to Mark chapter 2 verse 18. Mark chapter 2 verse 18 and we're going to read to chapter 3 verse 6
and it's on page 1004 if you're using a church bible and there's pens in a box if you want to
take notes. Peter has the pens so feel free to go and get one there and Kirsty is going to come and
read. It's on page 1004 Mark chapter 2 verse 18 to chapter 3 verse 6.
Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus how is it that
John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting but yours are not? Jesus answered how
can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot so long as they have him
with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will
fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment otherwise the new piece will pull away
from the old making the tear worse and no one pours new wine into old wine skins otherwise the wine will
burst the skins and both the wine and the wine skins will be ruined. No they pour new wine into new wine
skins. One Sabbath Jesus was going through the cornfields and as his disciples walked along they
began to pick some ears of corn. The Pharisees said to him look why are they doing what is unlawful on
the Sabbath? He answered have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and
in need. 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 and he also gave some to his companions. Then he said to
them the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath so the son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue and a man with a shriveled hand was there.
Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus so they watched him closely to see if he
would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand stand up in front of
everyone. Then Jesus asked them which is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil to save life
or to kill but they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and deeply distressed at their
stubborn hearts said to the man stretch out your hand. He stretched it out and his hand was completely
restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
Okay let's pray and ask for God's help as we get stuck into this passage together. Let's
pray. Father again we thank you for this gospel of Mark. We thank you for this record about the life
of Jesus Christ God's son who came into the world for us.
We pray that we would better understand the Jesus who is written about.
That we would better understand the Jesus who interacts with people.
That we may know who you are.
What you have come to do.
That we would understand what it is to follow you.
And to orientate our lives around you.
So please speak to us
afresh today.
Please change us
and transform us.
Make us more like Christ
as we study him
and look at him.
We ask for your Holy Spirit
in all that we do.
Because without his power
we have nothing.
So be gracious to us
and help us.
We ask this in Jesus name.
Amen.
So there are seven candidates.
Who are you going to be voting for
as the next president of Ireland?
Well if you haven't made up your mind
like myself
you can be sure that the media
are going to be watching their every move.
Cameras and notebooks
will be at the ready.
What do they stand for?
What are they against?
Their lives are going to be
under careful observation
as they meet and greet.
And our role
is to watch
and to listen
and to make an informed choice.
Now in Mark's gospel
Jesus
has come onto the scene
claiming to be God's king.
If you like
the president
of the entire universe.
And as Jesus
goes walk about
people are watching him closely.
Particularly
the religious leaders.
They are analysing
his every move.
Who he's with.
What he says.
What he's doing.
It's like the paparazzi
are on his tail.
Cameras are clicking
at every opportunity.
And as we follow
Jesus
the presidential candidate
as he moves
amongst the people
we actually get
a clearer picture
of who Jesus is.
And surprisingly
we discover
that Jesus
is not
into
religion.
In fact
it seems
he goes out
of his way
to confront
religious people
and to cause
controversy
with the church.
So as we watch
and listen
to Jesus
we see that he is
anti-religion
and pro-himself.
We have to watch
and listen
and make an informed
choice
about this person.
So what does
Jesus offer
that religion
can't?
Well first off
Jesus offers
a feast
whereas religion
offers
a fast.
The media
are on his trail
watching his
every move
and as always
they are ready
with a question.
Look at verse 18.
Now John's
disciples
that's John the Baptist
his disciples
and the Pharisees
were fasting.
So some people
came and asked
Jesus
how is it
that John's
disciples
and the
disciples
of the Pharisees
are fasting
but yours are not?
What's your policy
on fasting
Jesus?
Well fasting
was seen
as a way
of getting
God's attention
and showing
the seriousness
of your commitment.
In fact
for the Jewish
person
it was a way
of actually
bringing in
the kingdom
of God.
It was a form
of manipulation.
It was kind
of like
well if we do
this for God
if we fast
and we show
how serious
we are with God
then God
is going to do
something in turn
for us.
