Mark 2:18-22

Fasting and Wineskins

Setting

• Series of Encounters with Opposition– Pharisees, Scribes and John’s Disciples

• Opposition so far:– After healing the paralytic• “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming!

Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

– After calling Levi • “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Remember!

• “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1

• HUGE CLAIM– Sure to bring opposition

• Same with us

Mark 2:18

• The Question of Fasting

“The voluntary abstention from an otherwise normal function – usually

eating – for the sake of intense spiritual activity.”

Richard Foster: The Life with God Bible

“Fasting without prayer is called

….STARVATION”

“Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all

that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the

resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the Kingdom

of God.

Andrew Murray

WHY?

“Fasting is a divine corrective to the human heart. It is a discipline of

body with a tendency to humble the soul.”

Arthur Wallis

Spiritual Disciplines

• Bible Study• Prayer• Evangelism • Meditation • Fasting • Etc.

Should Christians Fast?

Jesus on Fasting • Fasted 40 days to overcome Satan’s Temptation (Matt 4: 1-11)• Jesus assumed Christians would fast

“Whenever you fast do not put on a gloomy face…” (Matt 6:16)

“But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and on that day they WILL fast.”

(Mark 2:19-20)

• Jesus taught the true and effective way to fast• The Early Church practiced it

Enemies to Fasting

• Inconveniences – it would mess up my schedule• Comfort – I don’t like the feeling• Unwillingness – I just don’t want to • Ignorance – I don’t know about that

Tips to Begin Fasting

• Desire to be like Jesus • Let God lead you as to when • Fast for a why or purpose• Pray as you fast• Fast to gain self control• Keep it a secret

“If the reward you aim at in fasting is the admiration of others, that is

what you will get, and that will be all you get. In other words, the danger

of hypocrisy is that it is so successful. It aims at the praise of

men, and it succeeds. But that’s all.

John Piper

Back to the Opposition

Mark 2:19-20

• The Bridegroom • Old Testament reference to God

Mark 2:21-22

• Patches and Wineskins

–Don’t ever try anything new or it will destroy you.

–Don’t ever get so “old” that new will

destroy you.

Illustration Explained

• New Patch & New Wine = Jesus and the Gospel

• Old Garment & Wineskin = Old Religious system

• New Garment & New Wineskin = Our Hearts

Context Mark 2:21-22

ParalyticLevi’s House

FastingPatches and Wineskins

Grain field Healing in Synagogue

Why did Jesus or his disciples not follow the religious customs and traditions?

Why are you not like us?

• It is our natural tendency to fight against change or anything new and misunderstood.

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the

old, but on building the new.” Socrates

“If you think change is hard…Try being IRRELEVANT!”

Anonymous

“I am just old and set in my ways.”

Everyone

• The gospel was not to patch up old existing institutions

• Jesus’ continuity with the Old Testament was not in the following of laws but in His revealing of the nature of God.

• Meaning for the New Church– Circumcision???– Dietary laws ???– Temple worship???

Transcends Generations

• Traditions are fine as long as we are ready for new– Lessons from Lots wife (Genesis 19:26)

• Holding on to an old life when Jesus, the new wine, has come is not a good thing, for both.

• Old habits must be destroyed

Apply personally

• Jesus comes in• We have an expanded new life• God wants to stretch us• We can become hardened, brittle• People can refuse to expand• Become hostile to the gospel

Never get so “set in your ways” that new things hurt you or you hurt the

new.