Sunday, February 6, 2011
THE HEART OF FASTING
Matt. 9:14-17
We are taking a look at the concept of fasting, going without food for a time in order to further a spiritual purpose. Last week we learned that the fasting of the Old Testament was associated with mourning, repentance, humility, and prayer. From there, we went to a little survey of fasting among Christians down through the centuries. That survey of history makes it clear that Christians in the past were much more familiar with fasting than Christians today. However, I need to make a clarification, because without such clarification that statement is not accurate. I said that fasting is not common among Christians in our day. I should have said that fasting is not common among American Christians in our day. When we read about Christians in China, India, Korea, and other places, we find fasting to be common among them.
Last week I said that this morning we would tackle the question: Why is it that there is so little fasting in our present American Christian society compared to days past? And that is what we want to do this morning. Rather than beginning with speculation, let’s come to the heart of what our Lord Jesus taught about fasting.
I. This Is Not the Time to Fast
Please turn to Matthew 9. We find the same incident recorded in Mark 2 and Luke 5, but we are going to read it in Matt. 9:14-17…
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15. And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 16. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
Note that it was the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees who often fasted. We remember well the story Jesus told about the tax collector and the Pharisee, where the Pharisee boasted, “I fast twice every week.” Jesus’ story is a reflection of the truth, because those Pharisees did fast twice every week, and they believed that every faithful Jew should do the same. Concerning the disciples of John, we know that some of his disciples because followers of Jesus. That is where Jesus received His very first follower, Andrew. John had told his disciples, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Nevertheless, there were some who continued to be loyal to John and did not follow Jesus. Their practice of fasting was similar to that of the Pharisees. Was their question an honest inquiry, or was it intended as criticism of Jesus and His disciples? We are not told, but it really doesn’t matter.
Regardless of the intent of the question, Jesus answered them by asking a simple question: “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” His words were few, but they are loaded with meaning. The “children of the bridechamber” are simply the attendants of the bridegroom. They would have been the groom’s close friends who were responsible for making sure that the wedding feast was a joyous time for all. The wedding feast generally lasted for a week, and it was a time of great joy and celebration. It is that fact that gives such meaning to Jesus’ words: “Can the children of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” The question is asked in such a way that it anticipates a “No” for an answer.
Do you see the wisdom in Jesus’ answer? He could have explained that He and His disciples were not against fasting. As we have already noted, Jesus began His ministry with a 40-day fast. He knew far more about fasting than those who were asking Him the question. But it was this simple question that put everything into proper perspective. It would be absolutely unheard of for the groom’s attendants to fast during the wedding celebration. It was a time for feasting, not fasting.
But wait a minute. What does a bridegroom and his attendants have to do with Jesus and His disciples? That is the whole point that Jesus is making. In the Old Testament, God is pictured as the husband of His people. The disciples of John, as well as the Pharisees, were very familiar with this truth. As a matter of fact, John the Baptist made reference to this earlier. Let’s read about it in John 3:25-30…
Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30. He must increase, but I must decrease.
John identifies Jesus as the bridegroom. Not only so, but he adds that he himself has great joy in the presence of Jesus. Now Jesus, speaking to the disciples of this same John, reminds them that the attendants of the bridegroom have great joy as long as he is with them. They could not have missed the fact that Jesus was referring to Himself and His disciples, when He spoke of the bridegroom and His attendants.
Do you see? How could the disciples of Jesus fast when they had Jesus Himself in their midst. For hundreds of years the people of God had been waiting for God to send His Messiah. They prayed for His coming, and no doubt fasted in association with such earnest praying. It was perfectly proper for them to long for the Messiah and to give outward expression to that longing. But now the Messiah has come. Since Mark is a man of few words and can fit a lot into a short space, let’s read how he introduces Jesus in Mark 1:9-15…
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Jesus comes on the scene and says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” What did He mean? He was the kingdom of God. Later in Luke 11:20, He tells His hearers that the kingdom of God has come upon them. Again, in Luke 17:20-21, "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your midst -- NIV, NASV, ESV]." That is not to say that there is not a future aspect of the kingdom, but it is to say that Jesus embodies the kingdom of God. When Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand,” He was saying that the long-awaited kingdom announced by the Messiah had come. That is why He could command them to repent and believe the gospel. His presence was the good news they had been waiting for.
