Jude, in his letter to his fellow Christians, references something called a “Love Feast” (Jude 1:12). This seems to have been a common term for the gatherings of believers in each other’s homes on Sundays for the Lord’s Supper, worship, and instruction. We see that this tradition developed early (Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7) and became a fixture in the life of the early church.
We know that in many ways, this meal began long before Jesus, as its roots are in the Jewish Passover. Every year for centuries, the Jewish people would gather in their homes to celebrate God’s delivering them out of slavery on that fateful night, when they baked the unleavened bread in haste in order to quickly escape the Egyptians. Every Jewish person was deeply formed by this practice, which made what Jesus said the night he was betrayed all the more shocking.
Jesus took this sacred meal instituted by God and gave it a whole new meaning, the start of a New Covenant. Now instead of just bread and wine, they were eating and drinking his body and blood. The twelve disciples at the table that night likely had to pick their jaws up off the floor when they heard that! Just as God the Father commanded the Israelites to celebrate the Passover every year so that they would remember God’s salvation, Jesus instituted this Holy Communion so that his disciples would remember his incredible sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.
As the Gospel began to spread around the known world, Christianity went from a small Jewish sect to a large multi-ethnic movement, breaking down all kids of socio-economic barriers. And the Love Feast became one of the main vehicles for its growth. Here, the rich and poor, Jews and Gentiles, outcasts and elites, would gather around the same table, in the same room, sharing the same meal together, remembering Jesus: his life, death, and resurrection. It was a powerful picture of the Kingdom of God: the upside-down Kingdom that Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount; the Kingdom He ushered in through His amazing love.
And now we also celebrate this Love Feast, although it might look different in a church auditorium. We still take the bread and juice and remember Jesus every week, receiving instruction from the word and singing praise to God. But this week, as our church auditorium is not available, we have a unique opportunity! As we meet in house churches, we get to celebrate in a manner much more like the early church, gathering in smaller groups and around a table. This week, we have an opportunity, as we remember our Savior and King, to grow closer to each other “towards a richer unity" (NT Wright, The Meal Jesus Gave Us).
So how do we do it? We have some freedom here, as believers through the ages have practiced the Love Feast with some variety. We have examples in scripture (1 Corinthians 10-11, Romans 14, and so on) that can help inform our practice. There seem to be a few common elements we should observe:
- Songs of worship (1 Corinthians 14:26)
- Breaking the bread, explaining its significance (“This is my body, given for you” Luke 22:19) and eating it together.
- Drinking the juice together, explaining its significance (“This is the blood of the covenant, for the forgiveness of sins” Matt. 26:28).
- Prayer of thanksgiving (Mark 14:22)
- Remembering Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:25): his life and teaching. Share a scripture from the gospels or a reflection from another New Testament passage. It doesn’t need to be a sermon necessarily. It could be a discussion or a time to go around the table as people share some of their favorite moments from the life of Jesus.
Let’s lean into this break from the usual, and embrace the more intimate setting as we commune with God as the Body of Christ!
Ideas for House Church with Kids:
- Ahead of time create a quick summary of the scripture and have the kids act it out
- Allow the kids to lead songs such as: Jesus Loves Me, Love One Another, This Little Light of Mine, Way Maker, Father Abraham, the Sea of Galilee
- Have an activity (that involves movement) as a living example of the concepts being taught
- Consider planning a role for each kid (song leader, scripture reader, passing communion, leading a prayer, sharing a prayer request, greeter
- Plan a craft or some item for kids to work on during quiet moments (word search, crossword, coloring sheet etc)
***Please avoid putting all kids in one location and having just one chaperone- should be two adults with a group of kids, but ideally the kids would be incorporated within the group.
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