Bible Study — 1 Corinthians | Waking Up With Jesus

📖Chapter Overview

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul addresses two significant concerns about corporate worship in the Corinthian church: the question of head coverings (verses 2-16) and the proper observance of the Lord's Supper (verses 17-34). Beginning in verse 3, Paul lays out a theology of ordered relationships — between God, Christ, man, and woman — rooted not in hierarchy of worth but in God's design for honor and glory. By verse 17, Paul shifts to a more urgent tone, confronting the Corinthians for turning the Lord's Supper into an occasion for division and self-indulgence rather than remembrance and unity. The heart of this section is found in verses 23-26, where Paul recounts the words of institution Jesus gave on the night of His betrayal, reminding the reader that every time communion is taken, Christ's death is proclaimed until He comes again. Paul's warning in verses 27-29 — that eating and drinking 'in an unworthy manner' brings judgment — is a sobering call to examine one's own heart before approaching the table. For the believer today, this chapter is a deeply personal invitation to approach God with reverence, to honor the relationships He has designed, and to never let the sacred become routine.

✦Key Verses

1 Corinthians 11:3 (BSB)

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

Paul anchors human relationships in the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son, showing that order and headship are not about inferiority but about God's design for love and glory. This verse invites you to reflect on whether you are living in willing, trusting alignment with the authorities God has placed over you. Just as Christ submits to the Father without loss of dignity or worth, your submission to God's order is an act of worship.

1 Corinthians 11:23-24 (BSB)

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.””

Paul emphasizes that the Lord's Supper was not his invention but a direct gift passed down from Jesus Himself, giving it profound weight and authority. The detail that Jesus instituted this meal 'on the night He was betrayed' reminds you that He did so in the middle of pain and darkness — a testament to His deliberate, sacrificial love. Every time you take communion, you are responding to a personal invitation from Jesus to remember Him and what He gave for you.

1 Corinthians 11:25 (BSB)

“In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.””

The cup of the Lord's Supper points to the new covenant — God's promise sealed not in animal blood but in the very blood of His Son, making a permanent and unbreakable bond between God and His people. The word 'remembrance' here is active and intentional, calling you to bring your full heart and attention to what Christ has done rather than going through the motions. This verse is a tender reminder that the gospel is not abstract theology — it is the blood of Someone who loved you enough to die.

1 Corinthians 11:26 (BSB)

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

Paul frames the Lord's Supper as an act of proclamation — every time you participate, you are declaring the gospel with your body, not just your words. The phrase 'until he comes' stretches the meaning of communion across time, connecting your present worship to the future return of Christ and giving it eternal significance. This verse reminds you that even in a quiet, private moment of remembrance, you are participating in something far larger than yourself.

1 Corinthians 11:28 (BSB)

“Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”

Paul's call to self-examination before taking communion is not meant to make you feel disqualified but to make you fully present — honest before God about your sin, your need, and your gratitude. This is one of the most intimate invitations in the New Testament: God is asking you to pause, look inward, and come to His table with a sincere heart. The grace available at the Lord's Table is immense, but it honors that grace to approach it with humility and intentionality.

🧵Main Themes

God's design for order and honor in relationships
The sacred significance of the Lord's Supper
Self-examination and approaching God with reverence

❓Discussion Questions

When you take communion, does it feel like a living, personal act of remembrance — or has it become routine for you?
Is there an area of your life where you have been resisting God's design or authority, and what might it look like to trust Him there?

🌱Personal Application

→Before your next time of communion, take five minutes alone to genuinely examine your heart — confess anything that has grown between you and God, and come to the table as an act of deliberate, grateful worship rather than habit.

→Identify one relationship in your life where God's design for love, honor, and order is being tested, and choose one specific way this week to reflect Christ's example of humble, willing submission in that relationship.

🙏Closing Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Son and for the table He set for me in the middle of His own suffering. I want to approach You with a reverent, examined heart — not going through the motions, but truly remembering what it cost You to bring me into covenant with You. Teach me to honor the design You have placed in my relationships, and give me the humility to trust Your order even when it is hard. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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