This Changes Everything!

Just don't know it is Chris and I have been kind of studying and preaching and kind of working together through this stuff. You just noticed that it's it's hard to unpack one chapter of The Book of Mark and one week like it's just not going to happen. And so we're just not going to rush it or take the time we feel it needs. Presta to properly do this, so

Be praying for us as we do that cuz this is been it's been good for us. But it's we hope it's also good for God's kingdom good for God's Church.

Alfre Woodard, then we'll get into the word Father in Heaven. I thank you so much. Thank you so much for this time. We've had and worshiping you through music and just thinking your attributes and and seeing who you aren't understanding that. When we hunger we should hopefully be hungry for you and your word and just how that will fill our lives more than the things we can hunger for. Father's we dive into the word today as we dig into what what you're teaching us through this small little chunk of of Mark chapter 2 that you would really speak to our hearts would convicted us. He would challenge us you would Move my lie in our personal lives as well as in the lives of Calvary Heights Baptist Church Father pretty you put me aside other this be of you not of me that that nothing here is done that doesn't glorify you and exalt your name on high. It's in Jesus name. I pray amen who we are in Mark chapter 2 starting with Verse 18 We had just seen where Jesus had called Levi also known as Matthew just last week. We talked about that and what he does and and there's this big great feast that Levi hosted for Jesus and in all these other folks and her some questioning their and ear Jesus's kind of just

Getting questioned again, and then we're going to see that off and on throughout the gospels were Jesus's and summer guards kind of minding his own business and then people come up and ask him kind of pointed questions. And the way he responds back is as always with Grace but also with truth and so we're going to see that today as well be looking at Mark Chapter 2 Verse 18. It says now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting and people came and said to him why do John's disciples in the Disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast. And Jesus said to them can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day. No one's sews a piece of old of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does the patch tears away from it the new from the old and the worst tears made and no one puts new wine into Old wineskins. If he does the wine wilber's the skin to the wine is destroyed and so are the skins, but new wine is for fresh wineskins. this

since you're such an interesting passage, it is just it doesn't seem to fit much that we talked about in modern society at all wine and wineskins patches on clothes. I haven't seen matter fact, I can pay more now for have holes in your pants and you do put patches on them, right? There's a probably probably of that last generation that grew up with the Sears toughskins of your mama patch before you even got to put them on right there. There's just not with these are things we don't talk about in our society much anymore. It's just not something that happened but Jesus mentions all the stuff he's questioned and how he answers we're going to look at this. It's really interesting to that. He's not questioned by his own disciples. He's not question here by the scribes and the Pharisees which is what had been happening, but just people out in the crowd it even following on listen to Jesus hair like, What happening with this to teach a little bit here about fasting now. Have a good understanding about what Jesus? Is explaining here we kind of have to understand fasting to begin with fasting as a spiritual discipline the same as prayer giving gathering in Fellowship studying the word meditating on the word all these things are type of spiritual discipline.

In Matthew 6 chapter verses 16 through 18. Jesus gives his disciples some specific instructions for fasting 3 says when you fast do not look gloomy, but anoint your head wash your face that you're fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who's in secret not notice something here about that in Matthew chapter 6. Jesus says when not if

when not if this is pretty important Jesus intended for his followers to spend some time fasting. He would have said if he would have said when if he had not intended for the followers too fast intense for us as far as of Jesus Christ a fast. Also remember that to begin his own Ministry Jesus spent 40 days out in the wilderness fasting. This is an important spiritual discipline that Believers need to participate in we see if we continue to read on we get into Acts chapter 13 or 14. We see the early church spending time fasting and I fasted for several reasons fasting is a good important part of our spiritual practices. David Platt of and secret Church 19 it just kind of his interesting that but his last secret church. If you're not familiar with that this is this night of deep preaching that he'll take a topic and scriptural this last year 2019. It was fasting and prayer and he spent and literally went through every book of scripture finding fasting and prayer in it and in presenting that end in so when the things he talked about in that in that particular setting was that fasting unites us around the word of God. It focuses us on the glory of God. It's sensitizes us to the Holy Spirit and it leads us to the mission of God. Alright to fasting is a good thing. But why is it good? Right? Well, it reminds us to be hungry for God's word in our lives. It reminds us to be hungry for God's power in our local church. It reminds us to be hungry for God's glory in all the nations. These are important things that we spiritually need to be hungry for all the time. And taking some time to fast to give up food and specifically food. Reminds us of that is we're hungry for our belly. Once it should remind us a hunger for what are Spirit needs and I said specifically food.

