I hear it almost every Sunday. You probably do too. But the last couple of Sundays it really hit me. Perhaps it is because I saw the title of a sermon message about fasting and its been on my mind. But Jesus is right now fasting!
In the times of Jesus, communion was a deeply meaningful part of sharing relationship. It was a time of drinking wine and breaking bread together over a meal. It was a time of joy. It meant something and it still does.
But Jesus says no more. Not for now. Every Sunday he asks us to take of the “fruit of the vine” and to “take and eat” as an act of remembrance. At the same time, Jesus is purposefully not drinking of the fruit of the vine and not taking of the bread as a remembering of us.
“I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matt 26:29).
Jesus is fasting. Not of all food and drink, but of communion. And he will not drink the wine or eat the bread and has not for over 2000 years and will continue to not do so until we are with him. He’s saving it for the great celebration. And after thousands of years of fasting, it will be all that much more sweeter. This really is communion.
