Breaking Bread - Acts 27:35-36

Acts 27:35-36 After Paul said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. (NIV)

            It was a desperate moment. The Roman galley that Paul was traveling to Rome in, was about to be shipwrecked. The soldiers, sailors, passengers, and prisoners were panicking and all hope seemed to be lost. In the midst of a terrifying storm with breakers all around them, no one thought they were going to survive.

            Except for Paul. He knew that this was all part of God’s immense plan to bring the Gospel of Christ before the Emperor in Rome. He understood that his mission still needed to be completed. He could have taken his chances, jumped overboard, and perhaps survived in order to escape his captivity. Instead, Paul gathered the people on board together, broke some bread in front of them, and publicly gave thanks to God. He wanted to show them that the apostle’s faith in God was absolute and that they had nothing to fear.

            It worked. The ship’s crew and all the others also ate some bread; perhaps, they too gave thanks to Paul’s God. Whatever they did, their survival was assured because Paul was completely confident that God would save them all.

            Perhaps you’re going through an unsettling time or are currently experiencing some trouble. Maybe you’ve had bad news or been given unexpected health concerns. Perhaps a family member is struggling or you’ve recently been disappointed. Whatever your circumstances, make time to let God be part of what you are going through. Ask God for strength and support, as well as giving Him thanks for just allowing you to voice your concerns and raise your worries in prayer. You may also like to take some bread and break it quietly in His presence, allowing yourself to feel His peace in your mind, heart, body, and soul. It works – just ask the apostle Paul 😊

Point to ponder

Do I need God’s help today? Am I willing to ask Him for what I need?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, break bread with us today, so we may know that You are with us. Guide us through our present situations and enable us to retain our faith and hope in Your everlasting love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s Communion drawings called “New Day.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: NewDay.

Church devotion: A Simpler Path - Acts 2:46

Acts 2:46         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.

            I envy the First Christians. Their faith seemed very simple and straightforward. They worshipped and studied each day, and made time to frequently share meals and break bread together. They weren’t encumbered with almost two thousand years of ecclesiastical history, denominational divisions, or cultural conflicts. They just simply, purely, and innocently practiced their faith in cheerful, faithful, and joyful ways.

            Where did we go wrong? What moved us off the simpler path to Christ? Christians today are fiercer than ever and fighting battles that are not important. Whenever I read something belligerently written by some Christian group, whether they be conservatives or progressives, which berates the other side, I feel badly inside. In the past, I’ve created and contributed to these self-righteous invectives, but I’ve now reached a point where I ask myself this: what does it prove? How does it help Christ’s Kingdom? What do people outside of the Church think of us?

            I’d like to get back to those simpler days of sharing the Gospel and breaking bread together. I’d like things between all Christians to change, so I know that it has to begin with me. I may not get it right all of the time; I hope I don’t wander from the simpler path, but I know that the Church – whether local, national, or even international – can’t go on beating itself with its own stick. The world is broken and we need to be healers sent from Christ, but we can only do that if we honestly heal ourselves of our self-sustained prejudice, arrogance, and ignorance.

Questions for reflection

What is the role of the Church in the world? How does it present that role in my local community?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are all sinners saved by Your grace, but sometimes we forget that we are essentially unworthy and unholy. Redirect our lives and re-position us on a simpler path of faith. Cleanse us of ecclesiastical arrogance and cultural conflict. Teach us Your Way, so that we can faithfully present Your Truth and live Your Life. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make comments or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings. It’s called “Spirit of Autumn.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Spirit.