Will You Share My Food With Me?

“Will you share my food with me?”

Today we are celebrating “communion”, a.k.a “The Lord’s Supper”

Covenants:

—Among other symbols, always established with eating a meal together

Examples

Isaac and the Philistine king, Abimelech. They have a squabble but ultimately decide that they will no longer do any harm to each other—eat a meal together to seal the deal

Jacob and Laban: After Jacob is sent away and Laban chases him down, hot as blazes becuase his idols have turned up missing, they smooth things over, make a heap of stones (a memoria) and then eat together on top of that heap. Done deal

In may cultures today eating a meal together remains a symbol at the very least of a deep friendship and bonds that are deep, even a covenant relationship.

The Israelites were groaning in captivity in Egypt. Under the burning sun of the Egyptian desert, they toiled and sweated, feeling the repeated sting of the lash as their Egyptian masters drove them on like cattle. They must have wondered many times if their lives would end, if their race would die out in captivity

Then one day, a strange man appeared wearing the rough cloak of a wilderness shepherd, his skin rough beaten by the harsh Midian wilderness, his name strangely familiar. Moses.

Moses, Moses. Where have we heard that name before? Oh yes! He was that prince who killed a slave master and fled, never to be seen again. Yet, here he is, older, grayer, that swagger gone, that brash look in his eye replaced by....something that we can’t explain. But he’s on a mission.

Then strange and terrible things started to happen. The water became undrinkable because it was bloody. Frogs, gnats, flies, dying cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness! Will it never end?

And then, the most terrifying night. The message came to them from Moses. They were to take a perfect, one year old male lamb…one for each household. And on the 14th day of the month at twilight, they were to take that lamb and slaughter it and smear it on the doorposts of their houses. Because that night, the death angel was coming and every firstborn son in every house without blood on the doorposts would die.

And they were to roast the meat of the lamb over a fire and eat it along with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast, with their cloaks tucked in their belts and their staffs in their hands, and sandals of their feet, ready to flee.

That night was terrible, horrible. The people looked at each other with questioning and fearful eyes as they ate their meal in silence, hearing the sounds of screaming and mourning as house after house was struck by the death angel. What did this all mean? Would they be next?

Suddenly the mourning turned to shouts of anger and desperation. “Get out! Leave us!” The lords were now the defeated. The slaves were the masters and plundered the Egyptians of their gold and silver. And the Israelites streamed out of the land of Goshen into the wilderness and set their sights on the distant country of their ancestors.

And every year, for the next 1600 years, on the first month of the year, the Israelites remembered this event, eating roasted lamb meat, bread without yeast and bitter herbs.

God gave instructions for the the Passover:

A year old lamb or goat without blemish or fault

set aside and cared for until the 14th day of the month

Slaughtered at twilight and the blood smeared on the doorposts

Then the meat roasted over the open fire

If the family was too small to eat the entire lamb, the meat was to be shared with the neighbors. It ALL had to be eaten

Then from that evening (the 14th) to the evening of the 21st, there was to be a feast

During that feast they would not eat any yeast. They would only eat bread made without yeast.

In the Bible, yeast is a type of sin. Because although it is very small, a yeast spore grows and works in bread exactly how sin works in a person.

In , we find that the yearly celebration of the Passover had arrived.

(NIV)

22Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

Bread, called the Passover, was

approaching, 2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

2and the chief priests and the teachers

of the law were looking for some way to

get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of

the people.

3Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

4And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

the officers of the temple guard and

discussed with them how he might

betray Jesus.

5They were delighted and agreed to give

him money.

6He consented, and watched for an

opportunity to hand Jesus over to them

when no crowd was present.

7Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."

Bread on which the Passover lamb had

to be sacrificed.

8Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go

and make preparations for us to eat the

Passover."

9"Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.

it?" they asked.

10He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'

man carrying a jar of water will meet you.

Follow him to the house that he enters,

11and say to the owner of the house,

'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest

room, where I may eat the Passover

with my disciples?'

12He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there." 13They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

all furnished. Make preparations there."

13They left and found things just as

Jesus had told them. So they prepared

the Passover.

14When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

apostles reclined at the table.

15And he said to them, "I have eagerly

desired to eat this Passover with you

before I suffer.

