Consuming God’s Son as a Way of Life: The How and the Why (Part 2)

[Editor’s Note: In Part 1 of this two-part series, David Bryant helped us see that we’re either consuming Christ or complacent toward him—it’s one or the other. Using the Jewish sacrificial system and Passover, he explored how today in Christ there’s always feasting going on because in the fullness of who he is, Christ is our Passover, to be celebrated every single day. According to John 6, indulging in God’s Son should become a way of life for us. In Part 2, David takes us deeper into this extraordinary access we have to our Savior.]

Consuming Christ.  I’m reminded of the meal offered in Revelation 3, when in his ascended glory Christ knocks at the heart-doors of Laodicean disciples, asking full entrance into their lives for the express purpose of sharing an affectionate repast with them, sitting with them face to face.  King Solomon describes a moment like this: “He brings me into his banqueting hall, and his banner over me is love” (Song of Solomon 2).

This takes us back to Jesus’ well-known parable in Luke 14 and Matthew 22 where he describes this kind of intimate engagement in another way.

In this story, the Father sends out invitations far and wide for people to dine with his Son (in reality, to dine on his Son) saying: “Come to the table, for everything is now ready.”

In other words, God’s kingdom should never be confused with a McDonald’s fast-food, order-and-run, drive-through window meal. His Son deserves for us to join him for a permanent sit down banquet, where we linger over unlimited portions set before us—a table prepared for us right now, like Psalm 23 promises, even if it must be in the presence of our enemies. Even there, in him, our cups will keep running over.

Furthermore, the good news declares that these festivities will only increase throughout eternity.

From the moment we trust in him Christ presents himself to us as “appetizer, entrée, and dessert”—combined! Because all things have been placed under his feet (Ephesians 1), he offers himself freely to be our main course, with all of heaven and earth thrown in like garnishes. He’s our all-sufficient food and drink for each day he gives us in this world, just as he will be our singular, necessary, boundless provision in the world to come (Luke 13).

Jesus is not just all the nourishment we want or need. In his supremacy he himself is, in fact, the only nourishment we have—the only meal the Father will ever set before us.

No wonder Peter writes: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2).

It comes down to this: Everything is ready. Jesus is ready. So come to him! And enjoy!

Postscript: Jonathan Edwards and C. S. Lewis Nailed It

For nearly two hours one Sunday morning in 1742, Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards invited his sizeable Massachusetts congregation to lay hold of Christ in new ways.

The pastor’s central thesis began like this: “There is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ.” Next, his sermon proceeded to expound how justice and grace, glory and humility, majesty and meekness, obedience and dominion, resignation and sovereignty all converge in an infinite display of Christ’s sovereignty.

But then Edwards described candidly for his people the shape their zeal for Christ should take: “The excellency of Jesus Christ is suitable food of the rational soul. The soul that comes to Christ feeds on this, and lives on this. It is impossible for those who have tasted this fountain, and know the sweetness of it, ever to forsake it.”

Consume Christ.  That was Edwards’ plea.

In The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis concurs, although he modifies the metaphor. He likens this fervency for God’s Son to the transfixing beauty of a sunset. Lewis describes how a viewer can easily be so captivated by it he or she can’t help but linger before it, trying to absorb every last ray of its fading splendor. Haven’t we all experienced that at least one time? Here’s my paraphrase of his concluding words:

Just like the moment when a person is seized by a glowing horizon, we do not want merely to see the beauty of Christ. We want to be united with the Christ we see, to pass into him, to receive him into ourselves, to bathe in him, to become part of all he is.

That’s one way to describe a passion to consume Christ— which ultimately leads us to a passion to be consumed by him.

Both of which will never end.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Bryant

Known as a proclaimer of Christ and Messenger of Hope, David Bryant is the founder and president of Proclaim Hope!, a ministry whose goal is to serve a nationwide Christ Awakening. David is the author of five books, including Christ Is ALL! Join in the Joyful Awakening to the Supremacy of God’s Son.