Why Will We Eat In Heaven?

Evening Service for 8/14/2005

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb

Introduction:

A. (Rev 19:6 NIV) Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. (Rev 19:7 NIV) Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.(Rev 19:8 NIV) Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)(Rev 19:9 NIV) Then the angel said to me, "Write: ’Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

B. At the funeral for my grandfather, I read these words and I talked about times around the dinner table. Grandma was one who made a big spread and on Sunday afternoons, my uncles, aunts and cousins and my family would get together and have a good time. Grandpa was the worlds worst at when you would have your mouth full of something (usually a drink), he would tell a funny that would cause you to fall over and you would choke on your drink. Watch out because at the wedding supper of the Lamb, Ralph Hose is going to be there and he is going to cause you to choke on something while everyone else is laughing their heads off.

WBTU:

A. One time during a particularly stressful week, I was talking with Crystal, partly tongue and cheek, and I said that I will be glad when I get to heaven because in heaven we will not sleep and we will not eat. Mr. Productivity failed to see the usefulness in sleeping and eating. 8 hours of sleep a night, what a waste. Get into some project and have to take a break to eat.

B. Crystal reminded me that in heaven there will be rest. Hebrews 3 and 4 talks about entering the rest of the Lord. (Rev 14:13 NIV) Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." We are not told about sleep in heaven, but we are told about rest. It says that we will reign in heaven with Christ but it will not be stressful and tiresome like it is here.

C. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have the account of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. (Luke 24:30 NIV) When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. We can gather that Jesus also took some of the bread and ate it. Then Jesus appears to his disciples in Jerusalem. (Luke 24:41 NIV) And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"(Luke 24:42 NIV) They gave him a piece of broiled fish, (Luke 24:43 NIV) and he took it and ate it in their presence.

D. In John 21, we have Jesus preparing fish on the shore of Galilee after his resurrection. (John 21:12 NIV) Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. (John 21:13 NIV) Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. Jesus probably ate with them.

E. Peter said in (Acts 10:41 NIV) He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

F. We have many fellowship meals here at the church. This is good. We are going to have a big one on September 11 for our 60th year homecoming. We are getting ready for heaven.

G. Jesus resurrected body is going to be like our resurrected bodies. Some things that are hard to comprehend like Jesus just appearing in a room that is locked, but we shall be like him. It mentions that Jesus ate. We are going to eat in heaven.

H. (Rev 22:2 NIV) down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

I. Why are we going to eat in heaven? Why do most fellowship times of the church revolve around food? What is the purpose?