International Sunday School Lesson May 24, 2026

Christian Rhythms of Life Mark 2:18-28. This weeks lesson looks at the various stages of our life and how our blessings and responsibilities change during the course of our life. Christian Rhythms of Life — Mark 2:18–28 (May 24, 2026) Jesus redefines religious practice around his presence: Through two confrontations — about fasting and Sabbath observance — Jesus positions himself as the fulfillment that makes old religious forms insufficient, using the bridegroom and new-wine metaphors to signal a radical shift in how his followers relate to God. The Sabbath controversy establishes Jesus' authority over the Law: By citing David's precedent with the bread of the Presence and declaring the Son of Man "lord even of the Sabbath," Jesus claims authority to reinterpret Mosaic law around human need and his own identity. The deck walks through Mark 2:18–28 in four sequential passages, building from fasting to Sabbath grain-plucking to a climactic Christological claim.