Now look at the specific instruction here that Paul provides regarding the observance of this: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 11:27]. We may get a little twisted up here with this word “worthy,” or “worthy manner.” We will never be “worthy” of the Body and Blood of the Lord, in the sense that we “merit” that. What Paul is referring to here is doing it without the proper understanding or without the proper application of what is going on here. Verse 28, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” So we are to discern, we are to recognize, we are to understand that what we are doing in eating the unleavened bread and drinking the cup—the fruit of the vine is a representation of the Body and Blood of Jesus. We are to be reminded of that Body and Blood, of the terrible suffering that He took on for us. Verse 30, “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” What’s the result of a lack of understanding or doing so without the proper understanding of the Lord’s Supper? “Weak and sick.” So we must understand, we must appreciate, we must have an awareness of what it is that we are doing! The night He instituted the Lord’s Supper, Jesus told His apostles that He would not eat of this until He ate it anew in the Kingdom, and that is, of course, a reference to the church. Is Jesus with us on the Lord’s Day? Is He in our midst as we worship and partake of His Body and His Blood? Oh yes, He is!

Second, prayer is a part of God’s pattern of worship. Prayer has been practiced throughout man’s entire relationship with God. We often characterize prayer as us talking to God and, of course, in the Christian Age, we do this through our Intercessor, Jesus Christ.

Jesus prayed often and He taught us about prayer and how to pray. For example, we see that “model prayer” there in Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 through 15 [verses 9-13—“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”]. Then that great prayer of passion that He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane recorded in Matthew 26 [verse 39—“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I Will, but as You Will.’”], and John 17 [verses 1-5— “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.’”].

The early church often prayed, Acts 2:42 [“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”]; Acts 4:24 through 31 [“So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: ‘Lord, You are God, Who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’ For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, Whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the Name of Your holy Servant Jesus.’ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness.”]; and Acts 12:12 [“So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.”].

Several characteristics of prayer should be noted:

First, prayers must be offered in faith, James 2:5-8 [“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe (have faith) and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”].

Prayers must be offered in sincerity, in humility and in fervency, 1 Corinthians 14:15 [“What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.”], and James 4:6 [“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’”].