That's what fasting really is. I know that but there's a lot of folks who I'm going to give up XYZ social media fast all these other things that's not really fasting fasting is specifically giving up food for a spiritual purpose to spend that time that you would have been eating and prayer and study of the word of God. Right, that's fasting.

Brother plant also uses This Acronym fast fast to give us a simple teaching about fasting when we do it. I'm going to say if we do but when we do, I know we're Baptists annoying joke right about the eleventh commandment is meat before you get you no eat when you meet but I honestly there's not a lot of skinny Baptist preachers out there either. We need to pry work on some of that. But honestly, we need to be fasting this is this is a spiritual discipline that he's having the F stands for focus on God. Right for thinking about this fast focus on God. Rite Aid abstain from food

F substitute your meal time with prayer and scripture study

auntie taste and see that our God is good.

I'm going to say this. I would encourage every believer in Jesus Christ who is medically able and I'm going to put that out there to excite understand their folks blood sugar issues their folks with other promise that you maybe need to if you're convicted of this talk to your doctor first, right? Don't just jump right in. Your doctor if you're medically able to fast I I would encourage every believe in Jesus Christ was medically able to fast to start picking it up as a spiritual discipline. I really think that it's as important to us as prayer and giving a gathering right? It doesn't have to be 40 days. I'm not saying that the example that Jesus jumps right into his what we need to jump right into

That's not it. It could be something as simple as fasting one meal a week. Taking a lunch hour and spending that quiet time of prayer and study taking a dinner. With your spouse or your family one day a week I get kids can get a little cranky when you're hungry. Figure out a way for them to work at 3, but spend that time praying together right one meal week figure out what works for you pray about it get involved in it. But instead of eating that one meal week spend that time praying and reading the word. I have personally been convicted about this recently. This is this is this is me preaching to me. All right.

And here's why I got convicted about it. I got to do the blood work next week and I got to go to the doctor and I got a fast for 12 hours. Anyway, why is that easy? Why is it easy for me to fast for 12 hours for them to stick a needle in my arm and drop blood but it's not easy for me to fast to spend time with my God.

That's not right. Another reason why I've been personally convicted by this. right We've all done this been involved in a project. We're knee-deep and we forget to eat.

I can go all day long forgetting eat working really hard on a project. Why is that more important than the time? I'm spending with my God.

3 when it comes to fasting for Spiritual purposes, we often snub at that idea. We we just we just not for me. It's not why God's calling me to well know it probably is it and I think that God wouldn't or hasn't called us to it. We're just We're wrong in that Jesus said when you fast he's anticipating us doing that. I could go on and on and on and on and on about fasting. I've done a lot of study on it recently it we found it. Very ironic that we were coming up on fasting in this part of the sermon series, but it also showed up on our Wednesday night prayer time in the study were doing their two. Telling us something about this. We need to heat it and listen I'm going to I could go on and on but I'm not must get back to Chapters chapter 2 verses 18 through 22 and ask. Why is it that in Matthew? Jesus gives did the disciples some Specific Instructions about fasting but here and Mark it looks like he's teaching not too fast. well

He's not teaching not too fast. So we see all these good things about fasting and it could have kind of appear that Jesus is saying not too fast, but he's he's not teaching his disciples to not fast is teaching the appropriate time for fasting. And he's teaching about the appropriate motives for fasting and that's important to think about the people who appointed as examples here at the people come to Jesus. And we see that the Pharisees are fasting and we see that John's disciples talk about John the Baptist there fasting. Why don't your disciples fasting? So these are the examples the Pharisees and John the Baptist John's followers were probably fasting is just a pattern of discipline. We we we just know that fasting was kind of this pretty common thing that happened amongst Old Testament Believers that they would fast they would periodically they wouldn't spend time in prayer and it was part of just a spiritual discipline for them.

I also kind of think back to what John's message was repent for the kingdom of God is at hand John was preaching that over and over and over again. His followers are fasting into in anticipation for the kingdom of God. They were hung during or that and that spiritual time of fasting they fasted because they longed for the Messiah. Who is Jesus? Are the Pharisees they like wives fasted for patter spiritual discipline, but the problem with what the Pharisees were going to say would allow the tradition to then supersede any actual closeness to God.

They would also have made kind of a show of their fasting so that people will know how religious and therefore holy and I'm going to use those little air quotes only. They were the Pharisees typically practice practice fasting like every Monday and every Thursday like in any kind of made a show of it. Like I don't know could really find out a good reason why they chose Mondays and Thursdays, but that tended to be there practice so they would do this. It would not eat all day Monday not eat all day Thursday.

