The Fast of Christ

What is your favorite thing to eat on your birthday? Cake? What is your favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving? Mash potatoes? Turkey? Pie?

Food and eating is something that is deeply ingrained in our lives! When I was growing up, every Sabbath afternoon, if there was not a potluck at church, my family had a tradition of gathering together with some friends or some extended family members for food and fellowship. I craved that as a young person, even though I was shy. I wanted to have family or friends over just so I could hear the conversation. I remember one time I asked my mom, “Are we having company today or is it just gonna be a grouchy Sabbath?” It wasn’t that we fought or argued if we didn’t have company—we just all genuinely loved getting together with people, and it was something I messed when we didn’t.

When Jesus walked on earth, in the gospel accounts we often find Him eating. Eating together with the disciples, feeding the multitude, or eating at the Pharisee’s house. Eating, yes, even with tax collectors and sinners! Jesus’ critics remarked, “The disciples of John fast often, but your disciples eat and drink.” (Luke 5:33) That was their criticism. Not that He was a drunkard, but He was always happy for the social occasion. Jesus replied, “You cannot make the attendants of the groom fast while the groom is with them, can you?” (Luke 5:34) Jesus’ ministry was not a time of mourning and grief for his disciples, but it was a time of rejoicing. In keeping with that spirit of ministry, Jesus ate with his disciples. He fed the multitude. Yes, he accepted the hospitality of the tax collectors and the sinners.

But of all the meals that Jesus ate, one meal alone stands out in the memory of his followers like no other. It wasn’t the feeding of the 5,000—although that certainly left an indelible mark on their minds. It wasn’t the feast at Simon’s house—despite the dramatic scene that took place. It was a simple meal, a Passover meal, eaten in an upper room in Jerusalem.

You could sense the excitement in the hearts of the disciples as they prepared to eat that special meal with Jesus. Any moment now, they expected Jesus to announce his presence at the feast as the Messiah and deliverer of Israel. Only a few days before, he had entered Jerusalem in royal majesty! None of the twelve could envision the events that would unfold in the next few hours. Every one of the disciples knew that something important was about to happen, and they wanted to be the closest to Jesus in his new coming kingdom. You could feel the rivalry around that table as they ate that last supper together.

It was not until Jesus rose from the table and girded himself with a towel that their hearts were stung with remorse for their selfish ambition. What a lesson Jesus had to teach the disciples in that simple act of humility! As he knelt down in front of Peter, John, and Judas, taking the towel and wiping their dusty feet, the disciples looked first towards one another, then towards Jesus. Peter blurtted out, “Lord, you’re never going to wash my feet!” Peter didn’t understand—not only was Jesus washing off the dirt from the streets outside, but in a symbol, Jesus was cleansing them of sin in their hearts.

So many times, even the enemies of Jesus asked the question, “Does this man claim to forgive sins?” Yes! By the washing of water and of his blood, he was cleansing his disciples there in that evening. You might think that, considering the solemn and heartbreaking events that were about to take place, Jesus would have chosen to fast that evening. Jesus had fasted for 40 days in the wilderness. If ever Christ was going to fast again, you would think he should have fasted that Thursday night before he went into the garden, before he faced that trial of his life! But no, he chose to eat with his disciples. He chose to eat that last supper.

I’ve always wondered about this: Why did Christ not choose to fast? Why was it that he chose to eat that last supper with his disciples? As Jesus and his disciples drank from that cup of simple grape juice, Jesus uttered these immortal words: “This is my blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for the remission of sins.” In these words, he promised that He Himself would be that Passover Lamb. He made a new covenant, sealed by his blood, that he would forgive their sin. And not only theirs, because he said “this blood was shed for many.” That includes you. That includes me.

We find in 1 John 2:2, “He himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.” He died. He shed his blood, symbolized by that grape juice. He shed his blood so that you and I might be free. This is the essence of the gospel: the cup of grape juice that Jesus gave to his disciples. Because in that cup, in that blood, is represented the very life of the Son of God. Jesus’ blood was about to be shed. It was shed for sin, but not his own. It was shed for yours. It was shed for mine. Yes, it was shed even to cover the sin of Judas, although Judas would not take advantage of that gift.

