CONTACT US

Feasting with God
by A.J. Wilson

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.“ Rev 3:20

Maybe it’s because I like to eat, but I recently noticed how much the Bible talks about dinners and feasts.  I’ve heard many jokes in churches that fellowship is a code word for a potluck/dinner.  Yet while it is true (most of our fellowships revolve around food,) I believe that it has some biblical backing.  God often has used feasts to bring together his people, so that they could in turn remember what he has done.

In the Old Testament we see most sacred days were often accompanied by a seven-day feast.  Passover was accompanied by the Feast of Unleavened Bread; Pentecost was accompanied by the Festival of Weeks (harvest celebration); and the Day of Atonement preceded the Feast of the Booths/ Tabernacles (Ingathering) by 5 days.  These three feasts were prescribed by God (Exo. 34, Lev. 23, Deut. 16) to be annual reminders to his people of all that He had done for them.  The emphasis was not on partying, or eating; but to communicate with family the great things God has done, and draw closer to him.  Families would enjoy meals together, and then children could then ask their parents what the various elements of the celebration meant.

Then in the New Testament, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, which we sometimes even call “communion.”  I know today we do not usually eat a meal when we observe the Lord’s Supper, but it was an actual meal when they first observed it.  Paul had to remind his readers in Corinth that these meals were not all about eating.  In 1 Corinthians 11:20-22, he admonishes the church by saying, “when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.”  Paul goes on to discuss taking the Lord’s Supper, so he is not saying don’t participate/not eat, but is rebuking them to remember all the Lord has provided for us.

Jesus also tells many parables containing feasts.  The father of the prodigal son throws a huge feast in celebration of his child coming home (symbolic of God’s celebration when we believe.)  He also tells of the master’s supper (Luke 14) and the king’s marriage supper for his son (Math 22) speaking of the table he has prepared for us in heaven.  I pray that as you have feasts and celebrations with your families and friends, that you take a little time and remember all he has done for you!

©Copyright 2008 Rowletts Baptist Church.  All rights reserved.
Hosted and Designed by S & M Computer Services