The Gospel of Mark: Mark 2:18-22

I'm he people say when I tell people I'm a missionary I get all kinds of questions people ask what kind of missionary are you or they want to know exactly what it is a missionary that's or a lot of times you'll hear people say a missionary here you mean that's a thing well there's 281 million lost people in the US and Canada so yet it's a thing but there's one question no one ever asked asked me and I wish they would no one ever ask where is the Finish Line that's the question I want to hear what does mission accomplish look like you can watch videos about North American missionaries like me you can read story about us you can pray for us but don't get so caught up in the methods and minutia of what we do that you miss the main thing everything you see and hear and read about us is really just a means to an end we start churches to make Jesus known we meet needs to make Jesus known we move to unfamiliar places we meet unreached people and we attempt unrealistic things just to make Jesus known there is nothing more important than that n nothing at all Jesus said go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation and so that's what our finished line looks like it looks like obedience same as your Finish Line God speak you give we go everything starts with your gift to the Annie Armstrong is the offering those gifts enable us to go places where the Gospel has never been this is where we cross our finished Line This Is Where together we make Jesus known and we've got our North American Mission board offering that's going to be taking place on March 24th and so you'll be seeing posters and we're going to be showing those videos the reason why we take up these kind of offerings is so that way we can plant new church churches in places where there are no churches one of those

Things that the lamine association is and that's our local Baptist Association that we are a part of is praying about Eagle Grove Iowa there is not one Evangelistic Church within one hour hours drive of Eagle Grove Iowa that's crazy isn't it and so we've been praying about that we got a couple of guys from that Association that are driving up there the week of March 20 20th and 21st that are going up there just to see what it would look like for our association to plant a church up there what that might look like and so be praying about that but also about how you can give to North American missions at this time I do want to take a moment and because I mean we are a mission goinging church amen we give thousands to missions every single month and we go on Mission and one of the guys who is about to share with you actually went on Mission this past September to Mexico and I want to invite Jeff Dutton to come up here and just share his story if y'all would welcome Jeff to the stage so is this on sorry I'm not a microphone guy anyways I wanted to just quickly tell you about an amazing Ministry that yall partner with as part of this church it's Vision 316 what Vision 316 does is they go out and they meet people's physical need for eyeglasses but more importantly they meet their spiritual need for Christ this past year myself Diana scoggan and deitz family had the honor of going down to Waka Mexico and on that trip over a thousand people we served and 187 either came to Christ or recommitted themselves to the Lord amen this year we're looking to sponsor another team down to usila Mexico and that will be in Waka State as well and this year's trip will occur from September 21st to September 28th speaking from experience this is a great opportunity to serve the Lord and people by helping spread the Gospel to the ends

Of the Earth plus you'll have the opportunity to meet the awesome host family we work with the RO Dominguez is there's our Giovani Al obaldo and Alejandra they're a local Pastor in church down there they run they're amazing great people to work with I assure you if you were to go this would be the most rewarding hardest work you've probably ever done and you'd love every moment of it if you have any questions concerns about travel or safety or want to know more please feel free to reach out to Diana myself or anybody else who went also this coming April 9th there'll be an eyeglass washing from 2: to 7: where you can help out wash the glasses that we to go down there and hand out and there's a informational meeting at 3:30 that day for anyone interested in going thank you church and so we got trips to West Africa and trip to Mexico and all those things take funds and so be praying about how you can give one of the things that we talk about giving hilariously we talk about giving generously we talk about giving prayer and specifically we talk about those things because those are Biblical principles one of the things also is about giving faithfully and so pray about how you can give Faithfully in addition to all of those different things that we have going on now there's all sorts of different things that are in your bulletin I would encourage you to take a look at them two things that I want to highlight that's on the back of the bulletin first thing is that the chili cook off for the pregnancy Health Center in our area is taking place that's on March 7th 6 p.m. So be sure to you know go and eat some good chili and go in and just support the Pregnancy Help Center also our Men's Ministry is hosting a beast Feast so that's on March 15th at 6m bring a meat to share something delicious something good and