It was an attempt
to force God
to intervene
and to send
his restoring
and redeeming
king.
Now the problem
is Jesus
isn't fasting
like everybody
else
which leads
us to two
conclusions.
Either Jesus
isn't into
this religious
thing and he's
not taking
religion very
seriously at
all
or
there is no
need to fast
because the
king has
already come.
Well quite
clearly it's
the latter.
Jesus is not
fasting, he's
not participating
in the religious
stuff because
the kingdom of
God is already
active and
present among
them in the
person of
Jesus.
If only they
had taken
time to
examine and
to see what
he was doing
because Jesus
had come into
the world and
he had come to
restore the
broken world as
he went around
healing the
sick and
casting out
demons.
And he came
to redeem
mankind as
he went
reaching out
to the
margins of
society,
reaching out
to those
who are on
the outside,
bringing grace
and offering
forgiveness of
sins.
So in
effect he's
saying to
the crowds
you're not
waiting for
the president
to be elected,
he's actually
already here,
it's me.
Rather than
a time to
fast, he's
saying it's
actually a
time to
feast.
There should
be a party
atmosphere
about us.
In fact he
says it's
just like a
wedding,
verse 19.
Jesus said
how can the
guests of
the bridegroom
fast while
he is with
them?
They cannot
so long as
they have
them with
them.
Now in
those days
weddings lasted
a whole
week.
We think
the Irish
are very
good at
weddings,
kind of
go from
three o'clock
until what?
Three in the
morning or
something like
that.
These guys
did it for
the whole
week.
A continuous
supply of
food and
wine as
the people
came out
into the
streets and
singing and
dancing.
The whole
week was a
week of
celebration.
And Jesus
is saying
because I
am here
with you,
the wedding
has begun.
I am the
bridegroom and
you are the
invited guest.
The king is
here, the
kingdom is on
display and
you're welcome
to join in.
So let's
enjoy the
feast.
And Jesus
is laying down
a challenge to
those who are
religious.
To live our
lives trying to
get God's
attention by
our religious
acts or
trying to
force God to
intervene by
our special
prayers is
actually to
turn your
back on
Jesus.
To come
here this
morning thinking
that, well,
I've read my
Bible this
week and I'm
here at
church today,
is somehow
going to turn
God's favour
around to
look on you
with goodness,
is actually to
turn your
back on
Jesus.
It's like
going to a
wedding to
fast rather
than to
feast.
He says,
I'm already
here.
The feast
is to
begin.
I'm already
looking upon
you in
favour because
I've come.
However,
Jesus reminds
us that the
time is
coming when
he would
actually have
to leave
the feast.
He would
have to
leave the
wedding,
verse 20.
The time
will come
when the
bridegroom
will be
taken away
from them
and on
that day
they will
fast.
Being
taken away
is a
reference to
the coming
death of
Jesus and
it's getting
closer all
the time.
The king
will die
and then the
people will
fast,
particularly,
or maybe I
should only
say only the
women who
are around
the cross
that we
read about
at the end.
They were
the ones
mourning for
Jesus.
They were
fasting.
But it's
all part of
his big
plan.
As Jesus
goes to the
cross,
he will die
for us,
making it
possible for
us to
enjoy the
ultimate
feast,
the greater
feast,
the eternal
feast in
God's
kingdom.
So Jesus
offers a
feast.
Religion
offers a
fast.
Second,
Jesus offers
something
completely
new,
whereas
religion
offers
something
old.
Listen to
how Jesus
speaks to
the crowd.
He's got
the attention
at this
stage.
Verse 21.
No one
sews a
patch of
untrunk
cloth on
an old
garment.
Now I
suppose this
is a little
bit foreign
to us
because we
just go
out and
buy new
clothes,
don't we?
We don't
tend to
patch up,
but if
you get
an untrunk
or a
new piece
of cloth
and you
put it
to an
old piece
of jeans
or something,
when it's
washed,
it shrinks
and the
old cloth
will pull
away.
