In Acts 2:46 we read, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were sharing food with joy and simplicity of heart,” (EMTV)
As we continue to study the life of the early church, we recognize that the hand of God rested powerfully on them, and they increased numerically. The believers in the early church were spiritually strong, and hence a threat to the evil one. We have been considering several reasons that attributed to their growth and strength, and one vital aspect that enhanced this was that they broke bread from house to house or had communion regularly.
What was the significance of breaking bread or communion?
There are some misconceptions about the practice of breaking of bread as something to be observed only on a Sunday, that one has be holy during the communion, and later one can go out and live any way they want to. This sort of a misunderstanding stems from the fact that many have not understood the true meaning and significance of breaking of bread, and also because they are not aware as to the reason for which the Lord instituted it in the first place. The early church on the other hand, were well informed and understood the depth of this celebration, and so they were not only strengthened in their inner beings, but also impacted the society resulting in revival and growth.
The Israelites were in bondage
In Exodus 2:23, we read, “Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God.”(NLT)
The people of Israel were in slavery to the Egyptians. Their slavery and bondage was so intense and gruesome that they cried out to the Lord in their distress. The Lord heard their cry for help, and sent Moses to deliver them from the cruel hands of the Egyptians.
Today people are in bondage to many things – to debts, bad habits, sickness, anger, hatred, jealousy and many other things. When God created us He had a plan and purpose for each one of us. Whatever comes in the way of fulfilling that plan and purpose of God for our lives is a bondage. The Lord’s design for our lives is always for our best, and it’s only when we are freed from everything that enslaves, can we effectuate the real purpose for which the Lord created us.
Who were these Israelites who were in bondage?
God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (ESV)
When the Lord called Abraham, He promised him that He would make him into a great nation, would bless him, and make his name so great that through him many nations will be blessed. The descendants of Abraham were the Israelites, and so the promise was theirs as well, but they were in a pathetic condition in bondage to the Egyptians. The reason for this was not that the promise of God failed, but that it could not be fulfilled because of their lack of faith and obedience. The life of slavery was grim and appalling. They had no freedom to do or live the way they wanted to, but were in total oppression to their masters. From morning to night they were enslaved to execute their master’s orders, and could see no progress whatsoever.
If we were to relate this to our lives, the implication is that if we allow anything or anyone, for instance money, habits, relationships etc., to have mastery over us, we too will be ensnared and entangled into a life of bondage and enslavement. However, if we like the people of Israel, sincerely cry out to the Lord, He will surely give heed and liberate us. When God promises deliverance we must remember that He will accomplish it not matter how impossible the situation, or how long we have been in that hopeless condition, because He is always faithful to His promises. However, it’s only when one lives in obedience to God’s word and His will, can those promises be realized in our lives. It’s not enough to just hear the word of God, but we must decide to obey, and do exactly what the Lord wants us to do in our day to day lives, for only then will we see God’s promises actualized, and His blessings materialize in our lives.
A new start
In Exodus 12:1-2, “While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the LORD gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you.” (NLT)
As long as the people of Israel were in slavery, days, months and years made no sense to them. Their life was one of drudgery and travail with no relief in sight whatsoever. The first thing the Lord does as He began the process of liberation for them was, He put them on track by giving them a calendar, and initiated the first month of the year. It was as though God was starting them off afresh on this great journey of deliverance, and he was offering them a brand new start.
Instead of living a life of daily grind, and being satisfied with the meaningless routine, we must so live a life of purpose and meaning as the Lord willed for us, that when we come to the end of our lives we will be able to say that we have indeed accomplished the purposes of God in our life time. We must allow the Lord to begin this new journey in our lives.
Most people are sentimental about the beginning of the New Year, and so they consider it mandatory to go to church at least once a year to seek God’s blessings. There are others who are satisfied with attending church on special occasions like New Year, Christmas and Easter. There are still others who will go only on the first Sunday of every month just to take part in the communion. However, when we observe the strength of the early church we see that they met daily, fellowshipped regularly and broke break from house to house.
The instructions for Passover
In Exodus 12:3 we read, “Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month, each man is to take a lamb for his family one lamb for the household.” (TLV)
Exodus 12:5 – “a male, one year, unblemished”
Exodus 12:6, says, “Then, on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, the whole community of Israel will kill the animals.”(GNB)
Exodus 12:7-8, we read, “They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” (NRSVA)
The command of the Lord to the people of Israel was to take a male lamb, a year old without any blemish to their house on the tenth day of the first month. The lamb became a part of the family for four days, and on the fourteenth day in the evening the lamb was to be killed. Their hearts must have been broken as they killed the lamb, but they did not question, but obeyed because they were wanting their freedom from their life of slavery and bondage. They were then to take some of the blood of the lamb, and smear it on the two doorposts and lintels of their houses. That night they were to eat the meat roasted on the fire along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
In Exodus 12:23 we read “For the LORD will pass through to strike down the Egyptians; when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down.” (NRSV)
The significance of the Passover
The Lord delivered the people of Israel from slavery and bondage to the Egyptians. That night was a memorable night. The unblemished lamb was a symbol of a sinless sacrifice. The blood on the door posts and lintels were an outward protection for the children of Israel. The meat and food was given so they could have the strength to continue on the long journey ahead of them. God provided protection, and made provision for inner strength. The Lord does everything for a reason. They were instructed to eat unleavened bread. The unleavened bread was a sign of a holy life that God desired for His people. They had to get rid of all the yeast from their houses symbolizing elimination of everything sinful.
