Lately, I’ve been reading a book titled ‘A meal with Jesus’ (written by Tim Chester and translated by Hong Jong Rak). Through the book, I have come to realize more in-depth, the meaning of sharing food in our mokjang gatherings. The table was an important place for Jesus in his ministry. The gospel that Jesus shared talked about invitation to a feast in heaven and when he described heaven, it wasn’t an abstract idea but I’m sure he was referring to people who loved each other gathered at the table eating and drinking and having a good time. To Jesus, the table wasn’t just a place to eat. It was a place he taught about the Kingdom of God, a place where sinners were saved and got a taste of God’s grace, and a place where they proclaimed that they were God’s family. Jesus had dinner at the tax collector’s house, the person whom people had pointed fingers at and labeled a sinner. He also had communion with his disciples the night before he was crucified and promised his fearful disciples that there would be a heavenly feast. After his resurrection, he also fed his disciples fish by the sea of Galilee.
The table is also significant to the New Testament church. They were a spiritual family, sharing food and bread. Since dining with others was so important, when appointing church leaders, they were required to select someone was who was hospitable. (1 Timothy 3:2) And to be excluded in the table-fellowship was the strongest punishment in the church community. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Many modern day Christians focus on the Sunday service and are losing the family-fellowship Jesus had valued. To restore God’s Kingdom’s fellowship, we need to dine together, as they did in the New Testament Church. We can recover the fellowship of true relationships when we sit at the table together and eat.
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김지나 2017.09.16 14:30
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Lately, I’ve been reading a book titled ‘A meal with Jesus’ (written by Tim Chester and translated by Hong Jong Rak). Through the book, I have come to realize more in-depth, the meaning of sharing food in our mokjang gatherings. The table was an important place for Jesus in his ministry. The gospel that Jesus shared talked about invitation to a feast in heaven and when he described heaven, it wasn’t an abstract idea but I’m sure he was referring to people who loved each other gathered at the table eating and drinking and having a good time. To Jesus, the table wasn’t just a place to eat. It was a place he taught about the Kingdom of God, a place where sinners were saved and got a taste of God’s grace, and a place where they proclaimed that they were God’s family. Jesus had dinner at the tax collector’s house, the person whom people had pointed fingers at and labeled a sinner. He also had communion with his disciples the night before he was crucified and promised his fearful disciples that there would be a heavenly feast. After his resurrection, he also fed his disciples fish by the sea of Galilee.
The table is also significant to the New Testament church. They were a spiritual family, sharing food and bread. Since dining with others was so important, when appointing church leaders, they were required to select someone was who was hospitable. (1 Timothy 3:2) And to be excluded in the table-fellowship was the strongest punishment in the church community. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Many modern day Christians focus on the Sunday service and are losing the family-fellowship Jesus had valued. To restore God’s Kingdom’s fellowship, we need to dine together, as they did in the New Testament Church. We can recover the fellowship of true relationships when we sit at the table together and eat.