Jesus Talks about Fasting, the Bridegroom and New Wineskins (A Reflection on Mark 2:18-22) |
- Jesus Talks about Fasting, the Bridegroom and New Wineskins (A Reflection on Mark 2:18-22)
- Back to Jerusalem (Free Books Inside)
- Jesus, the Savior Calls Levi, the Sinner (A Reflection on Mark 2:13-17)
- Jesus Can Forgive Sins? (A Reflection on Mark 2:1-12)
| Jesus Talks about Fasting, the Bridegroom and New Wineskins (A Reflection on Mark 2:18-22) Posted: 01 Apr 2014 02:08 AM PDT 
Some people came to Jesus and asked him, 'Why is it that the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?'" (Mark 2:18, GNB). Jesus was offending the teachers of the Law by claiming that He have authority to forgive sins (2:9-10), He casually eat with sinners (2:16) and now He break the religious customs, namely – fasting (and later, Sabbath). Why Jesus doesn't obey the rule? For some of us, this look like bad example. We must understand that by the time of Jesus the discipline of fasting had developed into a compulsory, external and complicated ritual. In the Old Testament, fasting was officially instructed to take place on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) every year. But the Pharisees religiously fasted on Mondays and Thursdays throughout the year. They added the Law. And for your information, these days are to be market days in Jerusalem. I assume that they fast to show off. Hypocrites! That is why Jesus taught His disciples to fast quietly, with humble heart and in private (Matthew 6:16-18). So, was Jesus showing a bad example? Absolutely no! "Jesus answered, 'Do you expect the guests at a wedding party to go without food? Of course not! As long as the bridegroom is with them, they will not do that. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast" (Mark 2:19-20, GNB). From fasting to wedding, Jesus uses these everyday examples to illustrate His point. He is referring Himself as "the bridegroom" in the wedding ceremony. As long as He is here they don't need to fast because the Messiah, the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53), "who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) was in the midst of them. Therefore, at least for His disciples, they don't need to fast. They should rejoice! It is a time of feasting not fasting. "But the day will come" when Jesus will be taken away to die on the cross for them, and then "they will fast." This is appropriate because fasting is an expression of sorrow. But I wonder; do the Pharisees understand His reply this way? No, maybe not. Perhaps the message for them is simply: "My disciples are different. They will surely fast once I am no more in their presence." This interpretation about fasting is totally new to everyone. Does Jesus forbid it or command it? Both. He forbids external and legalistic approach to fasting. He commands purposeful and intentional fasting. Martin Luther, the reformer, writes: "It was not Christ's intention to reject or despise fasting. It was his intention to restore proper fasting." The Jewish Laws (at that time have become legalism) is like an old wineskin; and the Kingdom of God – its loving commands and lifestyles – is like new wineskin. And so Jesus continued, "No one uses a piece of new cloth to patch up and old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear off some of the old cloth, making an even bigger hole. Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, because the wine and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins" (Mark 2:21-22, GNB). The New is in the Old contained, The Old is in the New explained. The New is in the Old latent, The Old is in the New patent. This is the Kingdom of God under Christ. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.   |
| Back to Jerusalem (Free Books Inside) Posted: 31 Mar 2014 03:30 AM PDT  The Great Commission "I [Jesus] have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20, NLT) Napoleon once said "When China is moved it will change the face of the globe." Today those words are becoming a reality through the powerful spiritual vision of the Chinese church to send 100,000 missionaries across China's borders to complete the Great Commission, even in this generation! In this book, Back to Jerusalem, Brother Yun, Peter Xu Yongze, and Enoch Wang, three Chinese house church leaders, who between them have spent more than 40 years in prison for their faith, explain the history and present-day reality of the movement. Christians everywhere who are called to fulfill the Great Commission will be thrilled by this testimony and inspired to live bolder lives as disciples of Jesus Christ today. "The Lord replied, 'Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it'" (Habakkuk 1:8, NLT) THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. FREE BOOKS!  This month of April 2014, I would like to offer you 3 BOOKS (ONLY) entitled You are welcome to get a copy of this book for yourself by simply do these 2 things:
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| Jesus, the Savior Calls Levi, the Sinner (A Reflection on Mark 2:13-17) Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:02 AM PDT "As [Jesus] walked along [the shore of Lake Galilee], he saw a tax collector, Levi son of Alphaeus, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, 'Follow me.' Levi got up and followed him" (Mark 2:14, GNB). Since I begin my reflections on the Gospel of Mark, I now discover personally that Jesus is a very controversial figure. He always surprises us with His words and actions. He challenged His disciples and offended the Pharisees. He puzzled His companions and breaks the religious traditions. He shocked those who follow Him and annoyed those who do not. And now, He recruits a tax collector among His followers… What a superb plan!  