In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Three Parables About Feasting vs. Fasting Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:

2 Luke 5:33-39 And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?” 35 But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

3 Luke 5: And He was also telling them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But the new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.

4 Luke 5: “And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, The old is good enough.”

5 Change of Pace Before we get some historical perspectives and break this text down Let’s discuss the text we just read from a surface level Following the fasting message why does Jesus follow up with “Garment and wineskin advice”? What does it mean to you?

6 Comments!! “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 But the new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 “And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, The old is good enough.”

7 A Little Background Many commentators believe that this event took place while Jesus was at one of Matthew’s parties Pharisees were “not pleased” with the fellowship table of Jesus Appalled that Jesus would spend times with these men Appalled He would offer the Kingdom and salvation to them.

8 A little Deeper Jesus and His disciples were just having too much fun (according to the Pharisees) Matthew knew how to throw a party, there was good food and good wine, J Jesus and His disciples were fully participating. Read John 10:9-11 “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

9 Joy and Life Jesus demonstrated that life while He walked this earth This drove the Pharisees crazy There was no way that spirituality could be fun Or full of Joy and Life It had to be always serious and hard and sacrificial There was no way that spirituality could be enjoyable

10 Psalm You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand -16:11 O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. -90:13-15 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me -51:12

11 Fasting 101 The Pharisees fasted at least two times a week, on the Second and Fifth days (Mon & Thur) And when they did, everyone knew it According to Old Testament Law the Jews were only required to fast one day a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kipper) The fasting was designed to prepare their hearts for confession and repentance and the shedding of blood that would cover over their sins

12 Sermon on the Mount Matthew 6:16-18 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

13 Fasting 201 Fasting should be conducted toward God alone and disguised towards others The implication of fasting always jumps off the page from this passage Does anyone have any fasting encouragement or comments?

14 No Coincidence So it was probably on a Monday or Thursday while the Pharisees were fasting that they come to Jesus Jesus answered “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

15 Wonderful Answer He compares His Disciples to the Friends of the Bridegroom Jesus is telling us something about who we are as His Disciples There was no greater time of celebration in the life of a Jewish person then their wedding feast week long feast and celebration

16 Duties Friends or the Attendants of the Bride Groom made sure that everything was in place and that everyone was enjoying the celebration “But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days” What does He mean by “those days” Answer: NOW Does anyone have any fasting comments?

17 Mark 2: No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

18 Garments and Wine Read “Stories that Astonish” In effect, Jesus was saying that it is with Kingdom of God. There is a new day coming? It may point to either A. Worn-out Judaism or B. A person’s hardened, inflexible heart Why do you think he used these examples?

19 Fresh and New The Garment and Wine signify a New day and a fresh direction for the lives of those who follow Jesus Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) What some will try to do is to complete the Christian experience by putting it in the context of the Old Testament (Judiazers…. Read Galatians)

20 Lose them both If Jesus would have tried to pour His New Covenant Spirituality into Judaism you would have lost both of them. Jesus say that you lose the old wineskin and you lose the new wine because it spills out all over the place. So by trying to put new wine in old wineskins you loose both. The Old Testament is filled with hope of a coming new day

21 Isaiah 35 (HOPE) 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 7 The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. The hope and belief that God would act and a new day was coming is repeated.

22 Another Application Might be one of the most abused text in the history of Christianity Anybody who wants to try anything new, regardless of how biblical it is or unbiblical it is, will come to this text as ammunition of why they have to do something new. Quote from a web site “So we always need to examining where are the Old Wineskins which need to go and we need to be looking for the New Wine and the New Wine skins”

23 God Acted John 1:14 “became flesh and dwelt among us” God, whose activity was longed for, hoped for, and prayed for, has acted decisively in JESUS CHRIST He wants to bring meaning to people’s lives. (Remember) He is trying to set the captives free, and the Pharisees have been held captive by the law.

24 Next Week Jesus Heals on the Sabbath –Sir Bob McClanahan