Fast or Feast?

Luke 5:33-35

            As we continue our study of St. Luke’s gospel we find ourselves at the home of Levi, who we know as Matthew. Matthew was throwing a big party in celebration of his new found salvation in Jesus Christ. The attendees included Pharisees and disciples of John the Baptizer. A question was put to Jesus that should make us think about how we are to react to the truth of our salvation.

          And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."

             Now before we dive into this passage, it is imperative that we understand the practice of fasting and how it was used, or perhaps abused in first century Judaism. Let me read Leviticus 16:29-31 for you;

  "And it shall be a statute to you forever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves and shall do no work, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you. For on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you. You shall be clean before the LORD from all your sins. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever. And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father's place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments. He shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. And this shall be a statute forever for you, that atonement may be made for the people of Israel once in the year because of all their sins." And Moses did as the LORD commanded him.

          You may be wondering what in the world this passage has to do with the lesson today. If you are not wondering, I am going to tell you anyway. This is the only place in the entire bible that God has commanded fasting. It is on the Day of Atonement.

          All other instances of fasting recorded in the Bible, and there are many of them, are man driven, not God driven. There was sunrise to sunset fasting; seven day fasting; three week fasting; forty day fasting; fifth and seventh month fasting and even fourth, fifth, seventh, and tenth month fasting. By the time of our Lords ministry the Pharisees had instituted “twice a week” fasting.

          But how does God’s word define fasting? You may be amazed at the answer. Isaiah 58:6-7 reads; “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”

             God’s definition of fasting seems to be different than mans. Let’s look at another passage. In Zechariah 7:9-10 God reminds the Prophet what true fasting is; And the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart."

            Are you as surprised as I was? Biblically speaking, fasting is an act of love, not a literal act of self denial.

          It is important to note that Jesus did not condemn fasting, but how it was done. In Matthew 6:16 Jesus told His followers, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward…” Fasting was one of the ways the Pharisees showed their piety, but why were the disciples of John fasting? That may not be as easy to discern but this is what some scholars believe.

          “John had probably made his first public appearance in the summer of the year AD 26. About the close of the year 27 he had been imprisoned. Jesus may have preached the Sermon on the Mount sometime during the spring to midsummer of the year 28. Not long afterward—perhaps near the beginning of the year 29—John was put to death. It is [possible] that the fasting of John’s disciples was essentially a mourning for their master.”  Hendriksen

          Now that we have some background, let’s go back to the text; And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?”

            Notice that Jesus said nothing about the prayers. He and His disciples may not have prayed at the specific times designated by the Pharisees, but they prayed often, and in private, not in public like the Pharisees. He does however address the fasting question. “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?”

          Jewish weddings in first century Palestine were a little different than weddings today. Well, actually they were a lot different. The newlyweds did not go on a honeymoon but instead stayed home and kept an open house for a week. During that week they were treated like royalty, wore their finest clothes and sometimes even wore crowns. There close friends looked after all the details and stayed close to the couple all week. They kept the party going and were front and center in the celebration.

           “How”, Jesus asks, “can the close friends of the couple fast during such a joyous occasion?” That is absurd, and obviously the question was rhetorical, they can’t!

          Likewise, how could the followers of Christ fast in the presence of the king? They couldn’t!  Let me take this one step farther.  How can the person who acknowledges Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior not live a life full of joy and gladness? They can’t! 

          On the night of our Lords birth the angels appeared before some shepherds and “the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, ‘fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord’” Luke 2:10-11 

When Jesus walked this earth he was “God with us” but that was before Pentecost. After Pentecost he is “God within us”, should this not awaken in every child of God, a joy beyond description? In John 15 Jesus is talking about the fruit we will bear because we abide in Him, and he in us. He then says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

          The apostles understood this joy that can only come from trusting in Jesus Christ. In his letter to the Romans St. Paul wrote; “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:10-11

             Again in Romans 15:13 he writes; May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. And in Galatians 5:22-23; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control….”

            St. Peter also understood the joy of the Christian as he wrote in his first letter; “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9  

            This quote from Charles Spurgeon might help put things into perspective; “It is an unfortunate thing for the Christian to become melancholy. If there is any man in the world that has a right to have a bright, clear face and a flashing eye, it is the man whose sins are forgiven him, who is saved with God’s salvation.”

          “One Sunday evening David Livingstone sat in the Aberdeen Music Hall listening to a service rendered by a [delegation] from the London Missionary Society. When the service was over, Livingstone looked [reflectively] after the team as they filed out the door. The look on his face so attracted the attention of a congregational minister who was standing nearby, that he stepped quietly to the boy’s side and with a smile asked, “My boy, would you like to be a missionary?” Livingstone later said that it was that smile, questioning and tender, which led him to make his final decision to serve his Savior as a foreign missionary.” Knights p344

          It would appear that the call for the Christian to “rejoice in the Lord always”, is more than just a suggestion. It is a command. It is also an emotion that we have complete control over. Smile, who knows what God might do with it?

          Getting back to the text, Jesus told his listeners that the day was coming when He himself would be taken away and then it would be time for His disciples to fast. Some interpret this as a commandment to keep the fast until Christ returns. It is not a commandment to fast but rather an allusion to voluntary fasting. This time of fasting was to be short lived and be brought on by mourning when our Lord was crucified and laid in the tomb. Jesus explained this Himself in John 16 and although the passage is lengthy, it will, I hope, tie everything together.

"A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me." So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?" So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:16-22

            Jesus promised that no one will take your joy from you. But He didn’t say that you can’t lose it on your own. If you are not rejoicing, it is not Christ’s fault, it is yours. You may say I have little to be joyful about. When you go out for lunch today, when you go back to work tomorrow, when you go to the store this week, you will see many people that are going to spend eternity in hell. If you trust in Jesus Christ, you will be spending eternity in is presence. If nothing else rejoice in that promise.

          The Bridegroom wants His church to feast with Him every day. In his kingdom, there is no need for fasting; only celebrating.