WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.099 So I will be reading from Mike 2. 00:00:05.179 --> 00:00:07.240 Jesus questioned about fasting. 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:10.279 Now, John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. 00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:13.060 Some people came and asked Jesus, 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:17.940 how is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not? 00:00:18.699 --> 00:00:23.480 Jesus answered, how can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:26.359 They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:32.920 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:36.240 No one suits a patch of unshrunk cloth of an old garment. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:41.019 Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 00:00:41.939 --> 00:00:44.359 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:49.539 Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:53.899 No, they pour new wine into new wineskins. 00:00:53.899 --> 00:00:57.239 Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. 00:00:57.859 --> 00:01:06.780 One Sabbath, Jesus was going through the cornfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some ears of corn. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:12.200 The Pharisees said to him, look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath? 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:18.659 He answered, have you ever read that David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 00:01:18.659 --> 00:01:29.359 In the days of Abiathar, the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. 00:01:30.219 --> 00:01:32.200 And he also gave some to his companions. 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:36.719 Then he said to them, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 00:01:37.319 --> 00:01:40.479 So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:42.799 Good morning again, church. 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:50.700 Okay, so here we are, a continuation in the book of Mark. 00:01:52.200 --> 00:02:00.939 And this section, what we're going to look at today, is a passage where Jesus discusses the old and the beginning of the new. 00:02:01.859 --> 00:02:07.600 Where it highlights Jesus' authority over legalism and interpretation of the law. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:20.299 So we will see in there, we'll see some of the traditions of the Pharisees, some of their many thoughts and their behaviours that doesn't fall in line with God's word and his truth. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:34.459 And when we think about traditions, traditions are maybe something I'd say that, you know, it's something that is enduring, that groups or behaviours, you know, adapt and it's rooted in longstanding practices. 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:48.620 And I dare, if I think back to some traditions in the past, once upon a time, that, you know, when I was growing up, there may have been traditions that, you know, some folks from the Caribbean or so forth, 00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:55.580 they would have had pictures of Jesus in their house with, you know, depicted as blue eyes and certain narrative. 00:02:55.580 --> 00:03:00.520 And that became a stumbling block to many people in the Caribbean community. 00:03:00.900 --> 00:03:03.720 Because that was not in line with the gospel. 00:03:03.920 --> 00:03:08.840 As Deuteronomy told you, we should worship nothing in heaven, on earth or under the earth. 00:03:09.160 --> 00:03:16.860 So we see traditions of things sometimes, often that man puts in place and it is an endurance to what the gospel is. 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:27.200 And we have traditions, some of us from family, with family members, where we act out certain values, we conduct ourselves in certain ways. 00:03:27.660 --> 00:03:34.020 And when it comes to the gospel, it can hinder us in displaying who Christ is and walking within those ways. 00:03:34.440 --> 00:03:37.920 The good thing is, though, is West Kilburn has great traditions. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:50.979 I believe the church would have been established over 150 years with the intention of proclaiming, preaching the gospel, raising disciples and meeting the needs within the community. 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:55.959 West Kilburn, sorry, I mean, Queen's Park Church, as we now merge. 00:03:56.299 --> 00:04:01.079 We have a tradition where we used to have our worship service on a Saturday. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:04.560 And God is not dealing with legalism, you know. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.199 He quite welcomes our soul to worshiping them on a Saturday. 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:16.280 Though Sunday is the Lord's Day, but our practice, our tradition, we used to worship the Lord on a Saturday for various reasons. 00:04:16.339 --> 00:04:21.500 And we see God bless that by people coming to know the Lord and being baptized. 00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:30.920 So legalism and traditions, they have their place, but at the same time, they're all measured by the word of God. 00:04:30.920 --> 00:04:46.780 So traditional ways were strict professors of a certain order or way of doing things to make their practice standard and to censor and condemn all that do not come up to. 00:04:47.180 --> 00:04:52.300 And it can not become legalistic and not in line with God's plans and purpose for his people. 00:04:52.300 --> 00:04:56.920 So just a little upkeep to where we are right now. 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:58.780 We've started the book of Mark. 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:06.379 And what we've seen so far is John has proclaimed the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:08.480 And we see that in chapter one. 00:05:08.540 --> 00:05:13.720 And that's fulfilling Isaiah chapter 40, verse three, as the way has been prepared. 