But it was that show right? When Jesus teaches his disciples to fast in Matthew 6. He says do it in such a manner that no one knows to a lot of the Old Testament rituals with fasting where to cover your head in the ashes of the fire in the house or cover your head with dirt. Then put on burlap sack cloth and you'd sit in this Ash and dirt and I need sit wearing burlap while you would fast in Jesus like you don't need to do that. They're quietly wash your head. He says anoint your head and Matthew 6 like wash your face. Don't look gloomy. I get you get angry, but try to put some ice. Nice look on your face until the hangry's over right just do it quietly, but nobody has to know this is between you and God your father.

The old religious rituals cannot properly speak. Is the good news that Jesus is bringing in the kingdom of God? 3 we've got these old religious religious rituals and they're not bad in an of them self. But there a shadow we see that in the book of Hebrews over and over and over again a shadow and and hear fasting is a shadow of longing for the great feast that we will have a Cheese's

there's so much about that good news in this these old religious rituals just cannot speak properly to how good that good news is she is is the idea here that remember that Jesus didn't come to reform has he didn't come to improve us. It's not anything like that. He came to make us new We are New Creations in Jesus Christ. He came to regenerate us. Scrap us out and start us all over this is true personally and it's true on a very large scale as well that Jesus fulfilled all the laws of Judaism and only did he fulfill them. He didn't superseded them. The New Covenant of Jesus Christ replaces that old Covenant all things are made new in Jesus. And that's why it's about the appropriateness in the timing for fasting verse 19 kind of Jesus continues on and he refers to himself as the bridegroom. I love reading the Old Testament prophets. There's some fun stuff. There's some really incredible almost crazy stories that happen but over and over and over again in the Old Testament prophets the bride and groom is God. The groom is God and in the bride are the people who keep turning away from them. That's an adulterous bride in the Old Testament.

Jesus refers to himself here in the bridegroom.

Is already referred to himself as the son of man. That is referring to himself as the bridegroom. Jesus is pointing out to these folks. I am God. I am the Messiah I am. I am right eye keeps saying this and they're missing it.

Is declaring himself God once more this chapter and that's going to change everything Jesus Is God and not just a prophet Jesus Is God not just a teacher that changes everything.

So when we think about this this question of fasting and I think is this a loaded question is this one of those pointed questions like I like back when we looked at. the question who can forgive sins, but God Alone back in verse 7, or why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners here in verse 16 Did Jesus is going to see more of these loaded questions throughout his ministry? They're just going to keep coming adding each time. He gets them. He answers them in a way that is unexpected. But has great authority. Jesus isn't shying away from any of this confrontation and he's not a silly rushing into it. It's coming to him, but he's not afraid of it. He doesn't shy away from it.

Is summer guards you can even look at this question is has been great accusation accusatory. I never get that word quite right apologize. It's very accusatory question. What kind of like it if you're so spiritual? Why aren't you and your disciples fasting?

Why are you why are you making your disciples meet a high spiritual standards that we see in the field than the Pharisees? Why are they meeting all of this?

Some part of that is if there's only one mandated fast and all of the Old Testament the day of atonement the only one that is by law from God mandated for the people to fast. Are there other fast that became part of the Jewish tradition after the people return from the Exile in Babylon, but fasting again is supposed to be focused on God. Do we see people who are fasting looking for favor for men?

And this is what God desires from someone who's fasting God desires a repentant heart from those who fast. God desires people who are seeking him. Not the praise of men. That's when this fasting that's the thing in Jesus answers the question about fasting with this mini Parable missed the parables in Mark. We we think often about the parables in the in the gospel of Matthew because and Jesus taught in a parable work doesn't do that. He just says ain't Jesus answered but they're many parables and we have to come and look for them sometimes and here's one they answered. It says this many terrible that he is the bridegroom and his disciples are the wedding guests. In the wedding guest cannot fast while the groom is with them. Can they, you know, you don't you don't you don't go to a wedding not expecting there to be a dinner.

At least cake right? I mean, I mean, I guess Donuts are the thing now and weddings been close enough to cake and probably better. Anyway, I prefer Donuts to cake. I'm just saying. All right, so you would expect this and if you think about it as a Jewish wedding some of those beasts lasted 3 days. Susie huge celebration as long as the groom is with them they cannot fast, but the time will come when the groom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day.