That's the
idea.
He says
if he does,
the new
piece will
pull away
from the
old,
making the
tear worse.
And no
one pours
new wine
into old
wineskins.
Again,
as they
made wine,
over a
process of
time,
the wine
would ferment
and it
would expand.
And if the
wineskins aren't
right,
they're going
to burst.
He says
if he does,
the wine
will burst
the skins
and both
the wine
and the
wineskins
will be
ruined.
No,
he pours
new wine
into new
wineskins.
Now,
Jesus here
is making
a comparison
between
himself
and the
way of
religion.
He's saying
just as you
can't attach
a new
patch onto
an old
garment,
so you
can't attach
Jesus to
religion.
And just
as you
can't put
new wine
into old
wineskins,
so you
can't add
Jesus onto
religion.
We talk
about this
a la carte
religion where
you kind of
pick a
little bit
of this
and a
little bit
of that
and you
like this
but you
don't like
that and
you kind
of form
your own
thing.
Well,
you can't
mix Jesus
and religion.
Trying to
put Jesus
and religion
together is
like trying
to mix
water and
oil.
You can
put them
in a jar,
shake it
up around
the place,
but it
separates.
Jesus is
utterly and
completely
different.
He's not
a continuation
of the
old system.
He is
coming to
offer something
else entirely.
All religion
does is
offer you
the old
way and
the old
way is
just full
of rules
which breaks
you and
destroys you
and it's
all about
your performance
and trying
to get
God's
attention.
Jesus
says,
no, I've
come to
offer a
new way.
I have
come to
restore you
and to
redeem you
and it's
all based
on his
performance
for us.
God's
love.
So the
challenge for
us is,
are we
going to
put aside
our old
way of
thinking,
to put
aside our
traditions,
to put
aside our
religious
acts and
embrace this
new radical
way of
Jesus who's
come to
offer something
completely
new?
One writer
put it like
this and I
think it's
very helpful.
He says,
in relation
to pouring
new wine
into new
wine skins,
he says,
will we
become new
vessels for
the expanding
fermentation of
Jesus and
the gospel in
our lives?
It's like
we're to
empty ourselves
completely of
all the old
stuff and
get rid of
it so we're
completely
empty so
that we can
be filled
completely with
the new
Jesus, the
gospel that
it would
expand and
flow into
every vessel
of our
lives.
So we
offer something
new.
And third,
Jesus offers
rest, whereas
religion just
offers rules.
Now the
campaign trail
is hotting
up and
there's a
bit of a
media frenzy
as they
follow Jesus,
verse 23.
One
Sabbath, Jesus
was going
through the
cornfields and
as his
disciples walked
along, they
began to
pick some
ears of
corn.
And the
Pharisee said
to him,
look, why
are they
doing what
is unlawful
on the
Sabbath?
Sabbath was
all about a
time of
rest.
And the
Pharisees who
are watching
with their
high-powered
zoom lenses
following Jesus
wherever he's
going, they've
picked up on
something and
they've come up
with a question.
They're the
religious police
and their
job is to
make sure
that every
single person
rested on
the Sabbath
and did
no work.
But to
enforce this
time of
resting, it
actually created
a whole series
of rules.
Altogether, they
had 39
restrictions that
they built on
to the law of
no work on
the Sabbath.
They added
39 other
little rules
onto it.
things like
you couldn't
walk further
than one
kilometer on
the Sabbath.
That was
work.
You couldn't
tie a knot.
That was
work.
You couldn't
write more
than one
letter.
That was
considered
work.
Basically, you
were not
allowed to do
anything that
was not
essential to
live.
You could
breathe.
That was
okay.
But that
was about
it.
You could
eat food, but
you weren't
allowed to
pick food.
food.
So the
emphasis had
moved terribly
from instead
of time of
rest to a
time of
rules.
But for the
religious people,
there was a
theological
reason for
making sure
that everybody
rested.
