Sermon . The Feasts Prepared by God
Daniel 2:37; Matthew 7:21,23; Revelation 1:12,17; Daniel 3:15
Beloved ones, invited to the sacred
banquet of Christ Jesus—
May the Lord prepare you through this spiritual feast to partake in the deeper,
divine experience of His eternal table. Amen.
Once, when I prayed, “Lord, help me,” the
Lord responded by writing the answer in the air. Later, in Rajahmundry, He
appeared to me in the very same attire and imparted sanctification. What
astonished me was how silently He came, ministered, and departed—without a
word, without a table. That was the wonder. Usually, when we partake in the
Lord’s Supper, a table is set. But today’s meditation reveals a profound truth
beyond the physical setup.
The Feasts of God:
1. The Feast of Creation
The whole creation itself is a banquet God has lovingly prepared for us. Even
before we were born, He arranged everything we would need—sunlight, rain, air,
trees with fruit, grains, and animals. All these are gifts He set upon the
table of the earth for our blessing.
Have we lacked any of these? No. We daily
experience them. That is the first divine feast—the
feast of life and provision.
2. The Feast of Daily Nourishment
The food we prepare using the elements of creation becomes a part of our daily
sustenance. This, too, is a feast from God. We are reminded of the prayer,
“Give us this day our daily bread.” Everything we consume—honey, grains,
vegetables, rice, curry, tamarind, spices—comes from His creation. Even the
smallest things: the firewood that burns in our stove, the glass from which we
drink, the plate on which we eat—where did they come from? From creation. But
even fire won’t burn without air—where does air come from? Again, from
creation. There is nothing we experience that has not come from the Creator’s
hand. Recognizing this, even in the smallest things, becomes an act of praise. And when we understand these
blessings, it brings great joy to our Heavenly Father. When we attend an
earthly banquet, we often ask, “Where is this curry from? Who made these
sweets? Where was this cake prepared?” We inquire, and we give thanks. If there
are so many delightful things at a worldly feast, how much more abundant will
the Lord’s heavenly banquet be? So why do we mention rice? Or water? Or curry?
Because each has its place and purpose. How gracious is our God! How deeply He
has loved even a sinner like me. And what are many others, especially the
unbelievers, doing today? They have forgotten the love of God.
When they receive their daily food, they
say:
"O God! I thank You for this meal You have provided. Because the
thought that You are the Giver is within me, I am satisfied. All thanks be to
You!"
In Germany, Christians customarily offer
thanks after a meal. But we often lack such practices. Some may say,
"We give thanks when we pray." That too is good.
When we eat fruits like figs, do we pray?
We say, “Praise be to God.”
That itself is a prayer. "O Lord! You provided this fruit through these
people—thanks to You!" First, praise God, and then express thanks
to the person who brought it.
The order is: first thanks to God, then to people.
When
it rains, do we praise God? If God sends rain as a feast to us, then we must
not praise anything else—we must only glorify God (Jeremiah 14:22).
Even
before eating, we must not just pray but offer thanks. Both prayer and
gratitude together form the essence of true Christian living.
A
missionary once bought some lime pellets from a vendor. When he returned to
settle the bill, he realized the pellets were more than what he had paid.
He carefully measured out the extra ones and returned them to the vendor. The
vendor was astonished—his face lit up with gratitude and wonder. That is the power
of thankful living.
Whatever
anyone gives us, let us give thanks to God. Even if the food lacks salt,
say “Praise be to the Lord.” In all things, praise the Lord—for
it is a beautiful and good thing to do. Since all of creation is made by God,
we must praise Him. Secondly, because we draw from creation and use it
in our lives, we must thank Him again.
The
First Feast: When someone is afflicted by cholera, we
crush leaves and extract their juice to give them. If bitten by a venomous
snake, we immediately apply turmeric paste to the mouth, nose, eyes, ears, and
the bitten wound. The poison dissolves instantly.
These
remedies are made from things found in creation itself. Everything we
use comes from creation—whether medicine or clothing. What do we truly own in
this world? Nothing. Some say, “Prayer is unnecessary; only praise is needed.”
But Father Devadasu taught that both prayer and praise are
necessary. One man said, “I have no time to pray, so I will praise.” But what
should a person do when sick? Even after prayer, they must immediately begin to
praise.
If
praise stops, prayer loses its power. Even when medicine is administered
and prayers are offered, if a person still dies—what then? One must continue to
praise. As the Gospel of Matthew says, if God does not take the person
at that time, and they are given more time, they might fall into sin and be
destroyed. But if they die now, they may enter Hades and be saved. So
who performed this act—God or man? If God allowed it, then thanks must be
given to Him.
The Second Feast: This is the Lord’s Supper, the
holy communion offered in church by the priest. It is a feast reserved only
for Christian believers. Why is this considered a feast? Because it offers two
blessings:
- Strength for the soul,
- Strength for the body.
The
body and blood of Christ are given for both spiritual and physical
well-being. The meal served at the altar is for the forgiveness of sins.
After
returning home from church, sinful thoughts or memories of past sins may
return. These internal struggles are true sins. To remove them, the Lord
Himself provides grace through visions and sacred experiences.
May
the Lord prepare us for such divine experiences! Amen.
Spoken
by Father Devadasu on Friday morning, December 4, 1950, at the Guntur Christian
Fellowship.
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