AIA Summer 2018 Gatherings - Recap

This summer, we talked about food. Faith and sport and life, as well. But mainly about food, which is almost always at parties—good ones, at least. And used the great content from Tim Chester's, A Meal With Jesus. Here's what we learned and discussed.There are three ways the New Testament completes the sentence, “The Son of Man came . . .”1. "...not to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)2. "...to seek and save the lost." (Luke 19:10)3. "...eating and drinking..." (Luke 7:34)Week 1: Luke 5, it was about grace. Jesus going to Levi’s house for party with other tax collectors and sinners, but the Pharisees/Scribes grumbled about it. And Jesus said he’s like a physician coming for the sick.Week 2: It was about community. It was Luke 7 and the sinful woman hosting Jesus at Simon’s house. This Jesus guy eats and drinks, but he also heals, raises the dead, and forgives sins.Week 3: It was about hope, Luke 9, the feeding for the 5,000 with leftovers. The Messianic Banquet, a foretaste of heaven, the wedding supper with Christ as groom, church as bride, every tribe, tongue, and nation“All the action in Luke chapters 1-9 take place in Galilee, and now we’re heading to Jerusalem and the cross. The open-air large-scale meal is the climax of part 1: Jesus is, in fact, the Christ, Messiah, Anointed One, Son of Man, prophesy fulfilled. The rest of Luke is about what this means for Jesus and what it means to follow Him.Week 4: it was about mission and we looked at the parables Jesus told in Luke 14 while he was at a Pharisees house for a party. He tells a story about how to have a party (invite those that can’t repay you), and then He tells a parable about the Great Banquet, where the Master of the House (Jesus) invites some people who have lame excuses, then he invites others nearby, and then invites others far off. This reflects the ultimate banquet in heaven, as well as our present mission to go near and far to invite others to be part of God’s family.Week 5: we looked at Luke 22 and talked about meals an enacted salvation, looking at the Last Supper passage. Salvation is experienced in the body. We’re embodied souls. "Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word from God." (Deuteronomy 8:3, Luke 4:4). Food is central to biblical story. We demonstrate obedience in Garden of Eden by what we choose to eat. We remember God rescuing us by what we eat, whether it was the Passover to remember the exodus (Exodus 12), or the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22), all of which is looking forward to heaven, the great wedding banquet (Revelation 19:6-10). Death means separation.Week 6: Meals as enacted promise. It’s present power in light of future glory. The promise is fulfilled and will be fulfilled. We looked at Luke 24, where Jesus comes alongside others on their journey, and helps them see that He is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) Jesus makes himself known through His Word (Luke 24:27, 44)