Dear friends of BCUC,Jesus said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking.” – Luke 7:34Eating is a big theme in the Bible. All the important Jewish religious festivals instructed by God involved eating food and feasting together. The very first instruction given to Adam in the Garden of Eden—before Eve was even created—was about eating: he was allowed to eat from every tree except two. In Jesus’ time, who you ate with mattered. It showed who you considered your chosen and accepted community.Not much has changed today. Sharing meals is a central part of major celebrations, from weddings to Christmas lunch and beyond. Eating together is important in all cultures.At the table, we share life. We talk about issues, laugh together, debrief the day, make plans for the future, and discuss world events. We learn from each other and even grow in love for one another. My love language is quality time, and there’s nothing better than sharing good food with good company.That’s why I love it when, in the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks to John in a vision and says:“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” – Revelation 3:20Jesus chooses to eat with us! Imagine that—we could be the people He enjoys spending time with, the ones He sits down with at the table.I wonder—do you have a spare chair at your dinner table? Can you picture Jesus sitting there, eating with you? What would you talk about? Would it be a joyful conversation or a heavy one?This Sunday, we begin our new Lenten series in preparation for Easter, “Eating with Jesus.” We will explore some of the many stories where Jesus used a mealtime to teach a lesson.As we start this journey together, could we open the Gospels during our mealtimes and allow Jesus’ words to be part of our conversations?I look forward to walking this path with you.Your friend in Christ,Benji