We're going to take care of all the rest of the stuff and so it's going to be a fantastic time of food and fellowship and Community for men so there you go hey why don't you just take a moment and stand and greet one another in the name of the Lord you and e St well as you make your way back to your seats one of the things is that this is communion Sunday and that means that at the conclusion of our service we will be partaking in communion and you don't you do not have to be a member of our church in order to partake in communion however you do have to be a Christian you have to know that if you were to die that you would spend eternity in heaven with God and so you know as we prepare our hearts for worship if you have not received one of these be sure to go and receive one so that way you're not scrambling at the end of service so sorry about that well good morning church it's good to see you all here this morning and it's good to be in the house of the Lord amen well at this time we'd like to just take a moment to prepare our hearts and our minds for worship so I ask that you would bow your heads and close your eyes and ask the Lord to prepare you for corporate worship today if you're with your family or with close friends feel free to pray with and over one another it doesn't have to be silent but just ask the Lord to prepare you for and so Lord we pray this morning that you would help us to overcome the distractions Lord help us to lay those things at your feet Lord if there are things that we're struggling through today anger

Or Pride or bitterness Lord I pray that you would help us to lay those things down Lord instead to find our rest in you God I pray that you would help us to worship you in spirit and in truth Lord I pray that you would remind us of who you are and what you've done for us and Lord let it well up in us so that the only option that we have this morning is to pour it back out in Praise it's in Jesus name we pray amen I invite you to stand and join me as we sing of The Magnificent marvelous matchless Love Of [Music] Christ magnificent marvelous match love to fast and aing to Forever existing in world of Love Now offered and given to all oh Fountain of beauty Eternal the Father the spirit the son sufficient and endlessly [Music] generous magnic marvelous mat love [Music] creation ising withness the mountains exalted they stand the seasons rejoice in your faithfulness all life is sustained by your head you Crown every metal with col you paint every shade in the Sky each day the dawn wakes as an on for magnificent marvelous [Music] matchless how great [Music] how his love endur forever more Magic in his [Music] love what Grace that you enter our Brokenness you came in the fullness of time how far we have fallen from rightous but not from the mercies of Christ your cross is our door to Redemption your death is our fullness of

Life that day foress FL as a magnificent marvelous matchless love how great how sure how great [Music] how his love ands [Music] forever magnificent marvelous matchless [Music] love United in your [Music] Resurrection you us to infinite height could anything or take us from magnificent marvelous this matchless [Music] love how great how sure his love endur [Music] forever magnificent marvelous matchless [Music] [Applause] and that's why we can worship this morning because of the great love that has been shown to us through Jesus Christ who lived the perfect life that we couldn't live and died the death that we deserve and rose again to show us what is coming eternal life with him this next song that we're going to sing is new to us It's Our Song of the month this month it's called loving kindness so I encourage you to listen along sing along when you got it but here it is love and [Music] kindness the praise is now awake the dawn we'll greet your mercy with a song your people stand and sing for all your Ling kindness youve car Us in faithfulness upon the path of rightous our gracious King you ground us with your Ling kindness how great is your Ling kindness oh God of

Goodness our Jo forever to sing the Glad of Grace that saved us of s forgiveness oh how great is your Ling [Music] kindness you lift us with a father's hand you shelter us with your command what heart could fully comprehend your mercies endless us through the Shadows deep where step it seems but as the darkness breaks we'll see your morning [Music] promise how great is your Ling kindness oh God of goodness our joy forever to sing the Glad refrain of Grace that saved us of sweet forgiveness oh how great your loving [Music] kindness a life laid down to resue us with arms outstretched upon the cross the Great greatest gift there ever was of Ling kindness a life laid down to us with arms outed upon the cross the greatest GI there ever was of Ling kindness youring [Applause] kindness how great is your Ling kindness oh God of goodness our joy forever to sing the Glad Praise of Grace that saved us of sweet forgiveness oh how great is your loving kindness your loving kindness your loving [Music] kindness you can be seated as our ushers come forward to take up the offering Lord we thank you for the way you've LED and care for each one of us thank you

Lord for the all the blessings that you bestow upon us and now we just thank you for the opportunity to give back and to be involved in missions in spreading the Gospel growing your church and your kingdom Lord we thank you for that opportunity we ask this in your name amen Isaiah 53 3-6 says he was despised and rejected by Men A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken Smitten by God and Afflicted but he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was a chastisement that brought us peace and by his wounds we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray and we have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all [Music] of Sorrows what a name for the Son of God who came s toclaim hallelujah what [Music] aior shame [Music] anding in my place condem [Music] my with his blood hallelujah what a of Sorrow Son of God purchase freom by his BL lamb who takes the blame for S hallelujah what [Music] aor

