COMMUNION MEDITATION (14) – Two Dinners

Matthew 14 tells of two vastly diferent feasts.

The first was given by Herod on his birthday. Salome danced for the lusty king and pleased him so much he promised her up to half of his kingdom. She asked for the head of John the Baptiser on a platter, and he gave it to her.

The second was in a remote place where Jesus had gone for solitude. There, he found a crowd awaiting Him. He had com­passion on them and healed them, as well as teaching them many things.

At evening, His disciples wanted Him to send the crowd away so they could go to the nearby villages to buy food. Jesus said, They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat (v.16). The flabbergasted disciples objected, We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.”

Jesus took the meager supply of food, gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

The entire crowd of 5,000 men, besides women and children, ate all they wanted. Afterwards, the disciples picked up twelve basketsful of broken pieces.

One of these dinners was a revelry; the other was fellowship with the Lord. In one, lust was king; in the other, people wanted to exalt Jesus to be king. (They had the wrong motive for wanting to make Him king, but at least they had the right person to put on the throne!) One provided healing for the masses; the other led to the death of a prophet.

Which feast do I seek? Do I want the feast of the world where indulgence is the order of the day and selfishness reigns? Do I glory in the lusts of the flesh and appetite?

Or do I seek the feast where I have fellowship with Jesus and His people? When I am at His Table, do I yearn to be else­where? Or do I find joy here with Him?

Where is my heart? With Jesus or with the lusty crowd?

Next – Clean or Unclean?

Previous – Antidote to Worry