"Great expectations."
Introduction: A man once asked a friend why he never got married? "Looking for the perfect girl" was the reply. "Surely you’ve meet at least one girl that you wanted to marry?" "Yes once. She was the perfect girl in every way." "Well why didn’t you marry?" "Well she was looking for the perfect man!"
Isn’t it true that as Christians we can often impose our Christian expectations upon others, so when others fail to meet those expectations, we can become judgmental of others. (Pharisical case in question). It was certainly true of these Pharisees when they looked upon Jesus he was sadly lacking in their expectations in regard to the law of God.
In the early years of missionary endeavour little imperial Britain imposed much of its own western expectations upon the inhabitants of Africa, which was not scriptual but cultural to the British as a nation. Where as today we are more aware of the cultural enviroment we are ministering in and do not impose expectations upon others which are not scriptual.
Background
We continue to see further conflict with the Pharisees, this conflict is an underlying theme set right through the gospel, Here we have three stories that follow on from the questioning in Levi’s home. The first one linked no doubt as the Pharisees were fasting at the time of the banquet at Levi’s home. Hence he is questioned about fasting (18-22), then Picking wheat on the Sabbath (23-28) and healing on the Sabbath 3.1-6.
Jesus the radical
Through these encounters, Jesus emerges as one who draws alongside others and is not bound by a legalistic attitude, he is completely different he is radical! His holiness causes him to mix with sinners, he doesn’t follow the present day practices of fasting (twice a week Mon, Thur Lke..18:12).
Imagine Jesus being here today? How radical would he be?
Jesus himself did fast (Matt. 4:2) and calls us to fast also (Matt.6.16 –18).
He was never bound by it he certainly would never make a spectacle of such a thing. Further expectations continue with the picking of wheat on the Sabbath and healing on the Sabbath.
In fact all that Jesus had said and done had caused great uproar in fact so great was the animosity towards Jesus even in the early days of His ministry the Pharisees and Herodians began to plot to kill him (3:6) This unusual alliance would continue throughout the public ministry of Jesus.
What sort of Religion is that? These men had distorted the Jewish faith.
Many today have a distorted view of Christianity they hedge around a whole set of rules and regulations often to accommodate sin.As in the case of the Church of England’s current policy today, trying to work around the issue of homosexuality amongest its own gay clergy. Saying that gay clergy can work within the Church as long as they remain celibate. Is that scriptual?
So lets take a close look at one of these great expectations…..
1) The expectation of fasting (V18)
Begins with a thinly veiled form of criticism through a question?
This question had probably arose as a result of the piety and sombreness of Johns disciples which was in keeping with the disciples of the Pharisees and the stark contrast of Jesus and his disciples who were feasting at Levi’s home;
John’s disciples remember were called to repentance and as a result would fast because fasting is an outward sign of humility and regret for sin. It is an inner discipline, which clears the mind and makes the spirit alert. Like repentance empties the life of sin, fasting empties the body of food. The disciples of John were genuine fast as a result of repentance and as a result of John the Baptist being imprisoned at that time.
b) Pharisical or Scriptural
The Pharisees fasted twice a week every week for 52 weeks in a year total of a 104 times a year, there fast was one of religious piety and show (Matt6: 16) with none of the genuine heart change, that Johns disciples had encountered. It is highly likely they were even fasting at the point of the disciples feasting with Jesus and so arises the question on the day of a fast.
Unwarranted expectations of the Pharisees
To apply this to us we see that the Pharisees went beyond what even God expected of them The Law only required them to fast on the Day of Atonement (Lev16: 29,31) but after the exile four other feasts were added (Zech. 8:19). They were imposing their expectations not Gods upon Jesus and his disciples.
We need to be very careful we don’t go beyond Gods expectations and impose our Christian expectations when there is no biblical warrant for it. Often they are formed out of our own traditions, like these Pharisees and not out of Biblical warrant.
For instance in the realm of dress people expect you to be dressed in a certain way when coming to Church well to be honest the real question is not the outward person but the inward heart of the person that counts. (Lke.18: Tax collector and the Pharisee) You see you can be clean outside (respectable and valued member of the community) (Pious and holy) but inside dead before God.
Matt.23: 27 you are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.
Another case in question is in the realm of worship people have expectations about worship being a certain way but God has given diversity to embrace and what really matters as Jesus said is that the (John 4:23. Father seeks worshippers who worship in Spirit and truth.)