Now the question: Did the arrival of Jesus call for fasting? Can you imagine a king’s subjects fasting on the day they crowned him as king? No, it would be a day of feasting and celebration. How much moreso for the King who came down from heaven’s throne? Jesus’ disciples were the men who walked with Him day in and day out. Could they be expected to fast when the kingdom had come to them in the presence of Jesus? If the attendants of the bridegroom wouldn’t be expected to fast, how much less the close friends of this One who embodied the kingdom of God?
Notice again the great contrast here between John’s disciples and the Pharisees on the one hand, and Jesus and His disciples on the other. They fasted often, but Jesus and His disciples didn’t fast at all, as far as they could tell. This is where we see the problem with the fasting of John’s disciples and especially the Pharisees. Their fasting had nothing to do with reality. It was mechanical. The Pharisees fasted every Tuesday and Thursday, period. Nothing could break their routine, not even the coming of the Messiah and King. Their fasting wasn’t even necessarily connected with mourning, repentance, and humility any more. They fasted because they believed it was a good thing to do. Even worse, they believed that it made them acceptable in God’s sight. But their fasting did not take into account what was happening around them. It was a blind fasting that had forgotten God. We’ll come back to this theme a little later.
II. A Time for Fasting Is Coming
Now come back to Jesus’ words, “Can the children of the bridechamber fast as long as the bridegroom is with them?” No doubt, Jesus’ hearers got the message. His answer was amazing. With that little question Jesus had pointed out how ridiculous it would be for His disciples to fast in His presence. Jesus could have stopped right there, because He had adequately answered their question. However, He had more to say. “But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” It’s kind of like when they asked Him to identify the greatest commandment. You remember that He gave them the greatest commandment -- Love God -- but He then added a second, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He does the same thing here. He is saying, “It would be ridiculous for my disciples to fast now while they have me with them, but the time is coming when they will indeed fast.”
So what did Jesus mean by the words, “The days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them”? Notice that there is no question concerning whether His disciples will fast. He says very clearly, “And then they shall fast.” The question is, “When?” When the bridegroom is taken away. But what does that mean? So I ask you, “When was Jesus taken away from His disciples?” Yes, when He was crucified. So that brings up another question. So Jesus’ disciples would fast after the crucifixion. But then we have still another question: “For how long after the crucifixion?” Jesus didn’t remain in that grave. On the third day He rose! Praise God! How long was He with them after He rose from the grave? That’s a tricky question to answer. Yes, for a period of 40 days He appeared to them from time to time. Then after those 40 days, He was taken away from them again. Let’s read it in Acts 1:9-11…
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Now think with me. Gird up the loins of your mind. Jesus said clearly that His disciples would fast when He would be taken away from them. There would be a time when they would fast. The question concerns the duration of that time. There are two basic options. Was Jesus talking about the time in between the crucifixion and the resurrection? Or, was He talking about the time between His ascension and His second coming? If He was referring only to the time between the crucifixion and the resurrection, then His words do not apply to us.
So why might we think that Jesus’ words about being taken away could refer to the time that He was in the grave? First of all, we have to admit that the when Jesus died on the cross, He was definitely taken away. That tragedy certainly caused tremendous sorrow for His disciples. What a time for repentance, after they had forsaken Him. Wouldn’t that be an appropriate time to fast? And I’m sure they did fast.
There is a second argument for limiting fasting to the time while Jesus was in the grave. After Jesus appeared to them for 40 days and then went back to heaven, what happened then? About ten days later He sent the Holy Spirit. We read about it in Acts 2. While the crowd interpreted their proclaiming the works of God in various languages in terms of drunkenness, Peter gave the true explanation: "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear" (Acts 2:32-33). Peter speaks of the promise of the Holy Spirit, because Jesus had indeed promised to send the Spirit. Let’s read it in John 14:16-18, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
Are you beginning to see? Can Jesus’ words about being taken away from His disciples refer to a time when His Holy Spirit is dwelling within them? How can Jesus’ followers fast when the Spirit of God is present with them? How can we fast when our life is hid with Christ in God, when Christ Himself is our very life? Is fasting consistent with a life in which the fruit of the Spirit is growing -- love, joy, peace…?
