It’s not unusual in human cultures for love to be celebrated with a meal. In our society, we’re all familiar with romantic dinners, wedding banquets, wakes, and stag-dos. The last meal Jesus shared with His disciples before He went to the Cross was such a meal, and it was at this dinner that He gave them the blueprint of a meal for the church. Taking bread and wine, representing His body and His blood, He instructed them to do this regularly in memory of Him. This they did, and the Agape meal was born, becoming the spiritual and social hub of the first-century messianic community. Modelled after the Greco-Roman banquet, this was a celebration of God’s love in giving His only begotten Son to die on the Cross in our place. It was a tangible expression of this love, a communal gathering where believers shared food, drink, and spiritual nourishment in the spiritual presence of their Lord and Saviour. This practice emphasised the egalitarian nature of the fellowship, reinforcing the idea that all were valued and loved equally in the eyes of God. The convivial and relaxed atmosphere of these meals fostered a sense of unity and belonging, forging deep and lasting bonds of friendship.