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:21.680 Then Jesus continues to proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand and he calls people to repent and believe in the gospel. 00:05:22.200 --> 00:05:23.560 Chapter one, verse 15. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:27.800 Then Jesus continues where he calls his disciples to follow him. 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:33.280 And he continues to demonstrate that he preaches with power and authority. 00:05:33.980 --> 00:05:42.160 We see, as we heard last week, as Steve preached, how Jesus was sitting and he was eating with sinners. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:47.460 And this is the first attempt now where we see the momentum of the kingdom coming into effect. 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:54.060 We see the religious leaders and those in authority start to question him because they're misguided. 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:56.160 So we do see the scribes. 00:05:56.900 --> 00:05:59.940 They were saying in their hearts, you know, why is he eating with sinners? 00:06:00.200 --> 00:06:02.140 And Jesus calls them out. 00:06:02.840 --> 00:06:09.840 And yeah, we see a manifestation of that going to be continued now as we continue in chapter two. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:17.839 But before we hurry into this, I just want to, you know, as we, as Joanna just read in chapter two, verse 27 and 28. 00:06:18.659 --> 00:06:26.879 It declares, Jesus said to them, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.859 So the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath. 00:06:31.659 --> 00:06:36.219 So when we stop and just think of that, Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. 00:06:36.220 --> 00:06:44.880 The son of man, first of all, that is a title that we hear first about in Daniel chapter seven. 00:06:46.880 --> 00:06:48.580 Daniel chapter seven, right? 00:06:48.760 --> 00:06:50.220 So we hear about this. 00:06:50.620 --> 00:06:51.380 We're about that. 00:06:51.620 --> 00:07:00.000 It says, in my vision at night, I looked and there before me was one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:04.879 He approached the Asian of days and was led into his presence. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:10.519 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power. 00:07:11.180 --> 00:07:15.240 All nations and peoples of every language worshipped him. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:23.120 His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away and his kingdom will never be destroyed. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.040 That is Jesus. 00:07:28.579 --> 00:07:30.699 Sorry, that's the wrong one, right? 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:32.300 My apologies. 00:07:33.100 --> 00:07:33.780 All right, sorry. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:36.519 But that, that's, yes, set up my apologies here. 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:38.340 So we hear that in that verse, right? 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:40.759 Jesus is the Lord of Sabbath. 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.680 And if he's the Lord of the Sabbath, he's Lord of everything practically. 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:47.220 Because he created the Sabbath. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:49.840 He established the Sabbath for man to rest in. 00:07:50.199 --> 00:07:56.879 So if Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, as he made that for man, he created man and he created everything else. 00:07:57.840 --> 00:08:03.160 So in verse 18, we see the first, we see the narrative starting there now. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:07.480 We see John's disciples, we read, and the Pharisees, they're fasting. 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:15.000 Then some people come and query and they ask, why is Jesus' disciples, why are they not fasting? 00:08:15.340 --> 00:08:20.500 But Jesus, he turns and he speaks to them and he addresses them to let them know, 00:08:20.700 --> 00:08:27.280 while the bride is here, the guests do not need to fast because they've acknowledged his presence which is there. 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:29.840 Enjoying the presence of the Lord. 00:08:29.939 --> 00:08:32.720 That's something I want us to just consider and talk about. 00:08:33.060 --> 00:08:36.120 So Jesus refers to himself as the bridegroom. 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:40.220 Isaiah 62 verse 5 will bear witness to that. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:43.419 It talks about the bridegroom rejoices over the bride. 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.679 The bride is the church, is God's people, you know. 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:50.080 And it says, so shall your God rejoice over you. 00:08:50.179 --> 00:08:57.620 So God takes joy and he rejoices over his people who he created and those who know him and confess him as Lord and Saviour. 00:08:57.779 --> 00:09:04.060 So while Jesus is present in this text with the disciples, they are to enjoy his presence. 00:09:04.059 --> 00:09:13.279 There's no need for them to be fasting because they've come to the realisation that their Messiah, their long-awaited king, is present and there with them. 00:09:13.879 --> 00:09:18.179 Fasting is for a particular reason which we'll look at a little bit more in a text. 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:29.299 And for us just to really consider, you know, as we've done with the children's service, you know, considering when you're invited to a wedding or if you're invited to some kind of do or something. 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:31.559 It's usually a good thing that we do celebrate. 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:40.159 So as guests at a banquet, you would be invited to enjoy all that is provided for you in honour of the host. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:44.699 Guests receive all the privileges the host as an offer. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:55.559 And here we are to understand that the guests of the bride are those with Jesus who acknowledge him as the awaited Messiah, as their king, as the one who was promised to come. 00:09:56.360 --> 00:10:06.480 We are invited to acknowledge the Lord's presence and as guests of honour accept his invitation to enjoy his presence and celebrate him. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:14.980 And that invitation is extended to all, no matter who you are, what creed, culture, background, wherever you are from. 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:20.779 That invitation is an invitation for us to acknowledge that we all have a default. 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:23.100 We all have inherent sin. 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:29.879 We all never adhere to the standard that we would love to adhere to where we can consistently do what is right. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:39.340 And often things that we know is wrong and things that we know we shouldn't do, we often at some time, one time or another, we do that. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:45.240 That is our inherent sin, our default, and we are all in need of a saviour. 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:50.120 And that invitation is extended to all mankind, whoever you are. 00:10:50.659 --> 00:11:02.940 Whoever accepts that invitation, you'd be greatly welcomed by the Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings to be a host, to be his guest at his final banquet. 00:11:04.299 --> 00:11:08.080 And the picture of this, this is the verse I want to give now. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:09.360 So here we go. 00:11:09.520 --> 00:11:11.480 Revelation gives a picture to this, right? 00:11:11.580 --> 00:11:15.660 This is read from the New Living Translation Testament, right? 00:11:16.060 --> 00:11:18.160 It's Revelation 19, 6 to 10. 00:11:18.259 --> 00:11:18.840 It reads, 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:48.820 So she has given the finest of pure white linen to her. 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:55.840 And the angel said, 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:03.840 And he added, 00:12:04.040 --> 00:12:06.820 These are the true words that come from God. 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:09.440 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him. 00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:10.000 But he said, 00:12:10.379 --> 00:12:11.660 No, don't worship me. 00:12:12.300 --> 00:12:19.879 I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. 00:12:20.580 --> 00:12:26.820 Worship only God for the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness to Jesus. 00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:36.520 amen so we all still have this invitation that it's extended to us we are invited as guests to 00:12:36.520 --> 00:12:42.860 receive God's glorious offer and to place our trust and hope in Jesus Christ for him alone 00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:49.680 is the way the truth and the life no one come to the father but by acknowledging him as Lord and 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:57.479 Savior and we do get the opportunity to celebrate the goodness of God even right now as we journey 00:12:57.479 --> 00:13:03.799 and as we walk in this fallen world we get the opportunity to enjoy Jesus Christ in his presence 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:11.059 by his Holy Spirit as we come together collectively here we are worshiping the living God because of 00:13:11.059 --> 00:13:17.259 what he has done for us and we acknowledge what he's done for us we get to collectively acknowledge 00:13:17.259 --> 00:13:22.919 the work that he does in each and every one of us and in the body of Christ in this church right here 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:30.439 as we sing songs to him as we listen to his words and as he speaks to our hearts we get to rejoice and 00:13:30.439 --> 00:13:37.939 we have hope we are encouraged through what he speaks and says to us we also get to enjoy his presence 00:13:37.939 --> 00:13:43.840 when we come together collectively in the week whether he's going to be in a community cell group 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:49.620 or whether he's going to be in prayer meeting when we meet together and also when we're by ourselves 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:55.920 we get to bow down before our king in faith and pray to him and get to experience his presence 00:13:55.920 --> 00:14:02.500 through his spirit so these are the joys that the Lord has made available to us and these are the 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:11.620 things that we have instantaneously here for us Psalm 16 11 tells us you make known to me the paths of life 00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:20.500 in your presence there is fullness of joy at your right hands are pleasures forevermore 00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:25.080 Jesus delights in us and he calls us to do likewise 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:34.600 so they go and ask Jesus why they're not fasting so Jesus addresses them 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:44.659 but he does go on also to say in verse 20 but the time will come when the bride will be taken from them 00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:47.080 and on that day they will fast 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:57.600 fasting which involves abstaining from food for specific periods of time was mandated by the laws 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:05.920 of Moses you can read that in Leviticus chapter 16 29 31 and also Leviticus chapter 23 26 to 32 right 00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:12.960 um yeah they were ordained by um the Lord speaking through Moses so they were called to afflict themselves 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:19.139 God commanded Israelites to fast in the seventh month on the tenth day of that month each year 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:28.580 this was their day of atonement and we read also in Luke 18 12 you know we can see how things escalated 00:15:28.580 --> 00:15:34.960 how you