“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And on the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also, they saw God, and did eat and drink.” Ex: 24:9-11
Eating is and has been a part
of our lives, in fact eating helps in keeps us alive and without it, our lives
would have little duration. It sustains us. Times of Fellowship and eating have
been throughout history as "Breaking Bread", we have Communion.
From the beginning, God has used food and it’s
sharing as a way to bring him and we together. Throughout the Holy Scriptures
we see eating and the sharing of a meal From Genesis to Revelation, eating
occupying a prominent place. It builds and binds relationships with God and one
another.
In Genesis: 3, if
our first parents had eaten from the Tree of Life their relationship with God
would have been taken to a deeper level that would have carried them into
eternity.
In Genesis: 14:18-20-
we can read of Abraham and Melchizedek eating together after the battle of the
five Kings, and after this sharing of a meal Melchizedek the Priest of God
pronounces a blessing upon Abraham.
On The Mountain Top
The Lord God, after leading the Children of Israel
out of captivity and having established the Covenant between Israel and
himself, descends upon the summit of Mount Sinai and invited Moses and the
seventy Elders of Israel to ascend the mountain and dine with the very creator.
Mountains in Scripture are places where humanity meets their God.
This is that there is no higher place than meeting the Lord God. It is the
summit of our lives.
“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of
the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his
feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of
heaven in his clearness. And on the nobles of the children of Israel he laid
not his hand: also, they saw God, and did eat and drink.” Ex: 24:9-11
Here, upon the mountain of the Covenant, Moses and
the Elders of Israel see the Lord God in this gathering and the Lord God himself
fellowships and shares a meal with them. Humanity and Creator have come
together.
Feast Days
Even the Old Covenant Holy Days found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy as part
of Israel’s relationship with God were called Feast Days, times
of God and his people to be together, times of sharing and fellowship bringing
Israel and their God ever closer.
Jesus Breaks Bread
As we read the Gospel accounts, we see that Jesus did
not avoid social gatherings and times to eat and fellowship, of "breaking bread". Jesus did not avoid gathering
with those who need him the most, even Jesus' first record miracle was at a
wedding feast.
“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and
the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to
the marriage. And when they wanted wine”, Jhn: 2:1-3a
We often find our Lord, in the Gospel "breaking bread" with others. Jesus is there with those
who needed him most, building relationships with them. Jesus gathered with them
often enough that the religious leaders tried to use it as fuel for accusations
against Jesus.
“The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and you say,
Behold a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners”! Lk: 7:34
“The Son of Man came eating and
drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax
collectors and sinners”. Matt: 11:19
The Church Breaks Bread
From the inception of the Church, Christians have
continued to “break bread”, that is
fellowship to have “communion” and eat together, we see
early Christians gather not only for worship, but fellowship as well at the
table.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” Acts: 2:42,
Every day they continued to
meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate
together with glad and sincere hearts, (46)
“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul
spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on
talking until midnight.” Acts: 20:7
“Then he went upstairs again and
broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left”. (11)
The Apostolic Christians understood the unique bond
that is found in Jesus and they wanted to be immersed within this fellowship of
common essence. They understood that what was occurring was not just a “social” gathering, but rather, they were a part of what
Jesus, Fathers Son and Holy Spirit, has always done; God brings us together and
we encounter him.
Jesus is every bit in the midst of our fellowship as
he is in our worship, even in the "breaking of bread”, that
is, our gathering together Jesus is there and as we come together as
Christians. We are like the disciples at Emmaus, we recognize Jesus in the “breaking of bread”, he there with us.
The whole message of the Gospel is so any and all who
hear can enter this fellowship with the Lord God.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we
have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have
touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we
have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which
was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have
seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to
make our joy complete.” 1Jhn:1:1-4
The early Christians understood that they were, as
they gathered, were just as the Moses and the elders of Israel were upon the
Mountain, meeting their God.
Jesus is there “breaking bread” with
us, we see him and come to know him to have Communion with him.
The term "breaking bread” became a synonym for the Sacrament
of Communion which reflects this relationship with our God through Jesus
Christ.
Breaking Bread Forever
All this “breaking of bread”
only looks ahead to what will be eternally true as we gather at that great
Wedding Feast with our Lord Jesus and all believers throughout the generations.
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and
be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride
has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited
to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of
God.” Rev: 19:6-9
We will be “breaking bread”
forever with our Lord Jesus. He will be there and we with Jesus in eternal
fellowship and communion that is beyond description, we see will Jesus as he is
and know him. We will see our Lord in “breaking bread”
Forever…
Benediction: May we each and
all encounter of Lord Jesus as we gather together and "break bread", today, tomorrow and forevermore.
Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
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