Better Than Money Can Buy

This morning we’ve seen that Mark presents the First Advent of Christ as the inauguration of a New Exodus. This New Exodus is described throughout Isaiah 40-55. Interestingly, this section concludes with a call to come and eat. It is actually the call that we are currently using at the beginning of our service following the seasonal scripture sentence, “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price…Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Just as God brought Israel out of Egypt “to hold a feast” with Him at Sinai; even so the new exodus that He accomplishes by the cross is to culminate in a feast on the heavenly mountain. Ultimately, these verses are the call of the gospel. But, then again, what is the Table spread before, but the gospel in tangible form? You see eating and drinking are actions that depict so well what it means to receive the gospel. It is not enough to know what food and drink are, or even to agree that they are necessary for sustaining life. If you don’t actually eat and drink, you’ll starve, or die of thirst! Even so it’s not enough to know about Christ, or even to agree that He is the Lord and Savior of the world – the devil does all that. If you don’t feed upon Him by faith, if you’re not nourished and strengthened by His Body and Blood, you’ll perish in your sins, or your faith will be choked out by the cares of this world! Eating and drinking also depict so well the fruit of the gospel. Eating what is good brings delight. Later on in Isaiah, just before he describes the New Jerusalem, we read this, “Behold, My servants shall eat…drink…rejoice…[and] sing for joy of heart.” Beloved, the Table spread before you is nothing more or less than the gospel. As you eat and drink by faith in the death of Christ for you, rejoice and sing for joy of heart! This meal, this gospel, is more valuable than money can buy; it must be received as a gift of God’s grace. Taste and see that the Lord is good!