know there's a Pharisee and there's also a sinner the sinner you know didn't even want to lift his head 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:41.139 you know considering himself a wretched man who'd sin but a Pharisee in his pride he said I fast twice a week 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:48.699 so we know that the Pharisees had practices where they were fasting more than we saw ordained through the law of Moses 00:15:48.699 --> 00:15:54.399 at the same time we do read in a book of Zechariah I believe it's chapter 7 maybe for chapter 6 00:15:54.399 --> 00:16:01.679 how when Jerusalem had had the walls broken down and they had been led into captivity in Babylon 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:07.360 they were fasting four times a year but God does rebuke them and say your fast was not for me 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:13.860 that was for yourself then he goes on in Zechariah chapter 8 telling them that a fast that they have been fasting 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:17.500 that fast would be replaced with seasons of joy 00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:21.800 so they would no longer continue need to be grieving and fasting like that 00:16:21.800 --> 00:16:26.019 because it would be replaced with joy and feasting 00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:32.180 so clearly now they had a practice the Pharisees that they were fasting more than what was 00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:40.719 commanding or told for them to do and it seems like they appeared outwardly pious rather than 00:16:40.719 --> 00:16:48.759 generally spiritually reflective considering they were known to publicly publicize their fasting practices 00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:56.959 they were preoccupied with maintaining ritual purity and regarding fasting as a means to achieve spiritual 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:05.840 state but again Jesus does say that you know they will fast at a particular time and they will return 00:17:05.840 --> 00:17:13.240 to this practice you know when when they when that time arises and and what Jesus is talking about that 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:19.920 you know that time will come where he will be going to the cross he will die you know and then they will be 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:25.720 they'll have him taken away from him so at that season from what they know there will be a time where they will 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:33.200 pursue him and they will want to be seeking him as we often might find in our life there's times of great rejoicing 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:40.360 times of great joy but there is times where me may really want to be seeking the Lord because um 00:17:40.360 --> 00:17:46.779 you know it doesn't seem so near to us though we know he will never leave us or forsake him so with that 00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:51.519 I mean here's a quote from John Piper many of you may have heard of John Piper 00:17:51.519 --> 00:18:00.960 he says right many times we don't fast because we're lost because we've lost our spiritual appetite 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:07.960 the absence of fasting is the measure of our contentment with the absence of Christ 00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:15.920 he adds further to this if we don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:24.600 it is not because we have drunk deeply and are satisfied it is because we have nibbled so long 00:18:24.600 --> 00:18:32.080 on the table of the world our soul is stuffed with small things and there is no room for the great 00:18:32.080 --> 00:18:38.100 so that's a quote from John Piper whether you agree with that statement or not 00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:46.139 but again fasting is when we choose to give up something personal to us or replace it with 00:18:46.139 --> 00:18:53.339 and we're to replace it with the intimacy of God usually it's giving up food that's the usual content 00:18:53.339 --> 00:19:00.480 but at the same time for us today it can be you know things like social media it can be things like 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:07.659 excessive entertainment it can be the gym and it can be hobbies or a number of things that often 00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:14.000 take the place of God or God is not involved in that because when saturated consumed with something 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:19.900 else rather than having time to allow God to be a part of that and um I just want to give a few 00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:26.800 points of things that possibly the Bible shows us that we can fast upon and they may be helpful for us 00:19:26.800 --> 00:19:31.960 so we see in terms of major decisions right in Acts 14 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:42.259 yeah Acts 14 verse 23 right we read this is Paul and Barnabas right and when they had appointed elders 00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:48.759 for them in every church with prayers and fasted they committed them to the Lord in whom they had 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:57.120 believed so for us likewise we can see right maybe through major decisions we may need to get clarity 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:06.159 from God that could be a good time to fast also for personal revival this is the Damascus road when 00:20:06.159 --> 00:20:12.819 the Lord met Paul on the Damascus road chapter 9 verse 1 to 9 Paul had to go away you know for three 00:20:12.819 --> 00:20:20.079 days he was out without sight and he neither ate nor he drank so you know we might feel spiritually dry 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:26.559 in our journey we might not feel that we're really connected to God so we may have lost our passion for God 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:33.339 or we may feel bewildered or we may feel lost so that could possibly be a time where we could seek 