The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Message summary: Today we want to encourage our readers to do some reminiscing about having a meal in a memorable setting. Then we want you to consider a meal in the Bible that surely became a source of lifelong reminiscing to those who partook.

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Early this week we had our 48th annual family reunion for my mom's side of the family, the descendants of my grandparents, George Washington and Nellie Mae Steincross. In my lifetime that began when going to their home in rural Missouri through my teens. After they passed on we began meeting in various resort areas since 1975. All their children are now gone and now my generation, their grandchildren, is the oldest.

This year we held it in Lancaster County since it was our turn to host. We are very pleased at the way things worked out and everyone thoroughly enjoyed Lancaster County, nicknamed the Garden Spot of America. They experienced first-hand the quintessential pastoral views booming with acres of tall corn, soybeans, vegetables and flowers of every color. Of course the self-serve produce stands are near the farms offering beautiful bouquets of flowers along with various kinds of fruits and vegetables.

The highlights of our reunion included two group meals.

Monday evening we met on the Old Windmill Farm for a picnic on the grounds. The farm never disappoints and our family had a great time with a tour of the barn, mule-drawn wagon hay rides and horse-drawn barrel rides for the children. We enjoyed grilled hot dogs and all the complimentary foods followed by a beautifully decorated cake made by Shady Maple big enough for 80 people. We celebrated two couples' 50th wedding anniversary and one couple celebrating their 60th. Rhubarb Punch was a big hit especially among the children. After our meal we had a time of both informal and formal reminiscing that further endeared us to our family roots.

Tuesday evening we had a full sit-down meal prepared by an Amish family in their home with all the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch foods. They served us delicious food and after the meal we reminisced even more. Before departing we formed in a circle of prayer led by my cousin, Dub Steincross. It was a memorable experience for all gathered in that setting and we hope it will be another source of pleasant reminiscing for years to come.

To reminisce is defined as the enjoyable recollection of past events. For many of us it is among the most pleasant aspects of aging!

Have you ever tried to tally how many meals you've eaten? Of course in most cases it will only be an estimate but based on our age we figure we've each had some 70,000 meals (give or take several thousand). That's just based on our age and three meals a day and doesn't even include munching! We don't remember the vast, vast majority of meals but we certainly have had some memorable ones often due to the special occasion and the people we ate with.

Today we want to encourage you to do some reminiscing about memorable meals you've eaten had as we consider a meal written about in the Bible that surely became a source of lifelong reminiscing to all those who partook.

It follows the marvelous conversion of the Philippian jailer who was spared from suicide and redeemed through salvation. That story is recorded in Acts 16:16-32. The jailer immediately demonstrated evidence of his conversion by taking his maximum security prisoners, Paul and Silas, and tending to their fresh wounds, and by being baptized (v.33).

The last Scriptural reference to this jailer is seen in our daily text when he "brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household" (Acts 16:34).

"And he brought them into his house." Of course we don't know how far the house was from the jail but assume it was close, perhaps even attached to it. What a change for Paul and Silas who, a short time earlier, had their robes torn off, were beaten with rods, thrown into an inner cell and had their feet fastened in stocks. What a contrast to now experience the warm fellowship of a home and meal presented by the prison warden, no less. Was the jailer married and if so what did his wife think when she saw him bringing these beaten prisoners into their home in the middle of the night?

"And set food before them." Paul and Silas had been severely beaten the day before and there is no record of any meal in the prison. Even if there had been it's hard to imagine it being very tasty since prison food usually doesn't rate well. The only appealing food in a jail setting I've ever considered was the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and biscuits from Aunt Bee's kitchen she often prepared for jailbirds on the "Andy Griffith Show". The food basket she lined with a  linen napkin and carried on her arm into the sheriff's office making the jail setting all the more cozy and appealing. (Imagine prisoners getting linen napkins for their food clean-up!)

But back to our non-fiction text now, this was a middle of the night meal, with no detail as to who prepared it or how elaborate it was. One thing's for sure, they couldn't call in for a pizza delivery! However, the meal was prepared and whatever food was set before them, it surely was tasty on an empty stomach. Eating in a comfortable home setting is far superior to eating in a dingy jail cell with your feet in stocks as the guards looked on.

"And rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household." Let's consider the descriptive setting that followed the service of the food. The text says they "rejoiced greatly". Now, good food can bring on some pleasant compliments expressed to the host, but the text makes clear the overriding reason for their great time of rejoicing was due to the jailer who turned from a sinful life to, "having believed in God with his whole household". The real source of joy was their faith in Christ. He and his household got saved! (See song below.)

Paul and Silas sung praises in the jail even in the midnight hour which is not your usual response for jailers during the early morning hours. How might the demeanor of the prisoners and words of the songs they sang in praise to God have made an impact on the jailer? As they completed their time together at this late night/early morning meal, perhaps Paul and Silas taught the family household a hymn before departing.

This surely was a meal and experience that was reminisced over the years by all who partook! May you also experience the blessing and benefits of reminiscing over past events and meals that have made an impact on your life.

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber