Several years ago, my wife pointed out that if there is someone we appreciate, one of the first things we want to do is sit down and eat with them (or at least have coffee and a donut with them).
Back in Genesis 18, three men showed up
at Abraham’s tent door and his big concern was to get a meal for them. Joseph,
in Egypt, brought his unknowing brothers to his house and said, “They are to
eat with me at noon.” Gen. 43:16.
Turning to the New Testament, one of
the nastiest insults is that inflicted by those people who were invited to the
king’s dinner and made excuses or just never showed up. Matt.22:5.
Then Luke tells of a Pharisee who
wanted to honour Jesus. What did he do? He “invited him to eat with him.” Luke
11:37.
Jesus had often eaten with his
followers but what was his heart’s desire in the upper room? “Eat with me!” It
was kind of a graduation banquet cum farewell dinner. It was so important to
him that he projected it down the ages, even to us— “Do this in remembrance of
me.”
1 Cor.11:24.
This was the “last supper”, but it was
also the first “Lord’s Supper” or “Breaking of Bread”. These men were his
friends, but he was also setting a precedent for believers to follow until he
returns.
After
the resurrection, Jesus walked to Emmaus with two disciples and what did they
ask— “Eat with us!” Also about this time, Jesus ate in front of his disciples
to prove he wasn’t a ghost. Later, by the Sea of Galilee, he prepared the meal
for them and again, his invitation was “Come and have breakfast.” John 21:12.
Another classic example would be
Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my
voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they
with me.” Remember Holman Hunt’s painting of Christ standing at the door and
knocking. Also remember that, when someone complained that there was no handle
on the door, Hunt said, “The only handle is on the inside.”
So, the burden is on us. He won’t save
us against our will and, equally, he won’t force us to “remember him” and
attend the Lord’s Supper. It is our choice. But always remember this too— “We
love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.
