Breaking Bread

The church is on a journey to become the glorious and spotless bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:27). She is getting ready for the marriage supper of the lamb (Revelation 19:7). The church prepares for this glorious supper by being conformed to the word of God. As she obeys the word, she is sanctified and cleansed by the washing of the water of the word of God (Ephesians 5:26) until all her spots and wrinkles are gone.

The New Testament standard for the church is found in Acts 2. The church in Acts 2 continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). There were many different churches in the New Testament, and each church was at a different level. None of these churches were said to have continued faithfully in following the apostolic instructions like the church of Acts 2. In order to discover what God wants the church to look like, we must examine the teachings and examples of this first church in Acts 2.

One of the basic things that the Acts 2 church did was to break bread together. Twice in Acts 2, it mentions that they broke bread (Acts 2:42, 46). It says they broke bread every single day, in houses.

Breaking bread essentially means eating a meal together. But for the early Christians, breaking bread meant something more. The early Christians shared meals daily, “eating their food with gladness” (Acts 2:46). The word “gladness” is a strong word in Greek, which literally means exulting and jumping for joy. When the first Christians broke bread, they were doing more than eating together, for they were not jumping for joy just because they got some food. They not only shared a meal but they ate the Lord’s Supper and shared the word of God. Jesus was among them, and this spiritual reality made them ecstatic, jumping for joy.

In Acts 20:7, it says that the disciples habitually came together on Sundays to break bread. The term “breaking bread” referred to a church meeting, for it was a time when both natural and spiritual food was shared. Like the church in Acts 2, the believers in Acts 20 met in a home, ate together, partook of the Lord’s Supper, shared the word of God, and ministered to each other.

In the New Testament church, the common meal provided the backdrop for the spiritual interchange of God’s word.

As believers share the Lord’s Supper, they become like one loaf of bread for they all partake of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). During a church meeting, the spiritual bread of Christ is broken among believers as there is an interchange of the word of God among his people.

New Testament church meetings were participative. Believers ministered Christ to each other through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:26). Each Christian has a spiritual gift, and as these gifts function, the church grows (Ephesians 4:16).

The Bible talks about the table of the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:21). The table of the Lord is not a literal table, but it is a place of spiritual provision that is manifested among God’s people when they come together to break bread. This is more than an actual meal (although it includes that). To partake of the table of the Lord means to partake of Christ during a church meeting.

In the Old Testament, there was a table of shewbread in the Tabernacle. On this table there were 12 loaves of bread. Each week, this bread was changed. Only the priests could eat of this bread. This bread was unleavened, and frankincense was put on top of this bread (Leviticus 24:7). All of these things are symbols for us (Hebrews 9:23; 10:1). 

This table of shewbread represents the spiritual table of the Lord that we are to partake of today. The 12 loaves represent the apostolic teachings, which we are to follow today so we can be glorious like the church of Acts 2. These loaves were unleavened, which represents that the church is to be free from sinful influences when we gather together. The loaves were changed every week, which represents that when we come together on the first day of the week (Sunday), we are to receive a fresh supply of God’s word. Today, all God’s people are priests, which represents that we all are to partake of this spiritual food in order to be strong and fulfill our ministry. The table was covered with gold, representing that the presence of God is essential for effective ministry. And there was a crown of gold around this table, showing that the church meeting is to be under the authority and headship of Christ.

The Last Supper, right before the crucifixion, is a model for church meetings. During the Last Supper, Jesus ate a meal with his disciples. He shared bread and juice with them, which represented his body and blood. Jesus also shared God’s word, teaching and prophesying. The disciples asked questions, and they discussed things. They prayed together and sang a hymn. 

Jesus said that we are to do this, as often as we drink of the cup of the Lord’s Supper. First of all, we should be willing to put off the flesh and be in the Spirit, making sure that our contributions to the church meeting are birthed by the Holy Spirit. But practically, when we come together for church, we share a meal, share God’s word, sing, and pray together. We do all these things for edification so the church can be built. 

Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for deviating from the apostolic pattern. He says that because of their carnality, they were unable to come together to eat the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20). Some grabbed food before others, so they were stuffed while the rest were hungry. This reflected their carnality and lack of love. Paul said if someone is too ravenous, they need to eat something at home before they come to the house church meeting.

The church is to be like an unleavened loaf of bread. It is not to be full of malice, evil, greed, and sin, but rather full of sincerity and truth. There must be purity within the church for it to fulfill its purpose. If a person is called a Christian but is living in unrepentant sin and is unwilling to change, then he should not be included in the church meeting (the breaking of bread), according to 1 Corinthians 5:11. When the loaf of the church is pure, then the church meeting can be a time of partaking of Christ.

The church meeting, including the meal, the Lord’s Supper, and the spiritual communion of God’s word, was called a love feast (Jude 12). The love feast is to be characterized by agape love, as believers encourage and edify each other in the love of God. The love feast foreshadows the marriage supper of the lamb. 

Jude warns that when false teachers or unrepentant sinners come in, the love feast can become defiled. They are like “spots” which defile the church of God and prevent her from becoming pure and ready for the marriage supper. The church must be on guard, so that leaven does not creep in.

Jesus said that he will eat with us again, when everything is made new in the kingdom of God (Matthew 26:29). At the wedding supper of the lamb, God’s people will eat together with the Lord, as they are filled with his Spirit. As we break bread in church now, we are preparing for that glorious eternal reality of breaking bread with our Lord forever.