They believed
that if all
the people of
Israel, if
they could
keep the
law for
two Sabbaths,
if everybody
could do it
together for
two Sabbaths,
then they were
going to be
redeemed.
God was
going to
come, he
was going
to sort
out everything
and things
would be
put right
again.
So in
their eyes,
Jesus arrives
on the
scene with
his disciples.
And they're
not only
ignoring the
rules, they're
actually an
obstacle to
God's
redemption.
Jesus is a
barrier.
He's actually
stopping God's
work from
happening.
Jesus has an
answer for
them, as
always, verse
25.
Have you
never read
what David
did when
he and his
companions were
hungry and
in need?
Well, they all
knew David, he
was the greatest
king that had
ever lived.
In the days of
Abiathar, the
high priest, and
he certainly knew
what the law
was, David
entered the
house of God
and he ate the
consecrated bread,
which is lawful
only for priests
to eat.
and David also
gave some to
his companions.
Now, if you go
back to that
story, you
discover it all
happened on the
Sabbath.
So, at one
level, Jesus is
saying, look,
guys, remember
how there was an
exemption for
David and he
could eat food
and he could do
something that was
kind of considered
unlawful.
Well, don't you
think you could
make an exception
for other people
too?
But there's
actually more to
it than that.
Jesus is going
deeper.
God had promised
to his people
that a new king
was going to
come from
David's line.
This is what the
prophet Jeremiah
says, Jeremiah
23 verse 5.
This is what God
was looking forward
to.
He says, the days
are coming,
declares the Lord,
when I will raise
up to David a
righteous branch.
So, there's a new
king going to
come.
A king who will
reign wisely and
do what is right
in the land.
In his days, Judah
will be saved and
Israel will live in
safety.
So, that was a
great expectation.
They were all
looking forward for
a new David, a
better king, the
ultimate king who
was going to come
and save and
rescue Israel so
they could live in
safety.
And now Jesus
arrives on the
scene just walking
through the
cornfields and he
begins to do
things that
David did.
Jesus is saying,
I am doing what
David did because
I am that
promised king that
you're waiting for.
So, Jesus' message
is crystal clear to
these religious
people.
He's saying, you
don't have to keep
rules to win
God's favour.
You don't have to
be making up rules
to be earning
salvation.
Redemption is now
here.
It's me.
I am the long
awaited promised
king.
Verse 27, then he
said to them, the
Sabbath was made
for man, not man
for the Sabbath.
And so, the son of
man is Lord even of
the Sabbath.
The Sabbath was to be
a day of rest and
renewal, not a day of
impossible rule
keeping.
And the way to
experience this rest,
he was saying, was to
come to Jesus.
I am the king who
has come to save you
and redeem you.
I have come to break
that old legalistic
way of living, to be
rid of it forever.
And my way is a way
of rest.
Rather than striving
for redemption, you
simply receive
redemption.
Jesus has secured
salvation for us so
that we don't have to
obey rules to
achieve it.
And we don't have to
think of keeping rules
to maintain it.
He's done it all for
us.
He lived the perfect
life.
He kept all the rules
for us perfectly.
And he paid the
penalty for all the
times we've broken
the rules.
In effect, Jesus is
saying, you celebrate
the Sabbath.
I am the ultimate
Sabbath.
I am where you
find true rest.
And it's only in
coming to me that
you will receive
salvation and
redemption.
So with great skill
and wit, Jesus is
exposing the emptiness
of religious behavior.
But he doesn't stop
there.
He's not satisfied
with what he's done.
Jesus confronts
religion head-on,
forcing us to
choose between
Jesus or
religion.
Look at verse 1 of
chapter 3.
Another time he
went into the
synagogue and a
man with a
shriveled hand
was there.
Again, he would
have been somebody
who would have been
considered on the
outside, marginalized,
not of any interest
to anybody.
And some of them
were looking for a
reason to accuse
Jesus.
So they watched him
closely to see if he
would heal him on
the Sabbath.
