All the believers were together and had everything in common. (Acts 2:44)
Studies by experts Reveal numerous benefits when parents and children eat meals together. For example, kids more often say yes to healthier things like vegetables and no to unhealthy things like drugs. Their communication skills improve and their social skills develop as these key life skills are modeled. And a strong bond develops that seems harder to find in families that don’t practice regular family dinners. Something powerful happens when families eat together.
In Acts 2, we see the early church drawing together in a unity that many churches crave today. People gave sacrificially, loved each other sincerely, and grew together in truth. The Acts author reports that something about the bond they shared proved contagious, compelling, and life-giving. As we read of the Acts community, we can feel its warmth through Scripture’s pages.
Maybe that’s because it all started as they broke bread together both in remembrance of the Lord’s Supper and in everyday fellowship. In a way, the Lord’s Supper is family dinner for the family of Christ. Even as we approach this sacrament with our hearts turned toward God, something can happen within ourselves. It’s a good time to ask ourselves, are we encouraging good habits and reducing bad habits as we influence each other? And what are we each doing to faithfully nurture our family bond through communication, forgiveness, and love?
At the next Lord’s Supper, get to know a “family” member you haven’t met before.
Diane Gardner lives in the San Francisco Bay area, where she enjoys theater, community events, and watching the sun set over the bay.
