Breaking Bread Together

They [early followers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

—Acts 2:42

There is a miracle recorded in the second chapter of the book of Acts. On the day of Pentecost, men from every nation and language gathered in Jerusalem. When the disciples began to preach, every man could hear their words as though the disciples were speaking in his language. And when Peter preached, three thousand people believed in Jesus.

These early followers of Christ made it a daily habit to break bread together. As each new believer arrived, they brought a loaf of bread until their table overflowed. And then someone would begin by breaking off a piece, putting it in their mouth and savoring it.

The breaking of bread added another benefit to their gatherings. Someone could read scriptures and preach about Jesus Christ without being interrupted by rumbling stomachs. But the true reason the early church ate together so often was because of one simple command.

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus held up a loaf of bread at supper and blessed it. He shared it with His disciples and said the words we read in Luke 22:19, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Early Christians ate together to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and to remember the His body was given for their salvation.

We still do this in church around the communion table. We pause and share a moment with fellow believers to reflect on the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice.

So often that remembrance is confined to the church pew and forgotten as we walk out the door. It shouldn’t be. Every meal we share with a friend is an opportunity to remember that Jesus is always with us. Breaking bread brings people closer, especially when we focus on the work of Jesus Christ in our lives.

Today’s One Thing

Share a meal with a friend or family member and take time to talk about what Jesus has done in your life.

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