Can You Go to Church and Miss Jesus? | 1 Corinthians 11:17-22

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Our shout-out today goes to Aaron Dunn from Millington, NJ. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 11:17-22.

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? 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? No, I will not. — 1 Corinthians 11:17-22

Paul now shifts to corruption in worship.

Up to this point, he has addressed structure, symbols, and design. Now he confronts something more troubling — selfishness.

The Corinthians were gathering—but their gatherings were doing harm, not good. Instead of unity, there was division. Instead of reverence, there was disregard. Instead of waiting for one another, some rushed ahead while others were left humiliated and hungry.

Paul’s words are sharp. Essentially he says: “I do not commend you.”

You see, it is possible to go to church and grieve worship.

The issue was not that the church met or lacked structure. The issue in this text was that they treated the Lord’s Supper as a private party for the elite rather than a shared proclamation for all believers. The meal meant to display unity instead exposed inequality.

This is why Paul says, “It is not the Lord’s Supper that you eat.”

They were eating bread and drinking wine—but they were not honoring the Lord.

Worship had become self-focused rather than God-focused. And when worship turns inward, it stops looking upward.

Paul reminds them that the church does not gather to satisfy appetites, assert status, or showcase freedom. The church gathers to proclaim Christ’s sacrifice and to embody his self-giving love.

Besides, at the cross, no one is elevated. No one is excluded. No one is overlooked. But the Corinthians were establishing social divisions at the very meal meant to erase them.

Paul’s warning still speaks.

When worship centers on preference, presentation, convenience, or entitlement, it ceases to be worship at all.

True worship begins before we ever walk into the room. It is a settled decision to turn our attention away from ourselves and toward Christ—to come ready to listen, ready to repent, ready to remember his sacrifice, and ready to love the people around us.

So the next time you gather with the church, practice this discipline: consciously turn your mind away from what you like or dislike, away from the atmosphere or execution, and fix your attention on Christ alone. Let him be the focus.

Anything less may look religious—but it does not look like Jesus.

DO THIS:

Before you gather for worship, pause and intentionally turn your attention toward Christ. Ask God to help you lay aside preferences, distractions, and expectations so you can come ready to listen, repent, remember Christ’s sacrifice, and love the people around you.

ASK THIS:

1. What typically captures my attention when I enter worship—and why?
2. Where might I be more focused on experience, presentation, or preference than on Christ himself?
3. How does remembering Christ’s sacrifice reshape the way I view the people gathered around me?

PRAY THIS:

Lord Jesus, forgive me when I come to worship focused on myself rather than on you. Train my heart to fix its attention on your sacrifice, your presence, and your people. Help me enter worship with humility, gratitude, and love so that my worship truly honors you. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“Jesus Paid It All (Worthy of The Price)”