Mark 2:18-2:22 NIV
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,and on that day they will fast.
21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
INTERPRETATION
Wine: A season in time where we must discern God’s heart and God’s plan for His people.
Wineskin: Our appropriate response to God is a given season.
Old Wine: Season of preparation for Messiah’s coming, repentance and contrition.
Old Wineskin: Fasting 2x a week, ascetic lifestyle, “sackcloth and ashes.”
New Wine: Season of divine visitation, miracles and mercy flowing from the Messiah (Matthew 11:2-5; 16-19).
New Wineskin: Feasting and rejoicing with Messiah and the inauguration of God’s Kingdom.
APPLICATION
KNOW THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL: Understand that history and world events unfold according to God’s sovereign plan (Gen. 8:22; Rom. 11:33-36; Col. 1:16-17; Isa. 45:7-9; Lam. 3:37-39; Acts 4:27-28; 17:26-27).
KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS: God’s word contains insight to allow you to interpret the signs of the times and understand what He is doing at the present moment (Mat. 16:1-4; 1 Ch. 12:32; Dan. 11:32-35; 12:1-4; Mat. 24:32-35; Eph. 5:15-20)!
BE WILLING TO CHANGE: Just like in Jesus’ day, we must be willing to set aside old traditions and ways of thinking in order to cooperate with what God is now doing in our lives, our churches, and in the world.
NEVER BE WILLING TO CHANGE: While many things in this world change, God does not. We must not compromise God’s Word or His standards to appease this fickle, unfaithful generation (Isa. 40:6-8; Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8).
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN 2020?
God is shaking (Hag. 2:6)
God is judging (1 Pet. 4:17-19)
God is dividing (Mat. 13:29-30)
God is purifying (Mal. 3:1-5)
God is saving (Acts 2:17-21)
WHAT MUST WE DO IN 2024?
Preach (Mat. 24:14)
Pray (Luke 18:1-8)
Plug Away (Mark 13:32-37)