Eating and Drinking

Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

We have already shared how on a cold Easter morning we gave out coffee and donuts to people selling newspapers at nearby intersections. But this was the first of several similar actions. We went to downtown Tampa and gave cupcakes out to the homeless; on July 4th we brought lemonade to some women who were all day doing landscaping work in New Tampa. And just a few weeks ago we joined Amazing Love Ministries and helped them feed the homeless. Hmmm.... It seems like we are a church who is all about food and drink!! Not to mention that we start every Saturday Seed Group with the Lord’s Supper and a full dinner; then close our time with coffee and desert. We are a faith community that gathers in and around food.

There's a precedent set for that in Scripture. Jesus also had encounters around meals. After he spoke to the crowds, he did not leave them go physically hungry but multiplied bread and loaves to the point of leftovers (Mathew 14 &15). It seems that Jesus was always down for a dinner party--and was even criticized for eating at the home of some people with sketchy characters. (Mark 2:16) Jesus even advocates giving a cup of cold water to drink (Mathew 10:42)--or maybe even lemonade? After Jesus resurrected and ascended,the theme of food continued. The first century church ate in each other’s homes regularly (Acts 2:46).

So we invite you to eat with us, and help us feed others as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his first followers.