In the Breaking of Bread

 

“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