Be aware of imposing our expectations upon what God expects? We must be like Jesus, who was different to those around at times radical.
b) Fasting or feasting?
Jesus answers in a parable with a picture of a wedding scenario. The emphasizes here is upon the joy that the presence of Jesus makes possibly as the bridegroom. In the Bible the image of bridegroom is used for God and His people as a bride (Isaiah 62:5 Matt.25:1.Rev.21:2)
Inappropriateness
To fast during a wedding, a time of great joy and festivity would be unthinkable Jesus is the bridegroom (v19) and his disciples are the guests. While he remains they will rejoice until his time of being taken (implies a violent removal that causes sorrow) (v20). Upon that day they will fast. Here we have an open window looking forward to his crucifixion. The application to us here there will be times when we too will need to fast and it will be appropriate.
Fasting and feasting
Genuine fasting is feasting upon God and is encouraged. Matt.6:18 rewarded..
Conversion is an encounter with God when repentance takes place and a state of somberness and regret over sin is most apparent. But this will always ultimately be removed through the joy and presence of the bridegroom as you encounter him as the one who paid the price for your sin and taken the condemnation away from you and now invites you the banqueting table in his presence.
c) Grace and legalism (v21-22)
These parables deal with a single theme and that is ‘ grace and legalism’ cannot be mixed, obviously they apply to fasting but also to Judaism in general. (Oil and water)
In ancient times wine was kept in sewn goatskins the new skins were soft and pliable and would stretch as the wine fermented.
The old wineskins (law) were used they would no longer be pliable once used and so would be totally inappropriate for the new wine. These Pharisees had become rigid like old wineskins they could not accept faith in Jesus, which would not include their man, made laws and traditions.
Chalk and cheese.
Jesus is pointing out the way of the Pharisees with their legalism and man made traditions are totally inappropriate with the gospel of grace and the two cannot go together, they are incompatible. There religion told them that God would keep covenant with them if they kept the law and they did so by keeping within the hedge of their man made traditions around it.
A religion of works dependent upon their contribution, it taught them that man can make his own salvation in contrast to the grace of Jesus Christ with his complete and free forgiveness and his totally unmerited favour towards sinners.
Countless millions of people are expecting acceptance with God through works. 7000 Protestants from many denominations were asked whether they agreed with the following statement; ‘The way to be accepted before God is to try and live a good life.’ 60% said God is satisfied if a person tries to live a good life. 70 %believed that the main emphasis on the gospel is on Gods rules for right living
Gal 3:1-3 You foolish Galatians
Returning to attaining our goal by human efforts
Our hearts can become like an old wineskin can become rigid by traditions of a Church or a denomination or impose our own expectations preventing us from receiving the new wine, which is available in Christ. We can begin to return to the idea that we can add this new wine to the old skins.
The Holy club extract. It was the case for the Wesleys and Whitefield who prior to their conversions were deeply religous and formed a religous club called the Holy club which set about doing good to all, this was done to attain their salvation, highly to be commended yet none of them new Christ at this time. We learn that we must refrain from adding to things, which essentially differ. That’s what Jesus is saying here…
Somebody once wrote: When a person works he receives payment, when a person competes he receives his prize, when a person gets recognition he receives an award. But when a person is not capable of earning a wage, can win no prize and deserves no award - Yet still receives such a gift anyway, then that’s called grace-un merited favor.
The new wineskins of (Grace) in fact if you add the new wine to the old it would just burst open ruining the wine and the skins together. The same is true what Jesus is saying about an un-shrunk piece of cloth being sewn onto an old garment (21) it would ultimately tear the garment making it even worse than before.
A religion of grace
In contrast Jesus preached unmerited favour (complete grace) towards sinners and the forgiveness for sinners. His gospel started with God it was dependant upon God and it was all of God. Salvation is of the Lord! It completely destroys the old cloth of the Pharisees.
V22 This new wine can only enter into New wineskins.
To recap great expectations we must remember that Jesus challenges the norm. In Christ we are feasting in his presence and at times as we fast we will feast even more as we draw close to God. We must never impose our man made expectations upon the gospel of grace its totally inappropriate. The Gospel of Grace is totally incompatible with legalism.
We must make sure that the only expectations we ever bring to bear on ourselves and others are God’s and not our own. And remeber His are full of Grace.
