13 July 2026
“Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.” 1 Corinthians 11:17
Most of us assume that showing up to church is always a good thing. We get dressed, sing the songs, listen to the sermon, greet a few people, and head home believing we have honoured God. Yet Paul delivers a startling rebuke. He tells the Corinthians, “you come together not for the better but for the worse.” Mark Penrith reminded us that, “It is entirely possible to wake up on a Sunday morning, get dressed, come to church, sing songs, say prayers, and leave this building in a worse spiritual state than when you arrived.” That should cause every believer to pause.
Why was God displeased with their worship? It was not because they sang the wrong songs or followed the wrong order of service. Their problem was much deeper. Paul writes, “when you come together as a church there are divisions among you.” Their gatherings exposed fractured relationships instead of displaying the unity Christ purchased through His death. As Mark explained, “They thought worship was only about looking up. They forgot that the table of God forces us to look across.” Genuine worship always has a vertical and a horizontal dimension. We cannot claim to love God while neglecting His people.
That truth still confronts us today. Churches can easily develop comfortable circles. We naturally spend time with people who are like us. Yet the gospel calls us beyond convenience. Mark observed, “The gospel that secures our vertical identity must shatter our horizontal divisions.” Before next Sunday arrives, ask yourself whether you come ready to encourage, welcome, and serve others, or whether you simply come to receive. Worship begins long before the first song. It begins with a heart that loves Christ’s people.
If you have children, use this week to teach them why church matters. Help them see that church is not simply a meeting they attend. It is God’s family gathering around the gospel. Encourage them to greet someone they do not know well, especially someone who may be new or sitting alone. As they watch you love the church, they will learn what it means to belong to the family of God.
Discussion Question: How can you help make your church gatherings spiritually beneficial for someone else this week?
Prayer: Father, thank You for making us one through Jesus Christ. Guard us from selfishness and division. Help us come to church ready to love, encourage, and serve one another so that our gatherings honour You. Amen.