Guilty V and [Music] heless spotless Lamb of God was he full atonement can it be hallelujah what a say [Music] of Sorrow Son of God purchased freom by his blood man who takes the blame for S hallelujah what a say [Music] lied up was he to die it is finished was his cry th in heaven exalted hallelujah what aior hallelujah what a saor hallelujah what [Music] saor man of s Son of God purchase Freedom by his blood man who Tes the flame for S hallelujah what a [Music] saor he's coming back again when he comes our glorious King all his Ransom home to bring [Music] then song will sing Hallelujah what aor man of sorrow Son of God

Purchase Freedom by his BL man who takes the blame for sin hallelujah what aor hallelujah what [Music] aior amen I stand the of [Music] Jesus and wonder how he could love a s condem unan how marvous how wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous how wonderful is my's love for me for me it was in the he bre not my will but he had no tears for his own G but sweat drops of blood [Music] for marvelous how wonderful and my song shall [Music] ous wonderful is myor love for he took my sin and my sorrows he made them his very [Music] he bore the toal and suffered and died alone marous wonderful and my song shall ever be how marvelous [Music] wonderful is my's love for [Music]

Me when with the ransom Glory his face last shall see will be my joy through thees you sing of his love for [Music] me marous wonderful and S shall how marvelous how wonderful is my love for me and Lord we will continue to sing how marvelous and wonderful is the great love that you have shown us through Jesus Christ Who Bore our sins that we might take on his righteousness if only we'll believe God I pray that your Praises would ever be on our lips I pray Lord that you would help us to continue to worship as we hear your word preached and then as we go from here out into the world that we would worship by proclaiming your great works to anyone who listen it's in Jesus name we pray amen all right kids story time I'm G to teach you guys how to sew yeah with my wife being gone you know I ripped these jeans and so I figured I going to make it all better by myself do you think I can do it maybe but first I need you guys to tell me what's wrong with these jeans they're broken they're holy they're broken what else what else is wrong oh you might not want to touch them I don't know what else is wrong too small well maybe they're dirty there's lots of stains on them yeah you know what I've I've washed these jeans many times and can't get the stains out and I also just recently ripped them so here I need you to

Sorry I forgot your name Mrs bot can you help me Sophia how you grab that okay I'm going to take this patch okay I pre I want you guys to Pretend This is a brand new patch okay it's not but pretend that it is it's brand new and I'm going to put it on here okay and I brought a stapler because that's the that's the best way to do it right okay look at that it's actually working all right let's say one more one more should be good I ran out of Staples that's okay how do you think that's going to work not that way guys I tried really hard at this all right yeah you guys are right it's probably not going to work well did you know that in the Bible Jesus actually gives us sewing advice on yeah he does he tell he tells us what not to do when we're patching up old garments okay well Jesus he says that no one should take a new piece of cloth and put it on an old garment do you know why does anybody know cuz then it just looks horrible and it makes the good cloth look bad yes that is true it does make it look horrible I mean even if you're really good at so and you might be able to make it look okay but you know there's another problem if you take a new piece of cloth that has not been made for the old one it's going to dry and then it's going to shrink okay have you guys ever put clothes in the dryer and they come out shrunken yeah that's not that's not fun then you have to throw that away because you can't use it or give it or give it away but if you put a new piece of cloth on an old garment and it shrinks it actually it's going to tear away at those at the seams it's going to tear away at these staples these staples won't do nothing but it's going to tear away at the seams and it's going to

