THE ORIGINAL SETTING: LONGING FOR CHRIST’S RETURN–
Then, Christ’s words this morning are for you. Our text contains the most essential words in the Bible on fasting. And these words can change your life if you understand them!
Mark 2:20-22. Let’s read them as you follow along in your copy of God’s Word.
20 “But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them,
(Here is one of the many prophecies Jesus made pointing to the Cross and His ascension to the Father’s right hand for the time we call the Church Age. Jesus was away, and we await Him.)
And then they will fast in those days.
(Now comes the New Testament fast, for those who await the One they love, who is taken away to Heaven. While we wait for the Son, we fast. Because we long for Him, we fast!)
21 “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth
(Christianity of the New Covenant Church after the Cross)
on an old garment;
(The Old Testament Judaism)
or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear worsens. 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.”
FIRST CENTURY FOCUSED SAINTS
How did the 1st Century saints live that way, and we don’t so often? Do you remember what the heartbeat of the early church was from our study of 1st Thessalonians a couple years ago? Expecting Christ’s Return. Do we ever grow weary and lessen that passion? Yes. So what is Christ’s way of getting us to long for His Coming? Look for His coming? Wait for His Coming?
Stop eating, fast, deny ourselves, feel the pain of deprivation, and show our allegiance to Him (demonstrated in fasting) as higher than even life (demonstrated in eating). Consider these verses, and ask yourself, do you really long for Jesus daily? If not, fasting is for you!
One of the key attitudes we find displayed by God’s saints is that they were exiles on earth and citizens of Heaven. This produced not a detachment from earthly life or other people; instead, it led to such a lack of love for things that these early saints had abundant time to love, seek, and win their neighbors. Think of all our time gathering, protecting, and caring for our THINGS.
Then think of what value collecting, protecting, and caring will have in Heaven at Christ’s Throne versus the same time, energy, and strength poured out in loving passion for the souls of our neighbors.
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