And Jesus said to
the man with the
shriveled hand,
stand up in front of
everyone.
You could imagine,
couldn't you?
Everybody's gathered
for church.
And all of a sudden
it stops.
What has been quiet
whispering in the
pews is now made
crystal clear to
everyone.
Jesus has been
watching them taking
notes in the
shadows and now he
forces it all out
into the open.
It's like the battle
lines are being drawn
between the religious
leaders on one side
and Jesus on the
other.
And in the middle
stands this poor man
with a shriveled hand.
He'd only come to
church and now he's
the centre of
attention.
What's Jesus going to
do?
Well it's not just
what is Jesus going
to do, it's what
would we do.
Because we have to
choose.
Verse 4.
Jesus asked them,
which is lawful on
the Sabbath?
To do good or to do
evil?
To save life or to
kill?
You see the law
required that there
should be no healing
done on the Sabbath.
But what is the
right response?
Well the right
response of course
is to do good.
To save life.
No matter what
religion says.
You see Jesus
always moves in
compassion to the
needs of those who
are weak, who are
poor and who are
vulnerable.
Religion on the
other hand is all
concerned about being
theologically correct.
holding to
denominational lines
and obeying house
rules.
That's what religion
is.
And the way we know
if we are on the
side of religion
or if we are on the
side of Jesus
boils down to our
response to the
weakest and the
most defenceless
in society.
That's crucial, we
get that.
That's how we know
whether we are a
religious person or
whether we are a
Jesus person.
It all boils down to
our response to the
weakest and most
defenceless in society.
Look at religion.
To the needs of the
weak and the
vulnerable, religion
is always silent.
Verse 4.
Let's read verse 4
again.
Jesus asked them,
which is lawful on the
Sabbath?
To do good or to do
evil, to save life
or to kill.
But they remain
silent.
Religion is too
busy pointing out
where others fail
and mess up.
Rather than see
needs, they see
sinners who have
rebelled against God
and therefore, well,
they deserve their
lot in life.
Are we religious?
Well, let me ask us
all this question.
What is our heart
response to a
young girl who
happens to get
pregnant and ends
up living on her
own?
Or walking down
McCurtain Street
or Patrick Street
in Cork and you
see an alcoholic
sitting down in
his mess?
Or somebody who
you know who's
gone into debt
because they've
misused their
money in the
good times?
What's your
response?
What's your
heart's response
to those things?
Do you see
somebody in
need?
Or do you
just see
failures who
are to be
ignored?
The only hope
religion offers in
cases like that
is more rules.
Do better.
Try harder.
Don't be like
this.
Be like that.
You shouldn't
have done that.
You should do
this.
It offers no
forgiveness,
no grace,
and no
mercy.
Religion is
always silent
to the needs
of the weak
and the
vulnerable.
Compare that
to Jesus.
To the needs
of the poor
and the
defenseless,
Jesus is
compassionate.
Look at
verse 5.
He looked
around at
them in
anger,
making eye
contact with
all of the
religious
people as
they sit
in their
church.
He looked
around at
them in
anger and
deeply
distressed at
their stubborn
hearts.
And he said
to the man,
stretch out
your hand.
And he
stretched it
out and his
hand was
completely
restored.
You see,
followers of
Jesus do not
sit in
condemnation or
in accusation
of others.
Rather than
seeing faults
and failures,
they see
people who
need the
love of
Christ and
the welcome
of a
saviour.
Do you
claim, do
I claim to
be on the
side of
Jesus?
Well, let's
ask another
question.
What is our
heart response
to those of
other nationalities
who we claim
are taking
the Irish
people's
jobs?
What's our
heart response
to those who
live off social
welfare and
benefits while
we do all the
hard work?
What do we
think of those
who have
addiction and
use up vital
resources?
Do you look
at those people
and you see
people like that
and think,
they're the
cause of all
the problems?
or do we
see people
who are our
primary concern
needing our
support and
help?
