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  THE COMMON MEAL
  by G.W. North
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Summary: The common meal in the early Church was a vital aspect of its
life, emphasizing unity, fellowship, and steadfastness.

Topics: "Communion", "Fellowship"
Scripture References: Acts 2:42, Acts 2:46

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DESCRIPTION
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G.W. North emphasizes the significance of the 'breaking of bread' as a
foundational practice of the early Church, illustrating how it
symbolizes both communal participation and the continuity of faith among
believers. He highlights that this act is not merely a ritual but a
reflection of the Church's life, where joy and fellowship are central to
their gatherings. North points out that Luke's use of this phrase
connects the apostles' teachings with the communal life of the saints,
showcasing the balance between the extraordinary unity of the Church and
the ordinary life shared in homes. This practice fosters a sense of
belonging and shared experience, essential for the growth and favor of
the Church in the community.

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CONTENT
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The first of the three scriptural titles is used in Acts 2.42. It is
referred to in a list of four practices in which the Church steadfastly
continued from the day of Pentecost onwards. It is a most homely phrase,
obviously adapted by the writer from everyday life, and is admirably
suited to create just the right atmosphere for the new-born family of
saints. Luke deliberately sets it in that background with divine
intention, thus introducing the ideas of naturalness and continuity.

Breaking of bread is a comprehensive term indicating to the eastern mind
more than the literal wording of the phrase. It embraces the idea of
participation in a whole meal, a normal practice of life as Luke shows
in verses 46 & 47. But in verse 42, breaking of bread is distinctively
spoken of in connection with apostles, and fellowship, and prayers, and
connects with these the virtues of steadfastness and continuity.
Obviously this is purposely done with the object of delineating early
Church practice. In verses 46 & 47 the term is linked with the idea of
ordinary (or is it extraordinary?) social hospitality; with singleness
of heart the saints shared a common experience and life. The whole
conveys the picture of a glad, joyful company, praising God and having
favour with all the people.

In those few sentences Luke has presented two aspects of the Church's
life:

(1) the Church extraordinary gathered together into one; (2) the Church
ordinary dispersed abroad in their homes. He has simply taken a phrase
in common use, lifted it out of its normal setting and applied it in all
its simplicity to what had by then become the one common meal of the
Church, thereby giving it particular emphasis. By doing this he : (1)
purposely changed the entire meaning of the phrase, (2) he set it in a
new age-abiding context, (3) he established its vital necessity.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/gw-north/the-common-meal/
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