Tom's Message: Gather Together!
Hey everyone!
Hope you’re having an awesome, praise-filled day!!
So, let’s begin with the weather…hmmm…
“Windy and mild with strong wind gusts into the afternoon expected. Rain and a few storms will be possible from around Noon through 4pm…”
So maybe some pretty good windy-ness and a few storms and some rain later today.
So, that’s the weather! Now let’s look at today’s news…
(Today’s good news!)
King David, today’s news correspondent reports, “Praise the Lord…lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding!” (Psalm 148.7-8)
So, just knowing that He is in control of all the rain and wind on the way later today…
it’s gonna be an awesome day!
Y'know, usually on these Friday Triple C emails, I try to have a thought or two to encourage us for our day along with the announcements for the week but we have an important reminder, so I thought I'd give you that news first…
Sunday is the second Sunday of the month and that means "Fellowship Meal!!"
"What is the 2nd Sunday Fellowship Meal?"
Well, ever since CCC started, we've been doing this thing where everyone brings food from home and after worship, we put it all together, grab a plate, and we just eat together! Sometimes, folks can't stay for whatever reason, but if you can, it's a bunch of fun!
"How do you make sure everyone doesn't bring the same thing by accident? What if everyone brought green bean casserole and that would be all we had? Or what if everyone brought banana pudding and we just had banana pudding to share?”
Well, I know some who would consider that a sort of miracle…but just so it doesn't happen, we have a plan! There is a list. and usually, on the week before, this announcement goes out…
“This Sunday, January 14
is our monthly covered dish luncheon
immediately following the Worship Service.
Please plan to stay and eat!
Bring 2 dishes to share from the following categories:
meat / veggie / salad / bread / dessert
The refrigerator is available to keep cool things cool
and the oven is ready to keep warm things warm,
so come on to Community Group and put your food
in the kitchen until after Worship Service!”
So, you just pick two total from whichever categories. When we put it all together, it's always a balanced diet! (Tho’ if you’re watching your calories as a “New Year’s thing”, I think you’re kinda on your own, as far as that goes!)
"Why do we do this every month?"
That's a great question! There's a simple answer and a complex one!
Simple answer? We're hungry!
Complex answer? Turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke.
"What chapter?"
Wow. You could just read the whole thing!
It's amazing how much food and eating together is in there!
Jesus loved eating together with people! The super religious crowd was upset with Him constantly because, not only did He know folks they considered "less than acceptable", but He ATE with them!
"Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complained to his disciples, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'” (Luke 5)
Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son to some people who were upset with Him and grumblin’ about it! What were they so tweeked about?
”Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!’ ” (Luke 15:1)
I remember hearing about a girl named Edith who was afraid she had been too bad for Jesus to welcome her into His family (of course, He would welcome her!!) but she was encouraged when someone read in church this verse from the ol' King James…"This man receiveth sinners…and eateth with them!"
She brightened up when she thought she had heard, ”and Edith with them!!”!
Our Lord did miracles so people could eat together (Luke 9).
He raised a child from the dead and first thing, got her something to eat (Luke 8)
He promised we'd always have food (Luke 12)
He told stories about food (Luke 17)
He shared His deepest secrets at the table, eating with His friends (Luke 22)
And two folks were shocked and amazed to find He was risen from the dead!
Because He was at their table, eating with them! (Luke 24: 30-31)
One super interesting thing is that the Book of Acts was written by Luke as well! It's kind of “Luke, vol. 2"
And IT'S full of food!
Luke says the first believers in Jesus… "studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together. They broke bread and ate together. And they prayed. Everyone felt that God was near… All the believers were together. They shared everything they had.. Every day they met together in the temple courtyard and in their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true. They praised God!" (Acts 2: 42-46)
The word Luke used for "shared together" is the Greek word (Luke's language) “koinonia". We often translate it, "fellowship". It means…uh…"to share together"! They shared tons of stuff! Including their food!
Eating together is a way of saying, "You're important to me! I like being with you and knowing you better! You're like a family in Jesus to me!"
And, amazingly, verse 47 of Acts 2 says, "…They praised God. They were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved!"
People wanted in!
Because lots of hearts want to be in something that makes them feel that someone thinks they're important…
that someone likes hanging out with them and knowing them…
that someone thinks they're family!
Fellowship Meal this Sunday!
Now for my thought of the week…
uh…
I can't remember what it was…
Well, rats!