The parties of Jesus are celebrations. The Pharisees are mourning over the absence of God and his kingdom. But in Jesus God has come to his people, and his kingdom is dawning. So fasting gives way to feasting. Their meals are eaten with joy. They must be.
Compare the old way with the new way. The new way is gracious rather than religious, inclusive rather than exclusive, welcoming rather than unwelcoming. It is characterized by feasting rather than fasting, rejoicing rather than grumbling. It recognizes its need and finds hope in the Savior rather than feeling self-righteous and therefore rejecting the Savior.
Look at those two lists: gracious, inclusive, welcoming, feasting, rejoicing, and recognizing your need, compared with religious, exclu- sive, unwelcoming, fasting, grumbling, and self-righteous. Are you living as someone who belongs to the new way?
- Tim Chester, A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, and Mission around the Table, p.26
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