The hope of
Jesus is one
of restoration
and renewal.
One where
forgiveness is
offered for the
repentant,
there is grace
for the broken,
there is mercy
to all who
ask,
and there is a
welcome for
all who will
come.
So as Jesus
goes out on
his campaign
trail, he's
putting it up
to us all.
Those who are
on the side
of religion
cannot be on
the side of
Jesus.
And those who
claim to be on
the side of
Jesus can't be
on the side of
religion.
They don't go
together.
They're two
different lives
entirely.
In fact,
surprisingly,
the religious
are the first
to oppose
Jesus,
verse 6.
The religious
people,
the church
people,
the one who
read their
Bibles,
verse 6.
Then the
Pharisees went
out and began
to plot with
the Herodians
how they might
kill Jesus.
Jesus.
You see,
Jesus has been
saying it very
clearly to the
religious.
He says,
you are way
off the mark.
Your traditions
of rules and
codes have no
value.
Your religious
acts and rituals
are never going
to save you
or free you.
And that's what
makes them so
angry because
their life is all
centred around
their own
performance.
And Jesus
says it's
never going
to work.
And they want
to kill him
and get rid
of him.
But to those
who embrace
Jesus,
Jesus gives
us a new
way entirely.
A completely
new way.
He gives us
a new heart.
And into our
heart he gives
us a rule
of love.
And he gives
us a law
of compassion.
And that is
what is the
true mark
of a church
that is on
the side
of Jesus.
And that is
what we want
for this church
and for us
individually
and together.
That here we
are known as
a church that
welcomes
sinners.
That we
welcome each
other because
we all mess
up.
And our
performance is
never good
enough.
And we give
grace to the
broken and
those who are
finding it
difficult.
And we reach
across to the
outsider.
But we
will always
confront the
religious because
there is no
room for
religious people
in here.
If we are
going to go
the way of
Jesus,
then we must
be prepared for
the response
that Jesus
got.
They wanted
to kill
Jesus and get
rid of Jesus.
Jesus.
And religious
people won't
want anything
to do with
grace.
They won't
want anything
to do with
those who
welcome others.
We must be
prepared.
But let us
think clearly,
which side are
we on?
The side of the
religious or
the side of
Jesus?
He confronts
us head on
to make that
choice.
us.
Let's pray
together.
just going to
read something
from Isaiah.
Let's just
reflect on
this.
Let's
just reflect
on this.
Is not
this the
kind of
fasting I
have chosen
to loose
the chains
of injustice
and untie
the cords
of the
yoke
to set
the oppressed
free
and break
every yoke?
Is this
not the
kind of
fasting I
have chosen?
Is it
not to
share your
food with
the hungry,
to provide
the poor
wanderer
with shelter,
when you
see the
naked to
clothe him
and not
to turn
away from
your own
flesh and
blood?
If you
do away
with the
yoke of
oppression,
with the
pointing finger
and malicious
talk,
and if you
spend yourselves
on behalf
of the
hungry and
satisfy the
needs of
the oppressed,
then your
light will
rise in
the darkness
and your
night will
become like
the noonday.
Father,
we
firstly
confess
for the
times where
we go
the religious
route
and we
think it's
about our
performance
and about
our little
rituals
and we
ignore those
who are
most in
need.
Father,
please forgive
us.
Please help
us to go
the way of
Jesus,
to embrace
him,
to go a
completely new
and different
way,
the way of
Christ.
Christ,
and I
pray that
you would
enable us
to live
a life
whereby we
are shining
the light
in the
darkness,
reaching out
to the
weak,
the poor
and the
vulnerable,
welcoming
in
and offering
grace.
May we
follow the
way of
Jesus and
may we
get rid
of every
hint
of
religion
that is
in our
lives.
We ask
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
The final
song that
we have
this morning,
it's a
new song
for some
of us.
Others,
I think,
will know
it.
But it
talks about
the compassion
of Jesus
this morning,
the
name
God
who
does
you
do