This past series we have been taking a trip through Mark and God had really been moving! This week we are going to focus on a section in the end of Mark 2 and hopefully challenge our way of doing things. It was a real eye opener for me when I went through this with some students...
"Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast? ” Mark 2:18 HCSB
Here is the scene, Jesus is at a former tax collectors house and some would argue a raving party. The Bible says he is around sinners and tax collectors and just chilling. He is reclining with them, eating with them, investing in them. Jesus has 5 apostles at this point and some Pharisees are trickling into the scenario as well.
These guys were the legalistic religious leaders of the time would would rarely be seen in an environment like this. They were simply there to test if this Jesus guy was legit. We can tell by their previous question in this chapter that they are a little confused with Jesus already, and don't approve of some of why they see.
They ask the above question as a result of these feelings. To them fasting could do a few things. One, fasting to allow God to bless you in replacement for allowing you to go through something. Second, they fasted to quicken the coming of the Messiah! Moreover, fasting made one more holy, and they would lord this over people at times.
Jesus knowing this says something interesting in response...
"Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. But the time will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:19-22 HCSB
Jesus, the Messiah, is on the earth and he makes a bold proclamation. He says, "You see everyone at this party? If we were all at a wedding, would you fast when the bride and groom are there? Would you not celebrate with them?" Jesus is the groom! He basically invited that party to God's table with His presence.
Jesus is saying that their way of religion is not working and shouldn't be followed! He then speaks of wine skins and patches as examples. Let me focus on the patch for a moment. If you have a giant hole in your pants and you took new fabric an sewed it in that place, then washed it.... When the new fabric shrunk it would actually tear the hole bigger!
Jesus' inclusive love and interaction showed the flaws of their systematic faith. Jesus didn't come to patch what was broken in their system. He came to throw it all out the window and allow all to have fellowship with the Father through Him! That's crazy!
Jesus came to share an inclusive, interactive love and grace of the Father with everyone, not just the elite! So here is my question to you...
How are you a living that way? How are you doing at following Christ's example?
We have the ability to do it, He granted us the access! It's time the faithful, become faithful at at gracefully and lovingly interactive with everyone around us! This includes those who don't care for God!
Let me know what you think beloved! Share your thoughts below and share this with your friends!
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