Classic Mismatches

Mark 2:18-22

August 19, 2018

Bruce R. Johnson

I. The setting

A. Imagine you’re a “common” person

1. Raised under Judaism

2. Seen this “John movement” come in and start to grow

a. He’s baptizing Jews as if they were unclean

b. He baptizes even Jesus, though protesting that the roles should be

reversed

c. Confusion over John’s identity while in Judean wilderness (John 1.19-

28)

3. Jesus moves His ministry from Judea to Galilee (G-S-J-I west of Jordan River

-- Mark 3.8; September 9)

a. Heals and drives out demons

b. “A new teaching with authority!” (Mark 1.27b)

B. Searching for a standard of comparison

1. Disorientation . . . mismatch

2. Academy students compelled to attend worship for religion class

a. “What did you think of the service?”

b. “In our church we serve wafers at communion”

3. Fasting traditions

a. John’s disciples (He’s been “visible” for only 2 years or so)

b. Pharisees

C. Leaving OT times and entering NT times

1. Only Jesus knows that

2. Patience -- Messianic secret

3. He shifts the comparison from wafers/fasting to weddings

II. The wedding

A. First mismatch: Weddings and fasting

B. Jesus’ mission as a wedding

C. Knowing when it’s time to fast

III. The stretching

A. Old garment/new patch

B. Old wineskin/new wine

C. Jesus the new patch and the new wine

IV. Sermon point: Jesus cannot be contained by the “structures” of mere religion

A. Schedules as old, shrunken cloth

B. New life in Christ bursts the old wineskins of our own itineraries

C. Messianic secret revealed in the gospel

D. New creations in Christ