A Meal with Jesus

Last weekend in church we looked at a bunch of different meals described in the Bible.  But they weren't just meals, like we might stop and eat because we're hungry:  the Middle Eastern tradition was and is that sharing food with someone shows they are accepted as family.  So these meals are depictions of fellowship, community, sharing, between God and all humanity.  And it is the Word of God, the Son, who came to 'fellowship' with us in the person of Jesus, (John 1:14) whose birth we are about to celebrate. 

The whole Bible points to Jesus the Messiah (see John 5:36-40, especially v. 39; Luke 24:25-27; and Hebrews 1:1-3) and we should look for him every time we pick up the scriptures. 

So in what way are these meals pictures of Jesus?  Here's a brief summary: 

1.  Gen. 18:1-8 -- The Son of God is present at the meal with Abraham, looking forward to his human life, sharing our humanity, and promising a miraculous child, Isaac, who was the first domino in a long line that led to the birth of Jesus.
2.  Ex. 12:1-11 -- Jesus is the Passover lamb.
3.  Lev. 3:1-5 and 7:11-16 -- Jesus is the fellowship offering that the people shared (the only offering eaten by the person bringing it) in the presence of God at the temple
4.  Isa. 25:6-8 -- Jesus is the 'wonderful feast' during which God takes away the shadow of death hanging over all people and swallows up death forever
5.  John 2:1-11 -- Jesus supplies the wine as a symbol of his own blood, that purifies us rather than the water of washings
6.  Matthew 9:9-13 -- Jesus calls Matthew to be his disciple, and eats with all of Matthew's friends (a bunch of sinners and cheats) at a fellowship meal, showing God's loving embrace, through Jesus, of every sinner in the world -- including the complaining Pharisees! 
7.  Matt. 22:1-14 -- Jesus is the gracious invitation from the King to the wedding feast; and supplies the celebration garment of his own righteousness
8.  Luke 22:19-20 -- Jesus serves himself to us as bread and wine, his own body and blood given for us.  This is the ultimate fellowship meal, which he invites us to share, more than just an offering for sin but as a sharing in his own life
9.  Rev. 19:7 -- the wedding feast of the Lamb, a fellowship meal of epic proportions, is a present reality for all those who know their place as accepted and loved children of the Father "in Christ," and will be a final reality for all who will walk into God's loving embrace

All these meals picture a gracious invitation from God to every person on earth -- that he accepts us as family, as his own beloved children, adopted into himself by Jesus (Eph. 1:3-5).  As we move toward our Thanksgiving feasts, how about remembering the ultimate feast -- around a table with Jesus?