1 Corinthians 11:23-24 and Acts 27:33-36 are interesting because of the parallel between the words of institution for the Lord’s Supper and the non-communion meal that Paul convinces the people on his ship to eat. One of the main things to notice on this Thanksgiving is that in both cases they give thanks to God before eating. In this short message we contemplate what it means to give thanks.
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1 Corinthians 11:23-24 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Acts 27:33-36 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (ESV)
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Did you notice how similar the words of institution for communion in the First Corinthians passage are to the description of what Paul did on the ship that would soon wreck in the book of Acts? Paul took bread, giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.
Eugene Peterson, the author of The Message, once said that a meal is like a “mini-sacrament.” This makes sense when we see that we pray to give thanks to God before we eat just as there is a Great Thanksgiving Prayer and the breaking of bread before eating the Lord’s Supper.
Whenever we eat we sit down to eat we are to remember Jesus Christ. He is the real bread of life broken for our sins. His blood is the real wine to drink for joy. The sacrament gives us Spiritual nourishment and strength to do the will of God. The food we eat at other meals gives us the physical nourishment and strength we need to do the will of God.
And so we have gathered here this morning to give thanks to God before we eat. To give thanks to God for sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world to then die on the cross for our sins. To give thanks to God for raising Jesus from the dead and lifting Him above all the powers and principalities of the world. To give thanks to God for Jesus pouring out the Holy Spirit on that first Pentecost after His death and resurrection. And thus to give thanks to God for giving us every Spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
But also to give thanks to God for His care for us, even knowing every hair on our head. To give thanks to God for our daily bread. To give thanks to God for all good things since all good things come from His hand.
The people of ancient Israel ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in the great goodness of God. Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against Him and cast His law behind their back and killed His prophets (cf. Neh 9:25-26). They really were not thankful for the vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees that others had cultivated and that God had given them. The law remains helpful for the Christian because it shows us what it looks like to give thanks to God.
We are not just to give thanks with the words on our lips apart from the obedience of transformed hearts and lives. But think of each time you gather to eat as an opportunity to worship with prayer and hearing the word of God. These are means by which God will turn our hearts toward Him. And so give thanks before you eat and live out of that thanksgiving after the feast.
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