May 24th, 2026: The Christian Rhythms of Life | Mark 2:18-28

When I was young, I once believed that if I were more beautiful, then everything would work out right. But now I’ve become friends with many lovely-looking people who struggle as I do, and sometimes even worse.  As a young mother, I believed that if I were smarter and more efficient, then my young family would be so much happier. But I know  a host of smart and efficient women who still get the blues and deal with disobedient children and disorderly households.  Perhaps many of you have an… if only… that you dwell silently on, sure that if it were possible to change your circumstances, you’d finally be free.  

Our vision is so narrow and our understanding so incredibly limited.  Really, if we only look internally for the answers, we are unable to even identify the real problems that need solving.  If we had the power to change those things we falsely believe hold us back, we would likely find ourselves just as miserable afterward, and maybe far worse off than before we started.  

Four friends of a man suffering from incurable paralysis carried him to Jesus.  Because Jesus was surrounded by an enormous crowd, they climbed up on the roof and tore a hole in it to lower their friend down in front of the Lord.  Because of their faith, Jesus addressed their friend, whose obvious need was physical healing. But, the first words spoken by Christ must have come as quite a shock.  “Thy sins are forgiven thee…”  The Pharisees reared up in self righteous anger.  “Who can forgive sin, but God alone?”  Unbeknownst to them, they had just answered their own question.  Christ knew their hearts, and addressed their wicked thoughts, he knew their deepest need was to see themselves in the light of the truth.  But, I think, the sick man also had the same need.  Surely he knew that he needed to be healed, but was he aware of his greatest need?  Jesus made him able to walk, he removed the physical paralysis, but that man eventually met the same end that all of us will, he died.  His greatest need was to have his sins forgiven, in order to be prepared for the next life.  Christ alone could see his need, He desired to spend eternity with the paralysed man in the Kingdom of God.  

Similarly, we are always asking God to repair the temporary things, while frequently ignoring our most critical need.  We are obsessed with our temporary conditions, while Jesus wants to address those things that will change our eternal destiny and in the here and now, give us joy unspeakable and full of glory.

¹⁸ And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

¹⁹ And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

In the presence of the Son of God, the disciples were filled and satisfied.  They were experiencing His power and soaking in the wisdom of direct contact with the Word of God.  When the Pharisees were looking for ways to discredit Christ, they found that his followers behaved differently.  They didn’t like that those who followed the Lord were happy.  They didn’t like that sinners and rejected members of their community felt welcome in His presence.  They were no doubt coveting the joy that they didn’t have in their our lives despite their spiritual rituals.  If you want to be miserable, be self righteous, if you want to enjoy life to the fullest, submit your life to Christ.  The religious leaders in Christ’s day could offer a list of rules and regulations designed for self-improvement, but they could only address the temporary, they had no power to make real change or to give an answer to the greatest need of the men and women who came to them.  In the presence of Jesus, there was no need for the disciples to fast, because they were satisfied, He had the power to meet their real need.

²⁰ But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

To fast is to make a dedicated effort to deny physical needs for a period of time, in order to align with God’s will and His priorities.  We fast today to pray and get ourselves back on track in our thinking.  It can be difficult to shut out all of the noise and anxiety of this world, fasting helps us to concentrate on the most important things, the eternal ones.  However and whatever you choose as a fast, it will focus your attention on the fact that you have a greater need, and a very great Savior who is the answer.

²¹ No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

²² And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

What if I told you that you could start over?  Jesus offers not just a new idea, but a new life.  “All things are passed away, behold everything is made new.”  When I held my newborn babies, their innocence and their beautiful design was unlike anything I’d ever known.  I have never know a love so pure and unbroken. In my eyes, they were absolutely perfect, and I would have done anything to keep them protected and happy.  

As we grow, we accumulate scars and flaws, we carry painful memories and deep regrets.  Sin separates and brings shame. The idea of starting over seems like an impossible dream, but we can be born again.  Our bodies were born for this world, and they will one day return to it, but our souls can be  reborn, and made ready for a new world.  Christ alone can make perfect through the His own righteousness and sacrifice.  You can start over, the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin.  

²³ And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

²⁴ And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

²⁵ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

²⁶ How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

²⁷ And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

²⁸ Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Again, the Pharisees criticized the disciples for not keeping their rules.  The law of God provided for those who were hungry.  The scriptures taught of David’s desperate situation and the mercy and grace he found at the tabernacle when he and his men were fed from the dedicated bread.  Religion will always disqualify.  It will find fault, condemn, and accuse.  Salvation will bring freedom.  Christ said that the Sabbath was made for man, in other words, it wasn’t created to hurt us it was given to bless us.  The one who made it, made provision for the disciples.  Christ was sinless, fulfilling the letter and the spirit of God’s law, His law.  The Lord Jesus Christ is our Sabbath, in Him we can rest safely knowing that we are loved, provided for, and redeemed.  Satan will still try and accuse us.  He’ll point out where we are falling short.  He’ll point to all our deficiencies and ugliness, but the Holy Spirit of God will point to the Cross and an empty tomb, where our Hero provided for our greatest need.  He saw past all the noise and all the pain, and gave it all so that we could be made whole.  

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!