A Time to Feast

Jesus tramped once more along the sea.  The wake of people bobbed along behind him, hanging on his every word.  He saw Alpheus’ son, Levi, sitting there collecting taxes.  Jesus said C’mon, there’s more than this.

Levi followed him.

Then this.  It was quite a scene back at Jesus’ house.  The place was crawling with notorious sinners feasting with Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus’ guest list was not lost on the Pharisees.  They proverbially reminded his disciples: A man is known by the company he keeps.

Jesus heard their hearts and pulsed back There’s no pretense in this room.  These people are sick.  I’m a healer.  It’s that easy.

Some of the spiritual champions of the day practiced fasting, making sure everyone knew it.  They raised the issue with Jesus: Your disciples don’t fast?

Jesus responded:  For everything there is a time.  A time to fast and a time to feast.  Now, right now, is the time to feast.  This is not the time for old clothes or old wine or old anything.  Life right now is a banquet and you’re starving.

Then this.  Jesus was walking with his disciples through a field.  It was the Sabbath.  The disciples were knocking off the grain tops to clear a path.  This behavior was not lost on the Pharisees: See, they don’t know anything about the spiritual discipline of Sabbath.

Jesus cleared the air:  Have you heard the the story of David and his friends?  How one day they were hungry and he walked right up to the altar where Abiathar the priest was standing and David reached out and took the sacred bread and ate it and shared it with his friends?  I love that story.  David didn't let the tail wag the dog.  Let me be very clear - the Son of Man doesn't either.

Mark 2.13-28