Tag: Fasting

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Change Orientation.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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? Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Mark records an interesting conversation with Jesus that seemed to start with an amazing spiritual discipline, like fasting and end with a couple of object lessons about change. First of all, the NLT (New Living Translation) makes it sound like the disciples of John and of the Pharisees are using the old avoidance phrase, “some people” say. The original language is not so loose. In the Greek, it’s just “they came.” Pastor’s hate these kind of scenarios when “some people” say… who is “some people” we ask?

Jesus answers the thinly veiled question, but then goes for the motivation behind the question. Who does this? How does Jesus do this? Are there always questions behind the question? Jesus then switches to two object lessons about mixing old with new. It never works!

Jesus gives a quick, two-verse illustration, about patches and wineskins. Don’t both object lessons serve the point that old and new cannot exist in the same space? And isn’t it also clear that the old will not allow the new to coexist, but in fact will destroy both? Is this about fasting at all? It seems that Jesus is having a completely different conversation with these disciples.

They aren’t really asking about fasting and Jesus doesn’t really want to talk about fasting, in this context, either. They are both talking about change. Jesus knows that massive change is coming and he also knows that “some folks” are not comfortable with it. Jesus is, in fact, introducing a whole new way of doing everything. He knows that the fulfillment of the Law and everything under the Law will look completely different under a new freedom, and a new perspective on grace and mercy. The entire Old Testament system will go through cataclysmic change now that God has become flesh and that God will fulfill his promises to redeem humanity!

Christianity is not a patchwork, nor an old-wine way of life. Christ did not come to patch up the Law to keep it limping along, forever failing to change our hearts. He also did not come to allow a flat, fervent-less wine to try to express the exuberant joy of walking with God. The Law was a temporary stop-gap, a burden! When we grab the ethos, thinking or application of the Old Testament Law into the new and better experience of Christ’s efficacy and efficiency for our salvation, we are trying to patch God’s plan. When we keep trying to introduce the effervescent, actively expanding grace and joy of new life into the forms and confines of the Old Covenant, it will blow up!

Jesus couldn’t wait to introduce the fresh air of living by the Spirit but folks wanted to keep living in the caves of the law, breathing staleness of dead air! No wonder people would give up everything to follow Him! Jesus brings life to the fullest, no longer dimmed or dinged by our sin! Who doesn’t want that? I’ll tell you who. Folks who desire the guardrails of the Law, because a life in the Spirit feels like a lack of control. And it is. It’s a surrendering of faith to the control of the Spirit. I’ll take the new clothes of Christ and the bubbly joy of the new wine thank you!

Prayer

Dad,
I love your Law as instruction and to know you better. But I also love living by Your Spirit! The fresh, exhilarating wind of hope, mercy and grace is intoxicating. I will gladly give up control of my will to accomplish Yours. I will gladly walk in the Spirit, rather than my own flesh. Getting my way not only brings death it means crushing disappointment! It’s Your way now. Thank you for freedom to do what is right, and not just anything I want to do.

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Compelled to go?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have read this story, and these words, dozens of times. Mark’s gospel is gritty and filled with gut-wrenching reality checks – if we slow down and read it without the preconceived, sermonized pictures in our head, it’s powerful. Mark’s short, punchy delivery is what makes it so shocking! Just a couple verses ahead of the Spirit compelling, Mark has Jesus being baptized, heavens splitting, the Holy Spirit descending and a voice from heaven declaring the Father’s love for his son! Whhhhhaaaattt? Then… the Spirit says GO!

Of course, the other gospels take much more time to develop the details of these moments. Matthew gives the baptism five verses, with a lot of background on John the Baptizer. Luke gives us two verses on baptism, but thirteen verses on Jesus temptation in the desert. John has six verses about Jesus baptism, but none on his desert experience. All three Spirit compelled journalists write about Jesus’ being led (anagó or agó), but Mark chooses a different word to describe what the Spirit of God did to lead Jesus’ to His missional, next steps. Mark writes, the Spirit compelled (ekballo: I throw, cast, put out, banish) “ballo” to throw or cast and “ek” is just out. Obviously, the Spirit “leading” is so much more gentle, even delightful.

Mark wanted us to know it was much more forceful, kind of like God kicking the first couple out of Eden and facing life with their newfound “knowledge” of evil! No more walks with God in the cool of the good and gorgeous environment of Eden, it’s the hard knock life of toiling and the reality of facing a formidable enemy! Jesus was banished to the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

Why I am being so dramatic about Mark’s brief, but powerful word-choice picture? Hello! If we think for one moment that God would take His own Son and banish him to face the struggles and challenges of a wilderness experience. Then leave him to have a world-class showdown with Satan himself at Jesus’ weakest moment in body, soul and spirit. Why would we believe that God would not or will not do something similar with us? The Spirit of God pushed Jesus out there!

For those who know God, listen to God, and choose to follow Him there could be a Spirit-compelled invitation to walk with Him in a wild-wilderness, even a sifting, shaking temptation season of our life! It seems, this experience was the first step on Jesus’ agenda to be on mission! Go out and begin to RECLAIM Eden for all of us! For Eve, the tree was beautiful, delicious and would give her wisdom. For Jesus, the bread loaves were beautiful. The ideation of his indestructible durability was irresistible. And, the promise of ultimate control and power was palpable. The snare of taking a shortcut was set – there was a better way, a less painful way, an easier path if Jesus so desired. The good life on this planet could be his and humanity would be lost forever.

God sent Jesus out there, would I go? Would you? Because Jesus faced those temptations, we will too. However, because Jesus won those battles, we can too!

Prayer

Dad,
Whew! What a powerfully deep thought for the day. I can’t say that I have been compelled or pushed out into a wilderness to purposefully be exposed and exhausted. Then to face the lures and snares of Satan, designed specifically to my longings and desires. I certainly don’t remember a season like that. But I do know what it’s like to hear, see and feel the glitter of those shiny-lights of promise to just have my own way and yield to, give into, whatever my flesh (as Paul puts it) wants. I am definitely aware of those battles! It gives me hope that Jesus willingly accepted the challenge to reclaim Eden and win back even the ability for me to say “NO” and walk away. I am thankful for your mercy! Amen.