Jesus was born in Breadtown, and He was laid in a feeding trough, as if to say, “Here I am. Eat me.” Later when He sees the multitudes who have followed Him into the wilderness, He has compassion on them and miraculously feeds them, and there are 12 baskets full leftover: one for each disciple, one for each tribe of Israel, enough for the whole people of God. Then He tells the people, “I am the bread of life.” In other words, “Here I am. Eat me.”

When Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead, He instructs that she be fed. She was 12 years old. She symbolized the people of God, and she needed to be fed. So do we. We have new life, but we still require regular meals.

John the Baptist came fasting; Jesus came feasting. Why? Because the angels were right to announce glad tidings of great joy. The blood of Christ secured for His people deep joy, true and lasting joy. This cup is the New Covenant in His blood.

He gave us bread to strengthen our hearts and wine to gladden our hearts. From first to last Christ feeds and nourished His people while He was with them bodily. After His resurrection this didn’t change: He was known to them in the breaking of bread, He ate with them to prove He wasn’t a ghost, and He made them breakfast on the shores of Lake Galilee.

In sum: we draw true life from partaking of Christ, He has compassion on us and feeds us by His hand, He gave us new life but also has ensured that we would be nourished, He spreads a joyous feasting table for us and bids us come, we know Him in the breaking of bread, we see His humanity in this bread and wine, and we look forward with the hope of forgiven sinners to breaking fast with Him upon His return. Until then, know that He has provided for your every need.