Daily Reading 10-13-17
Mark 2:18-22 New Living Translation (NLT)
Being with Jesus was a time to celebrate; a time for new wine or a time to learn a new way to live. The religious leaders were critical of Jesus and the way he taught his disciples when it came to fasting. For Christ, the motive of the disciples was the most important reason for fasting. Fasting was to be connected with repentance and not simply to draw attention to one’s piety as modeled by the Pharisees.
The Pharisees were not interested in religious change; they liked the old way of doing things even though they were not growing in their faith. There was no room in their understanding for the Messiah of Grace. Jesus clearly was bringing a new way of enjoying a relationship with God, so he encouraged his disciples to put this new wine (gospel) into new wineskins (pliable heart and renewed mind).
Jesus wants to teach each of us how to really enjoy our new lives in him. So, keep your heart pliable, be led by the Spirit of Truth, and celebrate the Love of God.
A Discussion about Fasting
18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”
19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”
Prayer: Lord, sometimes letting go of old ways of doing things is a challenge, but I am going to keep my heart pliable so I can expand my understanding of your love and enjoy life with you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.