Jesus saying I'm here. Now. My follower should celebrate with me in the time we have this is a joyous occasion. Not a time for us to mourn. Passing here in this time at this moment will be kind of inappropriate. Being in the presence of the Lord is something to celebrate and rejoice.

They look at first 20.

The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day.

This is Jesus's first mentioned in the Book of Mark of his death burial and Resurrection. Just hinting at it is not flat out saying it but there's there's a hint that. The groom is going to be snatched away from the party. Removed from them the groom is taken away. The Joy the disciples have right now in the presence of the Lord is going to be traded in for sorrow in a short amount of time. Celebrate while you can.

I love this when you think about the the kingdom of God has made a personal appearance in Jesus Christ in the flesh.

but the final victory hasn't happened yet. Does the idea kind of a Jesus on Earth we called the inauguration of the Kingdom but it's not the consummation. These is a second or coming is the consummation of the kingdom of God all that stuff that we read in the Book of Revelation all the stuff that we read about the kingdom of God in the Book of Daniel. That's the confirmation and it's that glorious moment that the feast It's to happen. I'm thinking about this till the initial readers of this Gospel of Mark. They'd have read through this. They were dispersed through through Roman Empire. This was about the time of Nero and his persecution of of of the Christians, you know anything to watch the old Gladiator movies and they were there throwing the Christians into the lions den. This was that time if this was this was literally kind of what was happening with Nero, he was maniacal that way and so these initial readers would have would have looked at this section here. They would have considered this possibly an exhortation to persevere. Better as Believers in Christ. There are times when Jesus seems far away from us.

Did the disciples are going to experience a time they're living with Jesus write another their spending almost every waking moment with him except those times and he sneaks away and then what we were looking for you right?

But there's going to be time when he's going to seem far.

Times are going to be tough situations are going to be hard. These are going to be the times for us to fast and pray. This is when we are called to reflect on how Jesus was snatched away to suffer alone on the cross. And the reason he suffered alone on the cross was it this was done for our sins. The Jesus died the deaf you and I should die. Jesus Paid the price you and I should pay. Jesus bore the wrath of God that you and I should bear. Jesus Took the Judgment you and I should take

I killed his own son that you and I should not have to be killed to pay for our sins.

We consider the infinite price paid. my sins by Jesus it should move us to fast and pray when I Ponder my wretchedness before a holy and just God, it should kind of remove my appetite.

That's why we should fast and pray.

That's an appropriate response. In Jesus shifts things as he kind of continues to teach in Parables and verses 21 and 22. Everybody's talking about the difference between new and old as he's doing this. When were the question that began with this discussion was about really kind of about following old religious rituals that were empty. Any compare Zoe's old practices to worn-out garments and he compares the gospel to new cloth and he points out that you cannot patch the Garment with a new cloth patch without destroying the old garment. I think of this I did and I apologize ma. But I thought back to those old Sears toughskins blue jeans that I had as a kid, right and I don't know what it was about the ages between about an hour and a half and ate that those blue jeans could not keep knees in them. I don't know what it was about me and that age if I didn't have scabs I wouldn't live in life right? I guess. I don't know but that I just remember they're always scabs and in skinned up knees and my jeans and I remember Mom trying to patch him. What I remember most about Mom trying to patch him was one you could tell the new patch was always way darker than the rest of the blue jean is way stiffer than the rest of the blue. Jean and it didn't last more than a week.

I tried mama I swear. All right. But that's what I remember that like they seem to always tear and leave new holes or the seems would come out. Am I reminded him on the sewing machine? This wasn't any like, you know, just patch it up or five stitches in know she did him right? They would just not work, but Jesus is saying the same thing.

about the old rights in the old rituals and the gospel.

Comparacao sings to this compares the gospel of this new cloth any points out that you you can't patch an old garment with a new cloth without destroying the old garment.

He's saying here that the false religion is the same. Is all blue jeans and I get it. She wanted to keep them kids are expensive clothes were expensive would hold on to him as long as you can but they were wore out and they just needed chopped. Go to side. discarded

false religion is the exact same thing. It's an old garment. The simply needs to be thrown out to Jesus. Everything is new wasn't that the the old wasn't bad? But it's no longer useful. It's served its purpose.

It's been replaced with something better and that's Jesus. When you have something better, there's no reason to try to continue to prop up the old worn-out thing and try to give it a new face.

Hebrews 10:1 says for since the law has been a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities. It can never by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year make perfect those who draw near

It's a shadow. These practices over and over and over again if they're not focused on God if it's not really focused on Jesus if it's not christ-centered.

It's a shadow and it doesn't do any good.

