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Devoted to the Breaking of Bread
Acts 2:42
Introduction: Acts 2:42-47 should be impressive to us. We should have it embedded in our minds because Luke is immediately impressing on Theophilus what Christians did together as a community following their conversion to Christ.
“Devoted” or “continued steadfastly” are the key words. With the wonder of their salvation has now come a marked change in their devotion. It is no longer to the world or even to Judaism. They are now devoted to the teachings of the apostles, the fellowship between one another, the breaking of bread, and to prayer. These are what we are to also be devoted to.
- Devoted to the Breaking of Bread
- Please quickly note that the phrase “breaking of bread” is used twice in this context. It is the same phrase both in the Greek and English. However, the understanding of the phrase depends on the context. The context of verse 46 is eating a common meal in homes. The context of verse 42 is partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Luke even differentiates between worshiping in the temple and breaking bread and eating house to house.
- Luke uses the same phrase in Acts 20:7, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” According to 20:6, Paul and Luke had waited seven days to meet with the Christians and break break, obviously referring to the Supper.
- The more important question before us is, why would these Christians be devoted to partaking of the Supper? Why is the simple act of eating a little bread and fruit of the vine together something that Christians should be devoted to?
- The Importance of a Covenantal Meal
- In the Old Testament, a covenantal meal was eaten following the sealing of covenantal promises made by two parties. God instituted a covenant meal following the Exodus from Egypt and Israel’s promise to be obedient to God. Cf. Exodus 24:7-12. Jesus said, “This is now my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
- Isaiah 25:6-8 references the ultimate covenant meal in which all enemies will be put under the Lord’s feet and he and his people will enjoy a forever fellowship meal.
- The above text reminds us of parables Jesus gave that references that eternal meal:
- Parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:15-24)
- Parable of the Marriage Feast (Matthew 21:1-14)
- Jesus made reference to eating the Supper with us “in the Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29).
- Therefore, being devoted to eating the Supper together carries great significance. This is a covenant meal, reminding us of the promises we made to the Lord to be faithful to him. It is the same reason that following a wedding, all eat a meal together in order to seal the covenantal promises made.
- Further, since this is a covenant meal, it is not something done in private. A meal is eaten together. Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:18, 20, “When you come together [as a church], it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.” Because the Corinthians were abusing the Supper by eating as a meal and eating independently, it was no longer the Lord’s supper. Paul emphasized that it wasn’t a private act. It was to be done together, and in fact, they were to wait for one another (11:33).
- Unfortunately, some Christians have for quite some time believed it was acceptable to eat the supper independently of a group of Christians, and the pandemic did not help that thinking. In fact, everything else we do as a church is to also be done independently (prayer, study, giving, singing), but not the Supper.
- The Remembrance of the Supper
- In 1 Cor. 11:23-25, when Paul repeated the words of Jesus concerning partaking of the Supper, he twice quoted Jesus as saying, “Do this in remembrance of me” both with the bread and with the cup. But what are we to remember? Is it simply the body of Jesus and the blood of Jesus? Just as even the demons confessed Jesus, the demons could also “eat, drink, and remember.” There is something more than that we must consider.
- Before we talk about what we are to remember, we need to consider that remembering goes beyond just recalling. Notice 1 Cor. 10:16-22. Paul states that when we eat the bread and drink the cup we are participating in the body and blood of Christ. That was the reason it was so dangerous to eat in the idols temple; it was a participation with demons. The idea of participation is that we are joining Jesus in offering his body and in the offering of his blood. We are participating in what he did.
- Therefore, what are we to remember in the “body” and how are we “participating?” Hebrews 10:5-10 gives us the answer:
- Notice the contrasting poetic parallel in verse 5. God did not desire “sacrifices and offerings,” but instead “a body have you prepared for me.” The message is that sacrifices and offerings were merely symbolic contrast of what God really desired. He desired a “body,” that is, the whole person.
- Note that the writer quoted from the LXX of Psalm 40:6-8. But listen to the translation from the Hebrew: “In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
- An “open ear” is parallel to giving one’s whole body. God was not interested in a mechanical worship, as if appeasing a god. God desired a sacrificial sin offering of one who was a Lamb without blemish who had perfectly given himself to God. Jesus represented the perfect sacrificial standard by which all others are to follow.
- Notice also Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do your will…your law is within my heart.” Therefore, what are we to remember? It is a remembrance of how Jesus led the way in offering himself as a sin offering so that we can follow his pattern and also be the perfect offering of our bodies to God. See Hebrews 10:16 where the parallel is that God will put his laws in our hearts. (Cf. Romans 12:1).
- Therefore, in remembering the body, we are remembering that we also must say, “Not my will, but yours be done.” We are determined to live and offer our bodies just as Jesus did. Every week we are devoted to remembering that we are to offer our whole person.
- What are we remembering in the “blood?” First, we must understand that the phrase “shedding of blood” is the use of a figure of speech called “metonymy,” in which a word or phrase represents something more literal (“the White House said…”). When Jesus said, “Drink this cup,” he was referring to its contents. That’s metonymy.
- Shedding of blood is metonymy for death, in this case, a sacrificial death or sin offering. We often think of the blood that came from Jesus during the crucifixion. But the picture is actually death. Jesus couldn’t just bleed, but stay alive and be a sacrifice.
- How then do we remember and participate in his death? Jesus said it repeatedly, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). When we think of a “cross,” we should know that Jesus is talking about something that is painful and that the extent of giving our lives to God is “even unto death” (Rev. 12:11).
- Therefore, the remembrance and participation in the body and blood of the Lord reminds us that being a disciple is the complete giving of self and death of self. The idea that we can fulfill our discipleship by showing up on Sunday and paying lip service should be forever erased from our minds.
- In other words, the Supper should remind us of Jesus’ words in John 6:53-58. Unless we “eat his flesh and drink his blood” there is no life in us. The Supper is a tangible remembrance that we consume Jesus’ life and make it our life.
- Therefore, our concluding principle is Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29. The word “therefore” follows, “Do this is remembrance of me.” We are to examine ourselves, not to make sure we are “worthy of partaking,” but that we are partaking “in a worthy manner.” In other words, this is a weekly reminder that I am to participate in the body and blood of the Lord. Am I living the symbols that I am now eating and drinking? If that is not how I intend to live my life, I am eating and drinking in hypocrisy. I am eating and drinking condemnation on myself.
Berry Kercheville