16For I tell you, I will not eat it again until

it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of

God."

17After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

and said, "Take this and divide it among

you.

18For I tell you I will not drink again of

the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of

God comes."

19And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

broke it, and gave it to them, saying,

"This is my body given for you; do this in

remembrance of me."

20In the same way, after the supper he

took the cup, saying, "This cup is the

new covenant in my blood, which is

poured out for you.

21But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

betray me is with mine on the table.

22The Son of Man will go as it has been

decreed, but woe to that man who

betrays him."

23They began to question among

themselves which of them it might be

who would do this.

Jesus was a good Jew

We believe that he was 33 years old at this time so this was his 33rd time celebrating the Passover.

He and his followers knew exactly how the meal was to be done. They knew all the right rituals and decorum. They knew the correct prayers and verbage.

But there was something different in the air this time. Jesus was feeling a sense of urgency that he had not felt in times past.

He knew God’s plan and he knew the mission that he was here to do. And He knew that it was about to end and be completed.

This would be no ordinary Passover meal. And the preparations were not ordinary.

The disciples were about to experience extraordinary things and hear extraordinary words

Jesus tells them exactly how they would prepare for the meal before it even happened. In chapter 23 we see that Jesus and his disciples were staying outside the city on the Mount of Olives during the night and going into the temple during the day.

And when this day arrived, Jesus sent Peter and John into the city and told them what to do and what would happen. And it all took place exactly as he said that it would. We should never doubt that everything which took place in the coming hours was entirely within his control.

When the time came to eat the meal, Jesus and his disciples gathered and entered the room and they all reclined around the low table.

And before they took a bite, Jesus gazed around the table and looked each disciple in the eye and said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”.

Do you think this caught their attention? When would a rabbi say this to his student? When would a master say this to his servant? “I have eagerly desired to eat with you!”

Jesus would say it. Why?

Sign of deep friendship

Certainly Jesus had eaten with other people in other places.

He had also eaten with his disciples before this time

But this time, there was something deeper and more intimate than than before.

At that time and still in many cultures around the world, sharing food together goes far deeper than getting full bellies.

Story of game survey: It was the Fall of 2010. Heidi was pregnant with Kayla and because of complications found herself returning to the States with Alissa and Justin. We were short staffed in Mozambique and so I stayed on for another month to take care of the flying. One of my jobs during that month was to take the plane over to northern Zimbabwe and do an areal game survey in two wildlife refuges by the Zambezi River. It was a wild and remote region. I spent my days flying 300 feet above the wilderness and at night I would eat my dinner and go to bed early because there was no electricity and it was pitch black. I would lay in bed hearing the sound of hippos grunting and splashing in the river nearby.

The camp had a cook who would prepare simple dishes for the rangers who were doing the game count. I had brought my own food and sometimes he would cook it for me. I didn’t talk much to him because I was usually tired from the heat and strenuous flying. But the last day of the survey arrived and I would be flying back to Mozambique the next day. That evening he came to me and in his heavily accented English he said, “In my country, when we want to be friends with someone, we say ‘Will you share my food with me?’ So I say to you, will you share my food with me?”

He cooked a simple dish of sadza and broth and we ate together and talked while we ate.

In his heavily accented English he said, “In my country, when we want to be friends with someone, we say ‘Will you share my food with me?’ So I say to you, will you share my food with me?”

I have had many interactions with people that I have forgotten. That is one I will NEVER forget, because something deep and lasting happened there that day.

Portugal—people would be in the restaurants and cafes until very late at night. Not partying, not carousing. Just being together over food.

Jesus eagerly desired to eat with his disciples to show them his friendship. To show them that a close communion between God and man was being restored.

I have a question for you. How many of you have someone whom you would call a close friend. One who you know is going to be there through thick and thin. One with whom you can be yourself. No matter what is on your heart, you can talk about it because you know that this friend understands you.

I am distressed about how fragmented and lonely we are becoming in our communities. Busyness, social media, a host of things are tearing us farther and farther apart. More and more of us live lives of loneliness and isolation

This is especially true for us guys I think

so maybe it’s hard for us to believe that we can be friends with Jesus.

Most of us would probably say that we can know Jesus.

