September 7, 2023
When I was in fifth grade, my class went on a field trip. Truth be told, I cannot even remember the location of the trip because that is certainly not why I remember this experience. This particular trip stands out in my memory because of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, or, at least, half of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. You see, we each were supposed to pack a lunch with us and I had accidentally left mine on the bus. When lunch arrived on our field trip, I stared at my classmates chowing down on their Little Debbie snack cakes, Jell-O pudding cups, and (the ultima admiration of all elementary kids) their Lunchables. My stomach was growling and I was feeling mighty low. That is when I remember a kid named Billy sitting beside me and tearing his PB&J in two (“this is my body, broken for you”) and sharing his bounty with me.
Did you know that the etymological meaning of the word “companion” is “one who breaks bread with another”? Did you also know that the Bible is absolutely packed with stories about meals? Well, you will. For the rest of the fall season, we will be entering into a sermon series around meals in the Bible. The series is called Companion: Let Us Break Bread Together.
- September 10 – A Meal that Remembers (Exodus 12:14-28)
- September 17 – A Meal that Invites (Deuteronomy 14:22-29)
- September 24 – A Meal that Strengthens (1 Kings 19:1-18)
- October 1, World Communion Sunday – A Meal that Heals (Matthew 14:13-21, 15:29-38); Rev. Scott Hsu preaching
- October 8 – A Meal that Celebrates (Isaiah 55:1-13)
- October 15 – A Meal that Reveals (Luke 24:13-35)
- October 22 – A Meal that Restores (John 21:1-19); Rev. Dr. Paul Baxley preaching
- October 29 – A Meal that Surprises (Acts 10:1-16); Rev. Dr. Gina Brock preaching
- November 5, All Saints’ Day – A Meal that Resurrects (Isaiah 25:6-10a)
- November 12, Children’s Sunday – A Meal that Includes (Luke 14:15-24); Rev. Lee Ritchie preaching
- November 19 – A Meal that Unifies (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)
- November 26 – A Meal that Rejoices (Revelation 19:1-10)
“To be sure, food keeps us alive, but that is only its smallest and most temporary work. Its eternal purpose is to furnish our sensibilities against the day when we shall sit down at the heavenly banquet and see how gracious the Lord is. Nourishment is necessary only for a while; what we shall need forever is taste.” (Robert Farrar Capon)
Next week: I will be reflecting on the Introduction (p. 1-25) of Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore.