But here is the command. He said, “drink it.” You needed to partake of it. I have shed the blood, but you must partake of it. You can have all of the grape juice in the world in your possession, but it will do you no good unless you take a sip of it. How much fun would it be if all your friends gathered around and ate your birthday cake and you didn’t get any of it? That’d be a shame! How much more of a shame would it be if Christ gave his life and you wouldn’t partake of that life?

Here is the feast of Christ, if you can call it a feast in that last supper. But I’ve titled this message “The Fast of Christ.” Notice Matthew 26:29: “I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you new in my Father’s kingdom.”

“I will not drink,” Jesus says. He had already partaken of that grape juice there with his disciples, but it was to be his last time drinking a sip of grape juice until we’re together again in the kingdom. “I will not drink.” It was a solemn vow, a vow to abstain from grape juice until his people should be united together again.

Jesus—the one who had fed 5,000, the one who had turned water into wine at that wedding—says “I’m not going to drink it again. I’m going to fast. I’m going to fast until that day.” This, brothers and sisters, I believe is the fast of Christ. Not just the 40 days that he fasted in the wilderness, but the fast that he is fasting right now.

This is not a fast of mourning, as we find many times in the Old Testament. Not a fast of weeping, nor one of repentance—because Jesus has no need to repent! Nor is it a fast of prayer—though certainly Christ intercedes for us continually before His Father.

No, if anything, this is a fast of expectation. A pause in celebration, if you will, knowing that the greatest feast is just around the corner. At the beginning of this message I mentioned Thanksgiving dinner. I remember many Thanksgiving celebrations with family when I was young. It would be getting towards lunch time, and mom and all of my family would be in the kitchen fixing up something good. The pies would be coming coming out of the oven, and the aroma would be almost overpowering. Waves of hunger would come over me and I would run to my mother, “Mom, I’m hungry. Can we eat?”

Always her reply, “Not yet! Dinner is almost ready. Don’t ruin your appetite!” And we would “fast” for a short while, knowing that Thanksgiving dinner would soon be served.

In Isaiah 25:6, we find this promise: “Now the Lord of armies will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain.” (NASB) And in Revelation 19:9, we find a the promise repeated: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”

What did Jesus say about this to his disciples in John 14:1-3? “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.” (NASB)

Thanksgiving dinner is almost ready. No, more than Thanksgiving. More than Christmas. More than the ancient Passover, because it’s going to be a wedding. It will be the marriage supper of the Lamb!

The feast is almost ready. Jesus says “I’m not drinking it now because I’m going to drink it when I can drink it with you.” How soon is it coming? Four times in the book of Revelation, Jesus declares, “I am coming quickly. I am coming quickly. I am coming quickly. I am coming quickly.” So quickly and so surely that right here in view of the cross, as Jesus is about to go through the worst agony of his life, he makes a promise. Her promises “I will not drink of it.” That promise that will last through all of Christian history, until that day when He drinks that fresh grape juice with us in His Father’s kingdom!

Friends, Jesus is still fasting. He’s still waiting. He’s not tasted a drop of grape juice in 2000 years—because, Jesus is coming again! And every time Jesus sees a cluster of grapes ripening in that heavenly vineyard, he thinks about you, his bride. He wants you to be ready. He’s preparing everything so that you can come home. Now today, he wants you to take this communion. He wants you to drink this symbol of his blood, to accept his forgiveness, to eat of this bread that is a symbol of his body. But the next time he drinks that grape juice, will be when he can enjoy it with you in His kingdom.

Father in heaven, Lord, we cannot thank you enough for the promise that Jesus gives to us. We cannot thank you enough for the sacrifice of Christ and for his broken body and his shed blood. And Lord, we’re going to celebrate that right now. But Lord, we can’t wait—just like Jesus can’t wait—to be together in that kingdom, to enjoy that feast together with our Lord and Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Keep us ready. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.