Do we have the real thing our life? We can't worship just a shadow. That doesn't save us it condemns us. Have to be aware of that. Route 22, Jesus speaks about new wine in old wineskins

That's really weird to us. That's just not something we do or think about in modern Western Society. How wineskins worked when they would skin a goat? They would keep the outer skin as intact and hold as they possibly could. And I would Stitch it all together as tightly as they possibly could but it didn't leak. I would literally pour the new wine. This fermented grape juice inside of this goats skin.

And that skin would be flexible and pliable in the little bacteria doing their thing in the little organisms doing all their little thing in there going to make that skin flexible and pliable. It's going to stretch and it's going to stretch is going to stretch was going to be gases that are going to come up in the in the in the fermentation process and it's going to stretch the skin some more. And that skins going to stretch and it's going to be pliable. And it's going to be okay. now if you take one of those old skins now that's fully stretched at that old wine in it and you finish up the old wine and you put new wine in it that process is going to start over again, right? But now that skins not a stretchy. It's not as pliable. It's not as capable of movement as it needs to be and it's going to burst and spill everything. That's weird for us cuz we just don't think that way anymore.

But that's what he's talking about here is just not going to hold. To let this this Parable and what about the patches really kind of shows us a radical new era that is come in with Jesus is reminding us that the Jesus is not an ad on the Jesus is not an attachment. Jesus is not an addition. Jesus is not an appendage. Jesus cannot be integrated into pre existing structures, right? He's not even able to be integrated into Judaism is that able to be integrated into the giraffe? He's not even to be integrated into the synagogue at this point. Write this is false religion. Of all these pre-existing situations it is, like this old wine skin that can't contain New Life Jesus is New Life.

life

Jesus came to make things new not to perpetuate the old the question is not whether the Pharisees will add Jesus to the rituals. But will they forsake the old and embrace the reality of the New Covenant? But it's also not a question whether or not the disciples will incorporate Jesus into their old ways of life, but will they become entirely new vessels for the Gospel of Jesus is in their lives. Search this is a question. We got to ask ourselves. We don't stop to think about it off and work. We're New Testament Church. We believe the New Testament we do these things better and you know when we can get just as locked step into rituals. as the Pharisees We can get Justice lockstep into checking off a box as a spiritual discipline as the Pharisees. It's not that what they were doing was bad and it was not intended to be bad, but it became more important than who the spiritual discipline was supposed to guide them to. If we can do that, I've been guilty of it, but I don't Sonny's Sunday night Wednesday night work day on Saturday like you do all these things and it feels right. Do all those things?

But it's more than just. Those things about Jesus being in your life and living through you.

Will you throw off the old garments of rituals and habits?

Will you embrace?

The newness of Life clothes in Jesus Christ. Are you going to try to incorporate Jesus? Into your old way of life or you allow him to fill you with new life so that you may become a new creature. These are the questions we have to ask ourselves.

There's no compromise between work-based religion and salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone. Is no compromise there? Jesus lived died and rose again all on our behalf. That changes everything for us. We're going to enter in our time of call to action or time of invitation and in as we do this, what do you think about this is a seiples were with Jesus and they were there to celebrate but there was a time when the bridegroom was going to be snatched and I'm going too fast then church if we're thinking about a conviction on fasting why am I fasting now? Because I'm in anticipation of my Messiah returning same as John's Apostles following him in a being ready to fast because they were looking for the coming of the Messiah. Why am I going to ask myself? Am I going to be like that new wine skin filled New Life. Am I going to be that new garment close in Jesus Christ? Am I going to surrender to him? I got to give it up. That's what I got to do. I can't add Jesus to the stuff. I already have. Everything it was old is old and Jesus is here to make a new.

If you need the newness of Jesus. Today's the day place the time you can talk to us. All you have to do is cry out. I know that I'm a sinner. I know I have rebelled against the holy and just God, I believe what Jesus says he says who he says he is in scripture. I know the only through him. Can I come to God the Father? Simple cry out that and you will be heard.

Father in Heaven a thank you so much. Thank you for your word. And I thank you for the newness that comes through Jesus Christ.

I pray Lord. That is we enter into this time of reflection this time of doing business with you this time of response to what we've heard in the word that you continue to speak to our hearts. You would continue to convict us would continue to challenges and have us ask ourselves. Are we putting ritual before relationship with Jesus Christ?

Are we doing things to check things off on a list are we doing things because we want to put God first.

What is our motives?

What would you have us do?

I must dig deep questioning that in our hearts.

Glorify you in all that we do. Jesus name I pray

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