00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:40.079 the Lord I'm not saying to fast for three days but it's a possibility we could really seek the Lord to 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:47.980 see if he revises us also again we know in Matthew chapter 4 we see like um Jesus before he started 00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:55.079 ministry he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights I'm not asking anybody to fast for 40 days or 40 nights 00:20:55.079 --> 00:21:01.480 but we're just looking at this illustration before Jesus started his ministry he fasted 40 days 40 night 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:08.240 and spiritually it was strengthened and likewise some of us in here we may feel under spiritual attack 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:17.439 we may strongly be tempted to sin in some way or another fasting can be a way to experience spiritual 00:21:17.439 --> 00:21:24.539 strength and spiritual power which is all found within the Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by spirit within us 00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:26.700 and 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:37.339 and again Joel chapter 1 verse 14 spiritual leaders in Joel they declared a holy fast so they would have 00:21:37.339 --> 00:21:42.639 called a nation you know they would have called the assembly they would have called a sacred assembly 00:21:42.639 --> 00:21:48.759 summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God and cry out to the Lord 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:56.599 and sometimes as churches collectively collaboratively we call the members together that we fast together 00:21:56.599 --> 00:22:03.400 when we earnestly want to seek the Lord and of course everybody has liberty so it's not something 00:22:03.400 --> 00:22:10.539 mandatory everybody needs to do but sometimes it's a good practice that we do call together that we seek the 00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:17.359 Lord's face we seek direction we seek answers for him we seek for his guidance for us collectively as a church 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:24.539 and then lastly you know health benefits fasting does have health benefits as scientifically they would tell you 00:22:24.539 --> 00:22:31.359 study shows that there is some great health benefits within fasting so I'm only saying these things to say 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:38.339 not exactly that will be your experience but it is something that as believers at times we sacrifice 00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:45.579 ourselves to give ourselves to the Lord and we fast to seek his face to see how he might answer us he may answer 00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:53.159 us in a way that's favorable he may not answer us so likewise you know as the Pharisees and John's disciples were fasting 00:22:53.160 --> 00:23:01.300 Jesus disciples did not need to fast then but there would be a time when they would fast so we see that 00:23:01.300 --> 00:23:10.120 so we see that and then you know he goes on straight from there in verse 21 to verse 22 he talks about 00:23:10.120 --> 00:23:17.640 no one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth and an old garment otherwise the new piece will pull away the old 00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:24.520 and they'll make it here now what Jesus is doing now he's ushering in a new era he's ushering in 00:23:24.520 --> 00:23:31.160 the new testament the new covenant so they're coming out of the old testament and coming into the new 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:37.560 testament and that's going to be fully established when he dies for our sins upon the cross and his blood 00:23:37.560 --> 00:23:46.660 is shed for us so um just as a new unshrunk cloth cannot co-exist with an old garment because um 00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:52.320 new cloth obviously you know it's new old cloth you know that's shrunk and it's already been 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:57.060 stretched you put a new one on there it's not gonna it's not gonna marry together and and what 00:23:57.060 --> 00:24:02.560 what Jesus is saying in this is the kingdom of God cannot be regarded merely as a patch over the 00:24:02.560 --> 00:24:09.220 regulations of the mosaic law and the extra biblical tradition so you know you cannot add it to that it's 00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:14.180 going to be a new way a new confidence going to be established you can't join it to that just as we 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:19.799 know the law was something there to help the people to see their thoughts hopefully that they could not 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:26.360 adhere to the law but Jesus is coming with grace and truth he's coming with something new and that is 00:24:26.360 --> 00:24:32.340 what is going to be established there so he uses that illustration for them so we see that and then 00:24:32.340 --> 00:24:42.299 he comes into verse 23 verse 24 so we see the pharisees it started earlier they complain about jesus 00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:50.259 eating with sinners then they complain about jesus disciples not fasting now they come again and 00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:56.759 they're going to complain with their traditional legalistic ways they're going to approach again 00:24:56.759 --> 00:25:05.139 now so we see verse 23 and verse 24 one sabbath jesus was going through the grain fields and as his 00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:14.020 disciples walked along they began to pick some heads of grain the pharisees said to him look why are you 00:25:14.020 --> 00:25:20.940 doing what is lawful on the sabbath sorry why are they doing what is lawful on the sabbath unlawful on 00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:27.220 the sabbath so mark's narrative highlights different groups of people seeking answers to why jesus or his 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:37.360 disciples do what they do deuteronomy chapter 23 verse 25 if they