His action doesn't surprise us because we don't see any visible tax collectors in every city in Malaysia until I tell you that they are similar with illegal money lenders who charge high rates of interest as they wishes (or check tax charge in your bill next time). They collect tax for the enemy, the Roman Empire, and extra for their own pocket money. Thus, they are considered traitors and outcasts. They were the ancient-gangsters (with Roman guards), dishonest and greatly disliked by their fellow Jews. What did Jesus think when He said to Levi "Follow me"!? I don't know. I still amaze and wonder. "Levi got up and followed Him" was the immediate response. Levi probably has heard one of Jesus' preaching. Nevertheless, it was instant and risky decision. If the fishermen like Peter and John one day decided not to follow Jesus anymore, they can always return to their occupations – but not Levi. He can't return to his previous job that easily. Stupid? Perhaps. But I bet Levi doesn't regret his decision that day. I know it because "later on Jesus was having a meal in Levi's house." He throws a party with his fellow "tax collectors and other outcasts" (Mark 2:15). Jesus and His disciples (good guys) mixed with Levi and the outcasts (bad guys) under one roof. Partying, drinking and eating together. That was why the Pharisees asked, "Why does [Jesus] eat with such people?" (Mark 2:16) They were playing religious game which prohibited 'righteous' people (like them of course) from dirtying their hands with known sinners. They are like this friend of mine who asked me why I go karaoke, watching movies, BBQ, play bowling and futsal, and hang out with drinkers and smokers outside church circles. "Jesus heard them and answered, 'People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. I have not come to call respectable people, but outcasts." (Mark 2:17). Jesus is saying that He come for those who realize that they are sinners in need of a Savior, not to those who called themselves 'righteous.' Remember, Jesus calls us to be "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13). Salt cannot accomplish its purpose while sitting in the salt shaker. We need to sprinkle ourselves among the unbelievers in the world in order to affect them. If we only have Christian friends, attend only Christian activities and going only to Christian places, we're guilty of not being "the salt of the earth" in the world. We must communicate God's love firsthand, as Jesus did to Levi, to those who need the Savior, Jesus Christ. [Fyi: Levi, the tax collector is Matthew (another name), the apostles. He is the one who wrote the Gospel of Matthew] I wonder; what if he did not answered Jesus' call that day? Hmmm… THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. |
| Jesus Can Forgive Sins? (A Reflection on Mark 2:1-12) Posted: 30 Mar 2014 03:30 AM PDT  "Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'My son, your sins are forgiven.' Some teachers of the Law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 'How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!'" (Mark 2:5-6, GNB). The same way my Muslim friends responded to me when I said that Jesus can forgive our sins, the teachers of the Law cried sternly: "No, only God can forgive sins!" This is perfectly understandable defend. If God was the one who was offended, why Jesus took the position to forgive the man's sins as if He is God? If He is merely God's messenger why didn't He simply say, 'My son, God has forgiven your sins'? How can he know that? If Jesus is nothing more than a godly man, then this accusation is valid – this is blasphemy! Christianity, however, has an explanation about this: Jesus was God incarnate. He is "the one and only Son, who is himself God" (John 1:18, NIV). He is "my own dear Son" (Mark 1:11) said God the Father during His baptism. "I," Jesus said, "and the Father are one" (John 10:30). To the spiritual blind eyes, He is blasphemed. But to His people, He is the Son of God and the Son of Man, who has authority to forgive sins. The teachers of the Law were right when they protested, "God is the only one who can forgive sins!" That was why Jesus openly declared that the man's sins were forgiven – He is God incarnate. "[Jesus] said to them, 'Why do you think such things? It is easier to say to this paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, pick up your mat, and walk'? I will prove you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.'" (Mark 2:8-10, GNB). This is very practical question. Anyone can say to you and me that 'Your sins are forgiven.' There would be no way of telling whether it had happened or not. I bet there was no physical changed to the paralyzed man when Jesus said this. But to say 'Get up, pick up your mat, and walk' is very evident that Jesus is blasphemed if the miracle doesn't happen on the spot. Jesus was basically said to the teachers of the Laws that the reality of healing demonstrates the reality of forgiveness. "While they all watched, the man got up, picked up his mat, and hurried away" (Mark 2:12). The healing happened in front of everyone. Therefore, the forgiveness is real! Today, I fear, people seeking healings more than seeking Jesus, the Healer. People are more obsess with miracles rather than knowing the Son of Man behind the miracles. People are asking for signs and wonders but not the forgiveness of sins that God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ. When you read the Gospel of Mark, you'll find that Jesus make preaching as His primary agenda (1:14, 1:21, 1:38-39, 2:2), not healings and miracles. His message was and is always be until His second coming, that all of us need to joyfully follow and obey, is that: "The right time has come and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!" (Mark 1:15, GNB). THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. |
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