The Feast Without End

By Sarah Teichmann

The other day I was able to attend a large lunch with a bunch of friends. It felt like too much time had passed since we were able to sit down and really enjoy each other’s company. It was great to sit there and take it all in. This is why I love feasts! Okay, there’s the obvious—the food. Usually when you go over to someone’s house for a meal you know that you will be feasting on some good things, and thank goodness that my friends know how much I love macaroni and cheese. However, there’s more than just good food—a feast worth remembering is a feast surrounded by people important to you.

Think about some of the more memorable feasts that you have attended. Who was there? Were the people surrounding you loved ones that you see every day or that you haven’t seen in a while? What funny things were said? Did you laugh so hard that your face hurt?

So, here’s a fact that you may or may not be aware of about the Bible—Jesus liked to eat (just like the rest of us). He liked to eat and he liked to eat with friends. Can you imagine some of conversations that he had? Boy if I could be a 1st century fly on the wall!

Well, not only did Jesus like to eat, but he also liked to talk about eating. He would refer to heaven as a great banquet or feast. Can you imagine what type of feast that would be like?!

We often talk about a foretaste of the feast to come. In communion we gather together as one body of Christ and we know that through Christ we are surrounded by the great communion of all believers. This includes your family next to you, the person who sits a few pews back, those who cannot be present because of location or time, people from all over the world, loved ones who have passed from this lifetime. In communion we are reconnected—and just think—this is a mere foretaste! It’s like having a small taste of the best cake or pie, the beast steak, or other yummy delectable—you can’t wait to taste and see what good things will come!

Heaven will be this feast of wonderment. Can you imagine?! It would be the best foods and best conversations! It’s a feast without end.