John K. Jenkins Sr - Nine Concerns at the Communion Table

I want to take a few moments because I have nine points, so I better hop right into this message. Let me invite you to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and I’ve titled this message «Nine Concerns at the Communion Table.» If I give two minutes to each point, I’m already at 18 minutes. Don 't tell me that, because you all would be getting up and leaving if I go too much longer. By the way, we have 126 new members joining our church tonight, and I’m so glad to see Pastor Deborah Chambers here. Please stand up, Pastor Chambers! She is with us tonight from the Calvert County Baptist Church and is doing a great job. I’m so proud of her and very grateful for her.

I want to discuss this passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. The Apostle Paul sends this letter to the church in Corinth, a church with many issues. As I mentioned at the morning services, there’s a lot of carnality in this church. They have cliques, immorality, doctrinal error, and issues concerning communion. The Apostle Paul heard so much about their problems from various sources that he sends this letter to try to straighten out some of the church’s issues. The church has contention, so Paul writes this letter to address the drama. I have these nine points, and they all start with «S.»

It begins in verses 17 and 18. Here 's my first point: it’s a separated church. The worst thing you can have is a divided church. One of the blessings of the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, and why God grants us so much favor, is that we are unified. I’m proud and happy that we have a number of leaders in this church who understand unity. Let’s take a moment to salute our elders for their commitment.

The first point Paul makes in verses 17 and 18 is about the issue of lacking unity. He says in verse 17 of chapter 11, «Now in giving these instructions, I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part, I believe it.» He begins by stating that he is unhappy about the division in the church.

Some may ask, «Well, Pastor Jaob, how did you get so much unity?» There are several reasons I believe we have unity. First, our church leaders recognize that God operates in a specific way and that it is not all about you. Look at your neighbor and say, «It ain’t about you.» Tell the person on the other side it isn 't about what you want or what your ideas are. I’m a firm believer that if your idea were better than mine, God would have made you the pastor!

I feel some tension in the room. Why do we have this tension? Because we suggest to those who cannot get along with our program that there are several churches down the street. By the way, we are not going to let anyone come up here and disrupt our unity. We have something good going on here! If you talk about John Jenkins at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, the mothers of the church will take you out back and beat you with their canes- in Jesus' name, and I love them for that!

So, Paul is writing to them because this Corinthian Church was a separated church. We must avoid getting into a place of separation. Verse 19 tells us about the signs of the saved. Here 's my second point: the signs of the saved. In verse 19, he says, «For there must also be factions among you that those who are approved may be recognized among you .»

Let me explain what that means. Paul is saying that although factions exist, the truly saved individuals need to be recognized. In other words, he is saying that if you are saved, make sure to show some evidence that you are genuinely born again. Those who are approved may be recognized among you. We want to ensure that new visitors know who the real saved people are because you do know that not everyone in the church is saved.

I wish it were the case, and I would like to believe that everyone is saved, but I have been in church long enough to know that not everyone in the church has it all together. Look around your row and see if you can figure out who that might be. Now, how do you know when a person genuinely has a relationship with God? It’s not based on how they dress. It 's not about whether they spoke in tongues. Jesus said, «By this shall all men know that you are my disciples: if you have love one for another.» That is the sign that a person has a genuine walk with God — they know how to love other people, even those who don’t always treat them well.