This is what happened that night. The Lord came to strike down the Egyptians. As the angel of death passed by, whichever house had the blood of the lamb on their door and lintels escaped death. All those who by faith obeyed the instructions of the Lord were spared from death in the family. For all who disbelieved and disobeyed, there was death of the first born son in their homes. There was unimaginable wailing and crying that arose that night. It was a night of life and deliverance for those who believed, but one of death and sorrow for those who did not. The sound that arose that day was like the sound of hell – an unending agonizing sound. That historic night by the blood of the unblemished lamb, God broke the bonds of slavery for the people of Israel. God broke the strength of the Egyptians and delivered his people.
This was the great Passover. The people of Israel were instructed by the Lord to celebrate this Passover festival year after year. As the families celebrated this historic event of God’s liberation for His people, it was the duty of the Father of the family to recite to his children as they asked him the purpose for the celebration, the entire story of God’s great deliverance from the Egyptian slavery. The bitter herbs were eaten to share the painful and bitter experiences of the people of Israel who lived in bondage and slavery.
It’s a good practice for parents to take time to have meals together with their children, and use the time to share the wonderful things that the Lord has done for us. It’s an opportune time to share our testimonies of God’s workings in our lives, and to teach our children about the Lord. It is our duty as parents to disciple our children and encourage them to be part of groups and fellowships that will make them grow spiritually.
Jesus observed the Passover
As we look at the history of the people of Israel we will then understand why Jesus Himself was searching for a place to celebrate the Passover festival. Jesus was Himself a Jew, and knew the significance of this event in the life of the Israelites.
In Luke 22:7-8 we read, “The Day of Unleavened Bread came. This was the day when the Jews always killed the lambs for the Passover. Jesus said to Peter and John, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us to eat." (ERV)
As Jesus asked the disciples to prepare the Passover meal, they may have had many questions. Up until now they probably were used to celebrating the Passover Festival with their families, but now they were preparing the Passover to commemorate it with Jesus. Jesus was however, observing this Passover differently.
In Luke 22:19, we read, “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (EMTV)
In Luke 22:20 we read, “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”(EMTV)
The New Covenant
Jesus was all of a sudden personalized the Passover when He told His disciples when referred to the bread as, ‘My Body’, and the cup as “My Blood’ of the New Covenant. Just as God initiated a new month for the people of Israel, Jesus was now commencing a new beginning for all who will believe in Him.
Jesus became that sinless lamb without blemish, whom God the Father sent into the world, so He could take on Himself the sins of all mankind. His sinless body (which the bread without yeast symbolizes) was broken, so we could be set free from all our sins, sickness, curses and bondages. It was a costly price Jesus had to pay with His own sinless life, so we can partake of this New Covenant where Jesus Himself became the Passover Lamb, whose blood was shed so we could pass from death to life.
It’s only when we come to the Lord and believe that the blood of Jesus indeed can cleanse us, will we be set free from all our sins, and every kind of bondage. When one comes into this New Covenant relationship with the Lord, he or she can be freed to live the abundant life that the Lord has promised for us.
In 1 Corinthians 5:7 we read, “Take away, then, the old leaven, so that you may be a new mass, even as you are without leaven. For Christ has been put to death as our Passover.” (BBE)
Jesus the sinless Passover lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the whole world so that we can be transformed into a new creation, cleansed, holy and become that new unleavened lump whom the Lord can take and use. When one comes into this personal relationship with Jesus we must remember that the enemy is not pleased, and will pursue us to seek to ensnare and bind us again.
The great deliverance
That’s what happened to the People of Israel. As they left Egypt with joy, they were pursued by the mighty Egyptian army whose only aim was to capture and enslave them again. As the Israelites stood facing the Red Sea ahead of them, and with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit of them, it seemed liked the end had come. They cried to the Lord and the Lord parted the mighty Red Sea with just the breath of His nostrils. The people of Israel walked through the Red Sea by faith and triumphed. The Egyptian army thought that they too could do the same, and took the same path through the sea only to be swallowed up and destroyed by the mighty waters. The Egyptian they saw that day the Lord said they would never see again.
In I Corinthians 10:2 Paul refers to the Israelites passing through the Red Sea as an imagery of a person who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, repents and is passed through the waters of baptism. It is important therefore that for one to come into this New Covenant with the Lord Jesus that they not only believe and accept Him as their Savior and Lord, but must also be baptized.
That is the significance of the communion or breaking of bread that we celebrate. Every time we participate, we do so by faith, reminding ourselves that it cost Jesus His precious, sinless life and that He took our sins so we can live a life of freedom from every sin and bondage. It was this tremendous truth that the early church understood that made them break bread from house to house, which in turn brought multitudes into the Kingdom of God.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