had adhered to the law of moses the 00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:41.819 torah they should have been fine with this because god addresses everything 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:51.480 that says in deuteronomy chapter 23 verse 25 if you go into your neighbor's standing grain 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:59.240 you may pluck the ears with your hand but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain 00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:08.420 god already provided a system to allow the poor and the needy to get sufficient provisions to sustain 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:17.160 them the pharisees interpretation sought to guard against work on the sabbath clearly applying their 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:25.880 traditions while neglecting god's grace for his people again the pharisees objection is based on 00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:34.200 exodus 34 verse 21 it was that the disciples were doing what what sorry what was what what the 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:41.000 disciples were doing was equivalent to working on the sabbath so just plucking some grains to eat 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:50.039 they considered that as work jesus answer was based on a holistic view of the scriptures he accused them 00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:57.480 of not paying careful attention to the scriptures which implies that where human needs exist allowance can 00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:06.599 be made god is not a legalistic god god cares about his creation he cares about his people as we saw 00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:13.480 countless time as we will see in the text on the sabbath in the synagogue jesus will take the opportunity 00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:20.839 to heal people rather than legalistic views consider don't heal people today it's a sabbath we shouldn't 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:29.559 be working leave them in a place of captivity leave them in a place of bondage we are to be greatly encouraged 00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:37.399 the way the lord looks at us he's concerned about us he's concerned about our lives he's concerned about 00:27:37.399 --> 00:27:41.319 how we live he relates to us on a holistic point of view 00:27:45.079 --> 00:27:56.119 so he continues this conversation carries on now right in verse 25 and 26 he answered have you not heard 00:27:56.119 --> 00:28:01.959 about david so to counter react and help them based on you know them saying that they're working on a 00:28:01.959 --> 00:28:09.000 sabbath jesus goes in to help them with a narrative he tells them right have you not heard what david did 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:16.039 when he was in his company when he was hungry now that refers back to 1 samuel chapter 2 1 to 6 right 00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:22.439 jesus goes on to emphasize that the restrictive pharisees interpretation of the law does not take into 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:29.080 account the situation of the need in which david and his men found themselves in also so um we will find 00:28:29.080 --> 00:28:36.759 in 1 samuel 20 sorry 1 samuel 2 1 to 6 that david ate the bread of presence so it follows that at least 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:42.920 in the case of need actions are allowed on a suburb that otherwise might not be permitted because that 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:48.279 bread of presence was for the priests that was that was left there but david when he was on the run 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:54.680 he took it we furthermore see within this that jesus quotes that they've you know the the event mark 00:28:54.680 --> 00:29:03.639 written about in regards to david occurred when abimelech in 1 chapter 22 9 to 14 not his son abitoir so 00:29:03.639 --> 00:29:11.079 it was actually abimelech but jesus quoted abitoir who later became iron priest and um yeah we do see in 00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:17.559 that narrative that remaining as the high priest in the days of david that um yeah he was the high priest 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:26.599 at that time so jesus helps them to see that in the presence and the need of mankind god's creation that 00:29:27.079 --> 00:29:34.519 that is the heart of the gospel god is concerned about people he's not legalistic he's confirmed about his 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:42.200 creation who he created he wants us to find liberty he wants us to find freedom in him and that's why he 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:50.200 came so that we could be set free from the captivity in the laws of the land and the laws of man so we see 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:56.920 that and here's and and then he goes on as i said the last two verses right that the sabbath was made for 00:29:56.920 --> 00:30:04.119 man not man for sabbath so man is not made to fit into the laws of sabbath sabbath is there for man 00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:13.159 to rest as we know in genesis 2 3 that god blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day and he rested 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:21.479 from all of his work and he does the same and he adains that same day for us and um the correct 00:30:21.479 --> 00:30:28.919 interpretation of the law is that it was put in place primarily that we could take time to reflect 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:38.120 and acknowledge all that god done in his universal work in our work in the work of our lives in the 00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:44.600 work of all that we see around us and here's a brief history of where that comes from right really 00:30:45.160 --> 00:30:51.080 deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 15 this is where it comes from you know really he says to them you shall 