“They devoted themselves to…sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper,” – Acts 2:42
3 values:
1. Together
They were eating together. This was noticed as entirely new because they were a diverse group. Eating together showed your value for the other person. They learned this from Jesus. They practiced this and they took this practice to other cities, birthing new churches who did the same.
2. Sharing
They learned this from Jesus. Miracle lunch included. Jesus noticed that people were hungry. Sharing the food. We bring food to each other when there is a new baby or someone is sick or there is a need.
“A shared meal is an activity most closely tied to the reality of God’s kingdom, just as it is the most basic expression of hospitality.” – Christine Pohl Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition
3. Jesus-centered
The Lord’s Supper
19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” – Luke 22:19-20
The Meal Jesus Gave Us – N.T. Wright
“2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” – Ephesians 4:2-6
What obstacles, to this kind of sharing, should we climb over?
1. Together – I don’t want to be with others. Pain. Mistrust. Prejudice.
2. Sharing – freely give to others what you have as your own.
3. Jesus-centered – distracted by myself and the world around me.
Maybe the things that were priorities to Jesus and His followers should be priorities to us.
What should we do?
1. Pray, asking God for wisdom, clarity, and next steps.
2. Budget the time, energy, money, and food to be ready to share.
3. Plan the next step.
4. Get involved with our grocery distribution.
5. Spend time focused on Jesus.