Create a bigger hole it's going to problem well Jesus Point by telling this Parable well he has a couple points but one of them is that it is pointless you can't patch an old garment with a new piece of cloth you can't fix the old way of thinking the old Covenant with just some new fancy teachings you can't fix your old self your sinful self by taking on new te teachings and take taking on new morals and say you know what I'm a bad person but if I try really hard I could become good okay that's what Jesus is saying and if you try and do that eventually it might look good for a little while but eventually you're going to actually be shown and a bigger hole and a bigger problem is going to going to rise up and so what Jesus is saying is he's come to give us a better garment I don't have a nice new pair of jeans means because I think that'd be kind of Blasphemous but Jesus is going to come and he's going to when we accept him and we believe in him and we accept that he died for our sins and that there's nothing that we can do to be better on our own he's going to give us a garment that is totally clean that you know I tried many times to wash this these genes and no matter what I used the most the best T I probably can't say what brand that's right but I couldn't didn't matter what I used nothing could take the stains out and that's the same for us no matter what you guys do you guys can't take the dirty sins out of your life and matter of fact Jesus the Bible says that all our good things that we do in our in ourselves is like a filthy rag he doesn't even like it he doesn't want it he's like don't even bother trying what you need is to be made new you need the new garment that I have come to give you and we can have that new garment by placing our faith and our trust in him all right okay well I hope you guys learned something today and never try and fix jeans like this okay

Doesn't work but let's pray dear heavenly father Lord thank you so much for these little ones thank you for coming and bringing us a new covenant by your blood by pouring out your blood on the cross and giving us the ability to be made new please turn our hearts towards you make us new and we ask these things in Jesus name amen okay guys before we go I got candy and if you guys have not grabbed an activity sheet go grab it okay let's go over there and I'll give you guys your candy over there [Applause] one well if you have your Bible and I hope that you do turn with me to the Book of Mark going to be in verse chapter 2 verses 18- 22 yeah I think that we're able to talk about brands of laundry detergent I think so but you never know what's going to cause people to argue some people are team gain some people are team tied we make our own so you know yeah that's the way literally just dozens of cents a wash so today we are talking about something that is it this was one of the harder sermons to preach because I was so temped to use so many different examples of what's called syncretism now if you're over at ethnos 360 you're probably familiar with that term of syncretism for those of us that are just regular people you may not but the Bible talks about it maybe not using the word syncretism and the things I talk about today these might be like really foreign to you or really condemning and very specific I promise you I'm not thinking about any specific situations I was looking at situations in my own heart and in my own life as I was writing this sermon

But syncretism let's talk about this definition real quick and if you're taking notes you could write this down it's just the merging of various religious social and philosophical beliefs that shape your worldview so it's a cut and paste way of how you live your life you might saywell I really like this particular view that maybe of postmodernism you know you just really want to live your own life your best life you want to have all the money all the fame all that kind of stuff and so you kind of have that but then you're like you know what I really like the idea of karma of karma karma that is this out now okay right okay all right what goes around comes around right but then you want to kind of fit Jesus into there too and so by the time that you're finished developing your worldview you kind of have this hodg podge of what you feel like is the best worldview but they're kind of self-contradictory and so as a result of that often times a life of syncretism or a person that holds to syncretism has all these different contradictory beliefs and those contradictions lead to chaos in the life and then what happens is that all that chaos permeates the culture and I think let me see here I wrote These down 94% of people hold to a syncretistic worldview in America I'll follow that along thanks buddy 90 94% of people hold to that's all Americans and so you wonder why we have so much chaos in the culture well it's because our worldview stinks it's because we're walking contradictions and I say we because only 4% of Americans hold to a Biblical worldview 4% 4% of Americans okay so you might think well I have a Biblical worldview okay like I believe that but the fact is that many people don't I would say most people don't in fact if we look in

This is integrated disciples this is people that have a consistent worldview based on beliefs and behavior okay because our beliefs should drive our Behavior not our Behavior driving our beliefs who's steering the ship at that point in 2020 there were 6% of people that held to that 2023 that's three years that's a decline of 33% if you can do math that means that in a generation the Biblical worldview could be extinct in America yeah I just want that to sink into your hearts it makes you think that makes you think about what's really important look at these statistics these are a fewer people that are embracing Biblical beliefs that like I just have a God-given purpose or God-given calling on your life down 42 points since the beginning of the pandemic I mean that's shocking that is shocking that Bible is unambiguous and it's teaching about abortion down 14 points Jesus did not commit sins during his time on Earth down 14 points people don't believe that Jesus was perfect human life is sacred I mean all of these things down now there were some things that were up but I think I've got another one here that's about behavior these are these are people fewer people adopting Biblical behaviors like people deeply committed to practicing your religious faith faith down 35 points in 3 years you wonder where is everyone what's going on with church attendance it's culture you know when you talk about strategy versus culture culture always wins 100% of the time unless your strategy is to change the culture which is what I'm talking about today you read your Bible or and study at least at least once a week down five points down Five