Are you a friend of Jesus?

And if we can know Jesus, can’t we be friends with Him?

Is there someone with whom you enjoy sitting down to a meal or a good cup of coffee, talking about life, the good’s the bad’s, the up’s the down’s. Your dreams? Your disappointments?

Maybe it’s even harder for us to believe that Jesus would desire our company.

I find that in our communities, we often let on like we are not worthy of any kindness

“Oh you didn’t have to do that”

We don’t believe that someone would buy us something or sacrifice just for the sake of spending time with us

Or we think to ourselves, “I really have not done well enough in my Christian life lately. There is no possible way that Jesus would want to spend time with me.

I gotta ask you. Do you realize the kind of guys that Jesus hung out with, the kind of guys that He called his closest friends?

A tax collector

One who poo-pooed Jesus later resurrection

One who denied 3 times in the strongest of terms that he even was acquainted with Jesus

And one who sold him out completely

Jesus eagerly desired to eat with them!

And Jesus desires your friendship.

Do you find yourself living your Christian life out of duty? Obligation?

Jesus appreciates your obedience. But he would rather have your friendship.

He would rather hear you echo these words back to Him, “Jesus, I am so looking forward to eating with you, too!”

The celebration of a new covenant

As we looked at covenants in the OT, we saw how a covenant was often sealed and celebrated with a meal together.

Jesus eagerly desired to eat this meal with them because His mission was coming to a culmination.

What was his mission? To be the guarantor of a New Covenant—one which would reconcile lost and sinful man with loving, holy, and just God

What was that New Covenant? It was the one spoken of by God in (NIV)

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

“when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

and with the people of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

though I was a husband to them,”

declares the Lord.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

English Standard Version Chapter 31

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

and they will be my people.

34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,”

declares the Lord.

“For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more.”

Jesus willingly left his position with God the Father, did not count his power something to be grasped or hung on to and took on the form of a man.

And not just any man, but a servant. An itinerant preacher with no home and no place to lay his head

Jesus lived among us on this earth and he taught his followers about The Kingdom of Heaven—a realm in which God and man lived in a new relationship

And he showed us that the New Covenant would not be one of ritual and written law, but one of genuine heart transformation that would be expressed in acts that brought freedom

And as

Jesus framed His mission like this:

Proclaim good news to the poor

Bind up the broken hearted

Proclaim freedom for the prisoners

Recovery of sight for the blind

Set the oppressed free

Bind up the brokenhearted (Luke 4)

To seek and save the lost

To be a doctor to the sick

Isn’t this good new? GREAT news? This is all work of the New Covenant

Could this be why Jesus eagerly desired to eat with His disciples?

This HOPE! This is NEW

And so they ate together. And he revealed to them symbols of the New Covenant

He showed them the reality that the Passover feasts of 1600 years pointed to

Instead of unleavened bread, there

He was the Lamb without fault or blemish

The bread without yeast pointed to His body, one without sin.

This is my body given for you

The wine which they drank pointed to the Blood of the New Covenant which, when it was shed, would take away the sin of the whole world.

This cup is the New Covenant in my blood

Not just a cover, not just a band-aid, but a river which ran into eternity and would take ALL the sin of mankind away as far as the east from the west.

Jesus eagerly desired to eat with His disciples to show them the full extent of His love and to complete the reconciliation between them and God

Jesus eagerly desired to eat with His disciples and He eagerly desires to eat with you, His disciple.

He invites you to His supper. It’s a simple supper but it’s a filling one.

What is on your heart today?

Are you looking forward to communion?

Are you looking forward to dining with the Lord and with His Church?

Is your heart overflowing with thankfulness because of this privilege and blessing?

Jesus was eager to eat with his disciples even though one of them was a trator

For you, is it just another service…one with a different order and some differing things going on, but just another service?

You’ve taken communion so many times that it’s just ritual?

Or maybe your heart is heavy and filled with dread because things haven’t been very good between you and Jesus lately and you are scared that he really doesn’t want you at His table. But you are scared to NOT come because of what people might think.

Do you feel like you’ve failed Him?

Wherever you find yourself, Jesus invites you to come and eat with Him. He eagerly desires your presence at his table.