06/06/2026
You’re Invited! by Pastor Gordon,
Have you ever thought about the significance of … eating? Of course it has to do with nourishment, sustenance, and even life itself. A baby who can’t or won’t eat wont live. But think for a moment of the cultural and social significance of sharing a meal with someone – or a group of people. Friends may say, “Hey, let’s go grab a burger.” If a foreign head of state visits another country, one of the expected events is a state dinner. Weddings usually involve a dinner following the ceremony. Often, funerals do as well. One of the most common acts of hospitality is to invite a friend or a family over for dinner. And it seems that this transcends cultural and national boundaries. It’s common to human beings.
We like to eat … we need to eat … but when we share a meal, we’re demonstrating something more. We share a meal with people whose company we enjoy or whom we deem important or significant. It often means we have something in common – or are trying to lay the groundwork to move in that direction. In the basic act of eating, we lay our guard down, we recognize our common humanity, and we honor those we’re dining with. Whether it’s a peanut butter sandwich or a top sirloin steak, it says something when we share it with someone else.
Isn’t it interesting, then, to see how often meals are mentioned in the Bible? The pre-incarnate Son of God and two angels enjoyed a meal in Abraham and Sarah’s presence before promising them a son within a year’s time. On the eve of the exodus (the premier miracle in the Old Testament) God instructed the Israelites to eat the Passover meal, and this was to become an annual observance throughout their entire history as a people. Jesus fed the 5,000 … and the 4,000 – miraculous meals that powerfully demonstrated that He was (and is) the bread of life. He instituted the new covenant during the Passover meal on the night before He was betrayed and crucified. In a parable, He likened His gospel invitation to a man giving a big dinner, and inviting many to come. And finally, we’re told that our entrance into heaven is described as being invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, when the bride (the saved, the redeemed, the church) is united with her bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, for a marriage that is indeed “til death do us part” – because death will be no more! (No wonder sharing meals together was an integral part of the early church!)
The marriage supper of the Lamb will involve fellowship, love, joy, and communion! Won’t you choose now to accept the invitation which Jesus Himself gives? You’ll be eternally glad you did! … Pastor Gordon