The Power of Food, Bishop David Thagana, Merry Christmas

THE POWER OF FOOD-MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Bible opens with what to eat in Genesis 1:29, ²⁹ Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. – People and animals seem to be portrayed as originally vegetarian. It is not until Genesis 9:3, ³ Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. Meat would now supplement the human diet, though with exception in Genesis 9:4 (⁴ “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.)

– Life is in the blood and it is the precious and mysterious gift of God, and people are not to seek to seek to preserve it or to increase the life-force within them by eating “Life” that is in the blood (Lev17:11).

The bible closes Rev. 3:20 (²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me) with a call to keep the doors of our hearts open so that He comes in and eats with us without him having to knock. Like the Laodicean church which was complacent and rich feeling like we are self-satisfied.

THE POWER OF FOOD IS IN EATING TOGETHER AND EATING THE RIGHT FOOD.

The Judean Christian – which refers to both Christians and Judaism together had a tradition of eating together.

Isaiah 25:6 ⁶ On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine the best of meats and the finest of wines.

Psalm 23:5 ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

JESUS KNEW THE POWER OF FOOD

He ate with his disciples and taught them to share and to welcome everyone.

Matthew 14:13-21 ¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus sought solitude after the news of John’s death. Sometimes we may need to deal with our grief alone but also learn from Jesus, we don’t stay for too long in grief. He returned to the ministry he came to do.

5 Loaves + 2 fish=5000 Plus extra provision

1+1 = 1 in Marriage

1=1000 in Waiting

• The power of food is in eating with GRATITUDE. Verse 18
• Demand for food is usually higher than the supply but the PRESENCE OF JESUS brings the power of multiplication.
• The power of food is experienced through SERVICE
• The Power of food is in TEAM WORK
• The power of food separates OBEDIENT FOLLOWERS of Jesus from pretenders Matthew 25:35 (³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,)
• The real evidence of our belief is in the way we act especially on matters of food.

To treat all people we encounter as if they are Jesus is not as easy task. How will you treat others during this Christmas?

• The power of food DEEPENS RELATIONSHIPS John 13

Jesus teaches his disciples privately just before his arrest and death.

He teaches them as he eats with them the last supper.

• While eating with his disciples Jesus demonstrates great LOVE for the believers as the peace that comes from Faith.
• Meal times can provide moments of deep conversations farewell and even forgiving others. At meal with family and friends we experience peace in a world filled with turmoil.

 

THE EARLY CHURCH

Knew the power of Food- Acts 2:46 (⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,)

Church grew until discrimination on food caused complaints. Acts 6:1 (In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews^[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.)

Conclusion

Eating together in Biblical, but motivation matters-1 Corinthians 10:31(³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.) Keeps our Hope alive. Hebrews 10:24-25 (²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.)

 

BISHOP DAVID THAGANA

GLORY OUTREACH ASSEMBLY