“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42 ESV)
The first Christians regularly shared meals together. This was more than simply an enjoyable communal meal. The “breaking of bread” refers to the Lord’s Supper, which Jesus Himself instituted. Shortly before He died, He shared the Passover meal with His disciples according to Jewish custom. During that meal, He gave new meaning to the bread and the wine: “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24 ESV). Now that Jesus is no longer physically present on earth, the Lord’s Supper serves as a visible and tangible reminder of His suffering and death.
This meal brings us back to the core of our faith. We are reminded that Jesus humbled Himself and sacrificed Himself for us. In the bread and the wine, He offers Himself to us. He fills our empty hands. Again and again, He invites us to receive from Him. He wants us to continue celebrating and proclaiming His death and resurrection until He returns to bring His Kingdom to its full completion.
In this way, the “breaking of bread” also directs our attention to the future that Jesus has promised us. In His new world, we will sit at the table with Him and celebrate together.
Do you celebrate the Lord’s Supper regularly? What does it mean to you?