I was in Mark 2 for my preaching text this past Sunday. The subject was new wine and new wineskins. When the Kingdom of God is bursting on the scene, we need to be able to move with what the Kingdom is doing. I was able to walk through vv. 1-17, but didn’t get to 2:18-3:6.

Often when I hear talk about or sermons on wineskins and new wine it has to do with throwing out everything that has been done before. That is not what Jesus is doing in this passage at all. He does not toss out fasting or the Sabbath. He teaches how to use those forms in the context of the Kingdom.

There is no question we can get stuck in a rut. It may not be a bad idea to change up the routine from time to time. However, there are forms that have been in the practice of God’s people all through the journey of Israel and the Church that aren’t necessarily “dead.” It may be US who need the jolt!

Fasting is one of those forms many of us would probably like to see go away. When I was in Bible college there was a professor who used Mark 2 to show that we didn’t need to fast anymore. Jesus was the Bridegroom and because of the Spirit being with us, the Bridegroom was still with us and we didn’t need to fast.

In Matthew 6, Jesus would disagree. He says when you give… when you pray… when you fast.

There isn’t a preacher anywhere who would say we need to give up giving and praying… Yet, fasting… well that’s just for monks and ascetics. We don’t need that legalistic practice any more.

But Jesus doesn’t toss it out. He reforms the use. Too often we let a practice become a rut or a ritual for us and we need renewal in our own lives. We need the new wine of the Kingdom flowing through us, but we need new wineskins to retain what the Spirit is telling us.

But the days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. (Mark 2:20, CEB)

Learn how to utilize fasting in your own life. Listen to the leading of the Spirit. Don’t make it so rigid you miss what the Spirit may be saying or doing.