my life. I seek your forgiveness and ask you to fill me afresh with the gift of your Holy Spirit. Amen

Released on 29 Apr 2021