What other scriptures emphasize the importance of unity and consideration in worship? The Disruption Identified in 1 Corinthians 11:22 “Do you not have your own homes in which to eat and drink? 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? In this matter I do not commend you.” Paul confronts a divided table: the wealthy hurry ahead, the poor go hungry, and the Lord’s Supper—meant to proclaim Christ’s self-giving—devolves into selfish parties. Scripture consistently rejects that kind of worship. Unity Repeated in Paul’s Letters • 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 — “Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.” • 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 — “So that there should be no division in the body… If one member suffers, every part suffers with it.” • Romans 12:3-5 — “We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” • Ephesians 4:1-6 — “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit…” • Philippians 2:1-4 — “Do nothing out of selfish ambition… consider others more important than yourselves.” Proper Worship in the Early Church • Acts 2:42-47 — Breaking bread “from house to house,” believers shared “all things in common,” so “there was not a needy person among them” (cf. Acts 4:32-35). • Hebrews 10:24-25 — “Let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together…” • James 2:1-4 — Partiality at the assembly violates faith in Christ. Old Testament Roots of Corporate Harmony • Psalm 133:1 — “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!” • Deuteronomy 16:11-12 — The feast of Weeks required rejoicing “you, your sons and daughters, your servants, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.” • Isaiah 56:6-7 — Gentiles who join themselves to the LORD will find joy in His “house of prayer for all nations.” Christ’s Example Sets the Tone • John 13:14-15 — The Master washes feet; the pattern for gathered life is servant love. • John 17:20-23 — Jesus prays that believers “may be one… so that the world may believe.” The witness of worship hinges on unity. Practical Postures for Today’s Gathering • Share the Table: Communion is a common meal; guard it from exclusivity. • Listen for Needs: Hospitality teams, benevolence funds, small-group care—structures that echo Acts 2. • Celebrate Diversity: Different gifts (1 Corinthians 12), ethnicities (Ephesians 2:13-22), and economic levels find equal welcome. • Pursue Peace Quickly: Reconcile before offering gifts (Matthew 5:23-24). • Stir One Another to Service: Corporate worship should send us out to love neighbors in tangible ways (Hebrews 10:24). Scripture’s chorus is clear: worship that ignores unity misrepresents the Savior who made us one body by His broken body. |
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