While those are penetrating questions, let me bring a couple of other considerations to bear on this issue. First of all, it seems unlikely that Jesus would spend His time giving this teaching about His disciples fasting, if it would only apply to a three-day period. If that were the case, Jesus could have stopped after He told them how crazy it would be for them to fast in His presence. Far more important is the truth that Jesus disciples did indeed fast after He rose from the grave and ascended back to heaven. Please turn to Acts 13. The setting is the church at Antioch, where the gospel had spread and a church had taken root. Let’s read Acts 13:1-4…
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. 4. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
That was the beginning of what we call the first missionary journey. This was years after the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost. And notice that none of these disciples were among the original apostles of Jesus. We have already moved beyond that circle. The leaders of the church at Antioch were ministering to the Lord and fasting. And after the Holy Spirit revealed to them that He had chosen Barnabas and Saul [Paul] for a special work, they then fasted and prayed before sending them out. So the first missionary journey begins and ends with fasting. This is a direct fulfillment of Jesus’ words, “And then they shall fast” in Matt. 9:15.
You say, “Well, is that the only example of disciples fasting in the New Testament?” No. Toward the end of that first missionary journey, these words are recorded in Acts 14:23, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." Paul also speaks about his fasting in 2 Cor 11:27 "In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." Some translations (ESV, NIV, NASV), instead of using the word “fastings,” render it “often without food” (and similarly). This gives the idea that Paul was in circumstances where there was no food available. However, that seems unlikely, since he has just spoken of being hungry and thirsty. Only if it is voluntary fasting does it add anything to what he has already said.
III. A New Kind of Fasting
And that brings us to the rest of our passage in Matthew 9. Jesus didn’t stop even after saying that His disciples would fast when He would be taken away from them. He added two illustrations, which are found in verses 16-17…
No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
When you wash the shirt, the piece of new cloth will shrink and will cause the tear to be worse than the original. In the case of the wine bottles, we need to understand that Jesus is not talking about the kind of bottles we are familiar with. These are wine skins. That is, they are containers that have been made out of animal skins. They tanned the hide, turned it inside out, tied the leg holes up with string, and then used the neck hole for the opening. You can imagine that over time these skins became brittle. If new wine was put into them, when that wine fermented and expanded, the skins didn’t have enough elasticity to expand, and so they cracked and the wine was spilled out. New skins were able to expand with the wine, and everything was fine.
So what was Jesus’ point? We must stay close to the context. Jesus is not drawing a contrast between law and grace or anything like that. He is still talking about fasting. With regard to fasting, you can’t pour the new life that Jesus brought into the old forms. The Pharisees and the disciples of John practiced a rigid form of fasting that was not flexible enough to hold the life of Jesus. We see that truth in the very context of this passage. Whether you read this passage in Matthew 9, Mark 2, or Luke 5, you immediately notice that it follows the party Matthew threw for Jesus and his tax collector friends. Let’s read it out of Luke 5:27-32…
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. 28. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31. And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Whether in chronological sequence, or simply in the arrangement of the gospel writers, this scene is followed immediately by their question about fasting. They might as well have said, “Yes, Jesus you came to call sinners to repentance, to heal those who are spiritually sick, but we notice that you and your disciples don’t fast, and we want to know why.” Can you see how out of touch they were with reality. The Son of God has just rescued a despised tax collector from a life of sin and is offering that same hope to a multitude of sinful men, and they want to know why He doesn’t follow their rules for fasting. Even the presence of the Lifegiver from heaven cannot disrupt their well-regulated disciplines. “Don’t bother us with how we can find eternal life; we’re too busy fasting.”
As John Piper puts it, Jesus didn’t call for no fasting, but He did call for new fasting. The Pharisees and others caught the truth that fasting was connected with mourning and prayer. They understood that well, as their outward demonstrations attempted to show others that they were sad and grieved (though it wasn’t over their sins), but they totally missed the joy of the coming Messiah. When Jesus speaks the words of Matt. 9:15, there is a new element introduced to fasting. The bridegroom will be taken away from them, but He has nevertheless come to them. Jesus will be taken away, but they will not be able to forget His presence. They will fast out of grief that He is gone, but they will have joy because they have been with Him and because He is coming again.
In his book, A Hunger for God, John Piper speaks of the Christian being homesick for God. That is why the Christian fasts, because He longs to be with God the Father and his Lord Jesus Christ. This is the new wine of fasting. There is mourning, but there is also joy at the thought of His return.
