“And they...did eat their meat
together with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God...” (Acts 2:46,47,
Geneva
When the Church shares a meal, it’s
a picture of living faith (James 2:15-17), and faith is the reason for
gladness, unity, and praise to God. In this case their truth faith is
manifested in the fact that they actually love each other enough to eat
together (1 John 4:7-12,20,21).
When the Church shares a meal, it’s
a picture of their true food, the doctrine of the Word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3;
1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2). Paul himself clearly connects
the sanctification of normal food with “the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy
4:1-5) to the true faith and right doctrine. His truth is the reason for gladness,
unity, and praise to God.
“And the king appointed them
provision every day of a portion of the king’s meat, and of the wine, which he
drank, so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof, they might
stand before the king...but Daniel had determined in his heart, that he would
not defile himself with the portion of the King’s meat, nor with the wine which
he drank” (Daniel 1:8). Eating the king’s choice food means relying on him and
being in alliance with him (11:26). Daniel and his three friends, by their
decision to eat uniquely together, reveal their true allegiance. When the
Church eats together, recognizing God alone as the Giver of the meal, it
preaches a complete reliance and submission to Him.
Gladness, unity, and praise to God
in the meal (made holy by gratefulness, the Word, and prayer): a fundamental of
what it means to be the Church.
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