When it comes to man’s relationship with God, there are two structures, the old and the new, which are simply incompatible with one another.

The old system is, “A good God will reward nice people for doing their best.”

The new system is that God redeems and saves those who place their trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Free grace and unmerited favor cannot be stitched into a works-based righteousness. The new life Jesus has come to give cannot be contained inside of man-made religion.

A fast is when you abstain from food in order to know God and glorify Him in a deeper way.

The old system was somber, solemn, and serious. You had better follow all the rules, and if you make one mistake you are out of here mister! Jesus offers a system of love, joy and acceptance that is not built on rule-following, but on grace.

We are in the “already not yet” of the kingdom. Jesus came to give salvation, joy, meaning, hope, peace and purpose through His death, burial and resurrection, which He has done! But all of that will only be fully realized the day of His return. For the Christian, this means there should be times of feasting and times of fasting for specific situations, to mortify sin in us, and certainly for His ultimate return.

Jesus is not a patch, He's a whole new suit.

Jesus is saying what He offers is growing, new, and alive, just like wine, and it cannot be contained in the same old religious container.