Slices
Prepare
Stretching a muscle gets us ready for movement. Tearing a muscle brings us to a halt. Are you being spiritually stretched or torn right now?
Bible passage
Jesus questioned about fasting
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?’
19 Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
21 ‘No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.’
Explore
Fasting was a key ingredient in Jewish life. It was a sign of taking God seriously. It showed repentance and obedience to the Law. With John in jail and the Romans in charge, it was an appropriate way to focus on prayer to seek God’s intervention (v 18).
Yet Jesus rejects the practice, for the time being. The wedding reception is in full swing. Now is the time for celebration and rejoicing. The lame walk, the blind see and sins are forgiven. God is with us! He is intervening, just not in the way everyone was expecting. Something new is happening.
Jesus hints at what is ahead (v 20). This new way will require sacrifice and sadness as well. It will bring division as well as salvation, sorrow as well as joy.
The two images Jesus uses would have been very familiar to his hearers. Both draw on lived experience of what happens when there is a mismatch between the means and the end. Fasting will not bring salvation, like old wine skins cannot contain fermenting wine. This must have been very hard for everyone to hear. What are the new rules?
Respond
Thank God for what Jesus has done, for the freedom he brings and the joy of our salvation. Ask for the wisdom to see where he is at work around you, doing new things and breaking down barriers.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 18,19; Matthew 7
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Mission Partner Great Open Door in Harlow as they start rehearsals for a new 40-minute programme in schools. Please pray for script development, robust props, suitable costumes and line learning. Pray that each delivery will shine with God’s love so that every child will respond positively.