Let me give you a good, though not perfect, illustration. Do any of you remember the longings that were there before you and your spouse were married? My memory isn’t much, but I do remember that time. Rhonda and I were separated by 500 miles. We knew each other two years before we were married, and we were officially engaged for the last year. So how did I feel when I was in Brownwood, Texas and she was in Tularosa, New Mexico? I was filled with both joy and sadness. Joy, because I could remember the time we had spent together and I was eagerly looking forward to the time when we would be united in marriage. Sadness, because she was so far away and I couldn’t be with her in person. Twice a week I received a little package. It contained a cassette tape. After a received it, I would get everything else done so that I could spend an uninterrupted hour alone with that tape, listening to Rhonda’s voice and learning what she had been doing and thinking for the past few days. I was willing to sacrifice many other things in order to find that precious hour. It was no sacrifice to me. During that year before we got married, there were times when it was a bit difficult to get my mind on other things. Thinking of her was much better than studying for a test.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, you who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we are the bride of Christ. We are His, destined to spend eternity in His presence. But we do not now see Him face to face. The marriage has not yet taken place. Our fellowship with Him is marred by so many things. How we long to be in His presence, with nothing between. When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. The more we think on things above and not on things on the earth, the more we see clearly the fleeting nature of things around us. Not only food, but hobbies and pastimes become less important. This is the fasting of which Jesus speaks. This fasting comes out of truths like what we find in 2 Cor. 3:18, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Let me give a very blunt answer to the reason why fasting is so foreign to most of American Christianity. It is because we don’t long for our Lord Jesus. We have become so comfortable in this world that we don’t long for the next. If that is not true of you, I truly praise God, but I must number myself among those whose comfort in this world has dulled our longing for the glory of being in His presence.
IV. The Key Reason There Is Little Fasting in American Christianity
This morning I want us to wrap up our time together by reading some scriptures. Some of you will be disappointed, because you were looking for some hard and fast answers to questions like… Should I be fasting? If so, how often should I fast and for how long? Should we fast together as a church? I am looking for those answers too, but that is premature. Regardless of what else fasting is, this passage teaches us that fasting comes out of a longing for the bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Himself. How can we talk about the outward expressing of the longing, when we know so little of the inward longing itself?
I yearn for these passages to take hold of me and of us, as the people of God. We know most of them, but the appetites of this world have dulled our spiritual sensitivity to the truth they proclaim. May God’s Word awaken in us a great hunger for His presence and for His glorious return.
John 14:3, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." That where I am, there you will be also. That is our Lord Jesus who says, “That where I am, there you may be also.”
Titus 2:11-14, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Do we not remember how He gave Himself to redeem us? With the life of the Redeemer within us, how can we not look away from everything else that we may look for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus? Fasting is a looking away from this world in anticipation of His glorious appearing.
Phil. 3:18-21, "(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19. Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Yes, people around us set their minds on earthly things, things that will soon pass away. Praise God that our citizenship is in heaven. We are strangers and pilgrims in this world, but we are looking for our eternal home. Though we are already seated there in the heavenly places in Christ, we are longing for Jesus to come change us, in order that we might have unhindered fellowship with Him.
1 John 3:1-2, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face (I Cor. 13:12). Whatever it will be like in heaven, we will see Jesus for who He is. No cloud will dim the eye on that day.
2 Tim 4:6-8, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." Literally, “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.” The Lord will give this crown to all those who love His appearing. This isn’t a special reward for those Christians who choose to love His appearing. All true believers love His appearing. If we are truly His, He will work in us until we do indeed love His appearing, long for His coming.
1 Thes. 1:8-10, "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10. And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." We too have turned to the living and true God. This word translated “wait” means “to wait for one with patience and trust.” Jesus has delivered us from the wrath to come. Praise God! We don’t passively wait for Him, but we wait with eagerness and anticipation.
II Cor. 4:16-5:10… (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 There-fore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
O that we might more and more prefer to be away from this body and at home in the Lord. That is why Paul could say from the depths of his heart: (Phil. 1:21-24) "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you."
When we come to the end of God’s Word, we find these words, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Rev. 22:20-21). As we come closer to the end of our lives on this earth, may that be the deepest cry of our soul, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.”
Now come quickly to the end of I Corinthians. Almost at the very end of this letter we find a very interesting word. 1 Cor. 16:22, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." Some of you may not have the word “Maranatha” in your translation. What do you have? The ESV reads, “Our Lord come.” That’s what the word means -- Our Lord come. What a fitting way for us to end this morning. Is this not a word that we need to use to encourage one another, even as the brothers and sisters did in the early church? We live in a world that encourages us to focus on the temporal things around us. What a time to say to a brother or sister, “Our Lord come.” May that be our cry. Let’s pray.
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