00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:58.599 remember that you were slaves in the land of egypt so when he spoke to his people the hebrews the jews 00:30:58.599 --> 00:31:07.240 when he brought them out of 400 years of slavery we can only but imagine what slavery was like none of us 00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:13.559 would like to experience that experience though we may understand it in a way that we may have been 00:31:13.559 --> 00:31:22.119 slaves to sin but we may not feel the harshness and see the reality what it was really like being slave 00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:31.240 in a land where you probably work seven days a week no break no rest you're a commodity and this is how 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:37.399 the jewish people lived they were slaves maybe if they was ill they were sick they may have had that time 00:31:37.400 --> 00:31:44.680 so god ordained that for them he had to help them to have their mind renewed when you live a certain way 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:52.040 for a long time that just becomes natural for you to continue living in the same light of what you've 00:31:52.040 --> 00:31:58.680 been taught and what you know so that's where god helps them to understand they need to have that sabbath 00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:05.880 he has created that for them for them to rest and i would say for us today in our mainstream cultural 00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:14.120 society sometimes it tries to shackles us in chains as secular world has values where it dictates to us 00:32:14.120 --> 00:32:20.680 that our life values are in what we achieve or produce and that we are not valued unless we accomplish 00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:29.640 more whatever it may cost us that's just the tide of secular society but again god gives us this rest on 00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:34.920 the sabbath he's provided for us as we acknowledge we are not slaves to an economical system 00:32:34.920 --> 00:32:42.600 which would encourage us to work 24 7 to be the best we can be and strive for the rewards that it so 00:32:42.600 --> 00:32:50.759 easily entice us to achieve as we rest in god's sabbath whatever that looks like whatever day of the week 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:58.840 that is we publicly proclaim to the world and to one another each other that we are not slaves but we are 00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:04.919 of free men and women purchased by the blood of jesus christ who defeated every spiritual 00:33:04.919 --> 00:33:12.199 full force of evil at the cross and we affirm that human beings have infinite value and worth 00:33:12.759 --> 00:33:19.879 apart from the productivity and that god's love is the most important reality in the universe 00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:29.500 so with these verses here it's a call for us a hope that we will acknowledge Jesus calls us to 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:38.100 be his guest of honor he is the bridegroom he sees us as the bride he calls each and every one of us 00:33:38.100 --> 00:33:44.840 to acknowledge who he is but first we have to acknowledge who we are we are all flawed in one 00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:52.399 way or another we all need a savior and as guests as honor he puts on a wonderful feast and a banquet 00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:59.879 for us and we are also likewise to invite other people to hear this good news that they can be 00:33:59.879 --> 00:34:07.099 part of his guest list and with that in his presence we will experience that fullness of joy 00:34:07.099 --> 00:34:13.840 and as we continue as a church that is merging together two churches becoming one part of his 00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:22.039 universal body the lord is doing a new thing it's not going to be exactly how each individual church 00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:29.300 is used to do things it will be according exactly as god's word proclaimed that we live our vocation 00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:36.340 and our profession as our faith as Jesus Christ being our lord and our savior and with all of that also 00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:45.200 we do want to find time to take time to have our rest that we can glorify god and realize and acknowledge 00:34:45.200 --> 00:34:53.640 it's not by our power or by our might but it's by my spirit says the lord amen we're going to pray 00:34:53.640 --> 00:35:03.220 father god we thank you for all that you have done through your beloved son Jesus Christ 00:35:03.219 --> 00:35:12.699 lord i pray that you continue to help us lord that when we sway when we may be influenced by 00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:19.659 legalistic ways or rules father that govern us lord i pray that you would help us to measure lord 00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:26.439 to see that we are in line with your word and your truth lord we thank you that you have come with grace 00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:33.119 and truth thank you lord that you called us to be guests through trusting and believing in you lord 00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:38.840 father help us as many of us come from many different backgrounds many different traditions many thought 00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:46.500 processes lord but help us lord that we adhere to your word and your truth and we respond to your invitation 00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:54.800 and accept you into our hearts into our lives and lord help us greatly lord to enjoy the new work that 00:35:54.800 --> 00:36:02.660 you in doing in us for you work in us to will and do your good pleasure so lord again today may we enjoy 00:36:02.660 --> 00:36:07.980 may we enjoy this liberty and this freedom and everything that we do lord help us that we do it 00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:11.140 for your glory and praise in jesus name amen 00:36:11.140 --> 00:36:13.140 you