Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:27-32 (CEB)
1 Corinthians 10:14-17 Common English Bible (CEB)
Avoid false gods to glorify God
14 So then, my dear friends, run away from the worship of false gods! 15 I’m talking to you like you are sensible people. Think about what I’m saying. 16 Isn’t the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Isn’t the loaf of bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body, because we all share the one loaf of bread.
1 Corinthians 11:27-32 Common English Bible (CEB)
27 This is why those who eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord inappropriately will be guilty of the Lord’s body and blood. 28 Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way. 29 Those who eat and drink without correctly understanding the body are eating and drinking their own judgment. 30 Because of this, many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few have died. 31 But if we had judged ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. 32 However, we are disciplined by the Lord when we are judged so that we won’t be judged and condemned along with the whole world.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Contributed by Roy Miller
Get Rid of Your Idols-Enjoy the Freedom
Paul writes to the Church at Corinth to help its members manage their lives. He didn’t know about the burdens others carried…or maybe he did. Yes, surely he did. He knew many individuals who were burdened down by struggling with the heavy load they placed on themselves and they did it by choice.
As a teacher-leader he recognized human idolatry in its many forms. It seemed to be a weight to people. He wanted to provide them some practical relief. “Ditch your idols”, Paul ordered. In this passage he entered into a crusade against eating the meat that had been offered in heathen worship. After being an offering and no longer needed, it could be found in the local market for sale. When Christian members bought the meat and served it to fellow Christians, Paul said “ if you eat this meat you are guilty of participation in pagan ritual acts”.
He stated the further opinion that such behavior pressured Christian people into acts at odds with his teaching.. In other words, Paul was saying -make life easier for yourself by refraining any and all acts of reverence for anyone or anything other than God.
In addition to the meat question, Paul was recognizing the various attitudes that leads individuals to elevate themselves, other persons or worthy ideas to heights that are not warranted, thus giving to them worshipful attention. Many persons seem to live in constant strain trying to maintain a loyalty to persons or concepts undeserving of such.
In Paul’s thinking and our following his written argument against any such idolatry, we get our eyes opened. We recognize one of the sources of dissatisfaction we sometimes experience viewing our own or other’s actions.
We find ourselves living unwittingly in an idolatrous situation. Namely, we consider ourselves superior beings and as such we put others down as though we were too good to interact with them on serious level. Further, we align ourselves with a system of thinking that sullies the contribution of others. We become mesmerized by the awareness of wealth and consider ourselves better than others because of the condition of our finances. These factors of idolatry lure us. We are trapped by them. Supposed intelligence, power over others, influence and wealth become like idols to us.
The Lenten season has traditionally been a time of giving up something we crave. I give you a choice to set yourself free of the bonds of idolatry. Recognize the tendency within yourself to harbor idols. Cast them out of your life and be free of them forever. Let love be your guide.
Prayer
“O God, make me an instrument of your presence and your peace. Fill me with a greater understanding for the gifts belonging to others. In Jesus name, Amen.”
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