Subscription Lists
Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, 'Why do we and the Pharisees fast often but Your disciples do not fast?' And Jesus said to them, 'Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9.14-17).
Point of fact: There were no specific periods of fasting [abstinence from food and drink] that were obligatory upon the Jews at the time of Jesus' earthly ministry except those that were associated with the annual feasts in Jerusalem. This does not mean that fasting was condemned, only that it was not obligatory; if it was done, it was a personal choice. For instance, some of the Pharisees fasted twice a week (see Luke 18.12). Anna the Prophetess was a godly woman who served God day and nigh in fasting and in prayer (see Luke 2.36-37).
Point of fact: If fasting was to be engaged in, a certain attitude of heart was prerequisite to a fast. The attitude of heart that God demands is, first of all, sincerity. Jesus strictly condemned those who fasted for the purpose of impressing others with their feigned righteousness. They willfully put on long faces so that others would notice their conditions and give to them the commendations they sought for their religious efforts (Matthew 6.16). Jesus further commanded those who chose to engage in fasting to avoid the hypocrisy that was involved in the showy fasts of His day. Fasting was a choice but it was also a natural outgrowth of ones state of mind and heart. It is not something that can be be conjured up simply because “it is time to do it.” The time is right to perform some (if not all) acts of service to God when the heart is right.
Point of fact: Believers cannot appear to be sad (nor should they attempt to do so) when times of happiness and joy are upon them. That is the message of today's focus verses. “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?” The question posed by Jesus gives great insight into fasting as well as other “forms” of worship and service. The time is past 9if it ever existed) when service to God was a ritual to be performed separate from the feelings of the worshiper. To state this in a positive manner, God does not expect us to worship and serve Him through any type of ritual apart from our true feelings and devotion of heart.
Point of fact: Jesus appealed to common sense to “prove” His point in this matter; He brought new cloth and old wineskins in to illustrate the truth. Common sense told men not to attempt to patch old cloth with a new piece which had not been preshrunk. Likewise, the elasticity of old wineskins was lost and they could not be used again with new wine lest they burst in the fermentation process. Neither of these things (inappropriate patching of cloth or putting new wine into inappropriate containers) made any sense, so why would someone think that he should purposefully make himself sad with the hope of pleasing God by his hypocrisy? Such thinking goes against commonsense and everything that the Scriptures say about God's demands upon us when we seek to serve Him!
When it comes to serving God, we need to think, but not so much that our worship becomes merely an outward form divorced the true inward feelings of our heart!
Questions:
1. Who ordained that worship to God come from the heart?
2. Who ordained that worship be divorced from the attitude of heart of the worshiper (as evidenced by rituals that are mere outward forms)?
3. Is there anything in the context of today's focus verses which indicates that Jesus was talking about the New Testament and the Old Testament when He gave the illustration of the new and old wineskins? If not, how did we ever come to believe and teach that this was His point?
4. Would you say that worship is to be, by definition, a time of joy, thanksgiving, and overflowing hearts? Why or why not?
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Today's Little Lift" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.