Mark 2_13_28 Outline with notes

Text: Mark 2:13-28

Title: Jesus and Religion

Intro:

One of the saddest features in the life of Jesus was the rising opposition of the religious leaders. Here there is a series of skirmishes between Jesus and the Pharisees. They ask Jesus three questions where we can see the difference between Jesus and religion. Religion is man attempt to reach God. Jesus is God’s way to reach man.

CPS: Religion is about works while a relationship with Jesus is about grace.

Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” Mk 2:16.

Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Mk 2:18.

Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Mk 2:24.

Religion Brings Isolation; Jesus Brings Invasion Vs. 14-17

Levi’s appreciation

Jesus was walking along somewhere around Capernaum and He came to a tax booth maned by Levi –

A tax collector for Herod the Governor of Galilee - Tax collectors are hated – despised because of their dishonesty – use of intimidation and even force used to gather taxes.

They were hated for their contact with Gentiles – and the fact Levi worked for Herod a Semi-Jew (half Jew half Edomite from Indumea) made Levi a sinner extraordinaire

But what did Jesus do? Simply said follow me – Levi left his booth and followed Jesus

Levi shows his appreciation of Jesus’ work in him and haves Jesus over for dinner

Vs. 15 – sat at meat - NIV says “at Levi’s home” Luke 5:29 – “Levi gave him a reception at his home.”

Levi left everything for Jesus -obeyed Him and now honored Him in his house.

This was something the religious experts of the day didn’t do – what did they do?

The Pharisee’s condemnation

They condemned Jesus - why does this so called righteous man eat with the unrighteous – the righteous don’t associate with the unrighteous – that’s just how it is, that what their religion told them

The Lord’s explanation

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Was Jesus saying the Pharisees were in right standing with God so they didn’t need Him? No

Jesus said I came to call all because all are sick and in need of healing – Spiritual healing

Religion wants to say who the kingdom belongs to and who it doesn’t but Jesus says the kingdom is mine and I will include whoever repents of their sin and turns to Me in faith.

Religion Brings a Funeral; Jesus Brings a Feast Vs. 18-22

The accusation

Pharisees saying – we fast – they fast – The ones you are teaching don’t fast

Pharisees fasted every Monday and Thursday – it was a ritual for them – sometimes used for expression of repentance – preparation for prayer -but most often a meritorious act

Grace is the absence of merit – it is un merited

John’s disciples may have fasted because of John’s imprisonment or death - or his emphasis on repentance – fasting can help you focus and unrepented sin can be revealed to you

The application

19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

John’s disciples mourned – the loss of their teacher – mourned over their sin

Why should they fast while the Messiah is with them. – this isn’t a time for fasting but a time for joy

Not a time for a funeral but a time to celebrate life becasue I have come to give life

On some occasions fasting is appropriate and at other times it isn’t…. the nearness of the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus was not a fitting time.

NB) the way to God is not through religious practices but through joyful association with Jesus

20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

Jesus alludes to the day His disciples will fast, will mourn over Him

Alludes to the Crucifixion – when the religious experts had the LORD of Glory crucified

The One who they had waited for – One they had taught was coming – was in their midst

Blinded by their self-centered – Man made religion purposefully executed Him like a common thief

The illustrations

21No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

These parables teach the incompatibility of the old (scribal Judaism) and the new (Christianity).

Christianity – the new garment – the new wineskin – the new wine

The point is not that “old” is wrong or evil but that the promised time had come. The Messiah is here.

Religion brings a funeral – Jesus’ funeral …… but what a celebration when Jesus busted out of the tomb

Religion Brings a Burden; Jesus Brings a Blessing Vs. 23-28

The laws of the Sabbath Vs. 23 -24

23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

The Bible tells us working on the Sabbath was illegal for the Jew

Ex. 20:8-11 Six day you will work on the seventh you will rest because God rested after He created – as an example for us.

- you shall do no work! - you are anyone in your family – servants – oxen

That simple – no work

Religion brings burden – the scribes being all religious created 39 kinds of work that were prohibited 1/3 of those works was reaping

Is a handful of wheat reaping? – or laying a sickle to -

Illustration: Orthodox Jew Stephen – car -light switches

The limits of the Sabbath

25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Jesus implied that what David and his men did was justified because they were famished.

Human need should take precedence over Ceremonial Law

Ultimately Sabbath observance should not be reduced to legalistic restrictions – Human needs are more important than rituals

The Lord of the Sabbath

Humans were not created to observe the Sabbath, BUT the Sabbath was created for their benefit.

Rest

Recoupe

Worship the Lord who now sustains us

He is our Joy, our encourager, our provision, our righteousness

Humans don’t have the authority to determine how the Sabbath is observed

That belongs to the Lord of the Sabbath Who is that Jesus the Son of Man – God Himself who created then rested.

Who instituted the command.

Application: Religion is all about yourself it is me centered. Jesus is not, He is about His Father’s work!

Religion Isolates people – saying I belong, you belong, but you don’t belong for some reason or another.

Jesus says I didn’t come for the religious – those who on their own accord try to stand upright

I came for the broken the one in need – the sinner so that His iniquities could be removed from Him

The dirty, so that I can wash him white as snow

According to Scriptures that is everybody – Romans 3:10-23

In our Americanized minds – everything is about me. Your religion is about you and thus you isolates others.

Did you know that the all knowing, all present, all powerful God’s saving activity can be hindered by us – the people who are saved are the ones restricted to who we share the gospel with.

Religion can say – you should come to church but the Bible says “you are to share the gospel with the lost a dying world.

Religion says need to buddy up with Joe because Joe has lots of money and he needs to be kept happy because he is a big tither, but I don’t need to worry about Susie she is a single mom of three and struggles just to make ends meet, she can’t contribute much to our financial support. – we do that you know –

Conclusion: Do you have religion or Jesus? You can join the church and go through religious exercises and not know Jesus.

-Do you isolate people?

-Are you attending a funeral?

-Are you bringing burdens?