“A Fashionable Faith” – MARK 2:18-28

The trend in Judaism during Jesus’ day was fasting. Unfortunately, like our fads and fashions in today’s world, people enjoyed “showing off”. They went about with long faces so others would see that they were “spiritual”. Of course, Jesus was always quick to point out a truth that never changes … spirituality is from within and such outward displays are for human consumption and mean nothing to God. Still, the Pharisees reveled in their fashionable faith and sought to condemn Jesus’ disciples for not fasting. Jesus’ response was devastating and direct. One hallmark of Phariseeism is seeking loopholes to get around the clear teaching of Scripture. One of the loopholes they “found” was to excuse themselves from fasting during the time of a wedding (so as not to offend the bridegroom). Knowing this, Jesus negated their charges by saying, “Look, this is a wedding!” John had declared Jesus to be the bridegroom, and a day was coming for Him to be torn away from His bride. There would be plenty of time for fasting and prayer.

The process begun by John and continued by Jesus was to separate spiritual Israel from physical Israel. The result would be revealed on Pentecost … the church of Christ which is purchased with His blood and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the parables of the old and new fabrics and wineskins, Jesus is making an important point. He did not come to “reform” Judaism, He came to make something new – His church. He would not patch up the old covenant, nor would He merely pour new wine into the old covenant. The change from the physical to the spiritual was (and is) drastic. Jesus came to “restore” the spiritual relationship between God and people that was broken by sin in Eden.

When the bridegroom was torn away from the bride (suffering, death, resurrection and ascension) the old passed away and the new was reality.

We still struggle with the pull of fashionable faith. Always on the lookout for the cutting edge of religion, men seek to label the way of Scripture as “old wineskins” and “old cloth” to justify their newfound faith fad. While the concept and principle of Jesus’ teaching here are universal and relevant, the “new cloth” and “new wine” never grow old. Unless you are willing to discard the new covenant, you cannot go to these verses to justify new trends in religion. The new covenant can never be “reformed” … it can only be “restored” within You! Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Only people and fads change.

May we walking so closely with Him in our faith that we have the courage to be covered by His new garment and filled with His new wine … no matter how “old” these may appear to our fashionable world.