Points these and these beliefs all right these embracing Biblical beliefs are not from the culture these are from Born Again Christians now born again Christians that does not mean that they self-identify as Born Again Christians but according to Bara it is people that believe that they will go to heaven after they die only because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior so that's the statistic that's where we're at so it makes you think about what's important it's not the politics it's not the theology it's not our preferences in worship about to flip over this Pulpit all of a sudden we're on the verge of Extinction among Biblical worldview I mean if you're not making disciples if you're not teaching others about what God's word says it seems to me like the best solution is to do that and quit faking it I mean many Christians thinks that discipleship looks like coming to church is that why Jesus died did Jesus die for us to sit in a Pew some people think that's giving money to the church or being a part of community groups or serving in a Ministry Jesus didn't didn't say that's why he died he came to give us life Abundant Life a restored new wonderful thing Jesus he did say if you love me you'll obey my commands but we must make disciples but before we go out and make disciples what should we do well we better make sure that our beliefs adhere to a Biblical worldview otherwise who are we making disciples for what's the point of it all if we're not willing to examine our hearts and see if

Syncretism has crept in and so today we are going to be learning about syncretism and the difference that the Gospel makes and ultimately why it's better why is the Gospel better that's what we're going to talk about today please stand with me in honor of God's word as we read Mark chapter 2 we're going to be in verses 18- 22 God's word says this now John's disciples and the phes were fasting and people came and said to him why did John's disciples and 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 sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment if he does the patch tears away from it the new from the old and the worst tear is made and no one puts new wine into old wine skins if he does the wine will burst the skins and the wine is destroyed and so are the skins but new wine is for fresh wine skins let's pray Lord I just pray that you would examine our hearts today in light of in light of your word and as we talk about all these different things that you've brought to light in this passage Lord I pray that we walk out of here going what a wonderful word from the Lord God I pray that you would help us to understand more and more about what you want from us as your disciples as your followers God and as you've dealt with my heart this week I pray that you would deal with the hearts of the people here including my own still I know you're still working on me and I thank you for that and I pray that as we talk about some of these different things I pray that you would

Just do that work that only you can do of changing hearts and aligning our will with yours you are the one who gives us the will and to work for your good pleasure so help us God to align with you to submit to you to love you supremely above everything else Lord that everything in compar comparison would appear as hatred because of our love and desire to please you help us God in Jesus name amen okay well our passage today begins with introducing these two groups John's disciples and this group called the Pharisees The Book of Matthew he says that was the Disciples of the es that came to Christ asking this question Luke says that was the Disciples of John and the reason for this is both of those groups are concerned they are concerned about this socalled lack of spiritual maturity on the part of Jesus and on the part of the disciples remember that John he was what's called an aesthetic that means that he was very disciplined in the things that he did this was a man who practiced fasting and when he ate it was Grasshoppers and wild honey that is disgusting but he was disciplined and John when he would fast it was to prepare himself for the arrival of the Messiah and in Mark chapter 1 at the end of that chapter we see that the John the Baptist that he is arrested and he is put in prison well what about the Pharisees well the Pharisees they were very disciplined as well and they would fight fast twice a week they would fast on Mondays they Wednesdays and the days that they would fast it was as an example of their own personal devotion and piety to the Lord and before we think ill about John or his disciples we should note that his ministry was incredibly large probably

Over 10,000 people he had ministered to in his ministry preparing for the arrival of the Messiah and he didn't know them all personally and we don't know how long at this point that he had been imprisoned and so he's not able to tell everyone Jesus is the Messiah because many of those people just weren't around when that happened and these these people that came from all over Israel to be baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan they became very serious about the things of God and therefore they took things like fasting seriously prayer seriously the law of God seriously they began doing good works and giving arms and so it's very natural that these very disciplined people would be concerned saying why isn't Jesus this Rabbi why isn't he practicing fasting of course the Pharisees they had different motives they were very legalistic their fasting was in order to appear more righteous and more holy than others they thought that their fasting was pleasing to God but God had not asked for them to do this twice a week fast in fact if we look at the Old Testament we see a lot of different instructions for the people of God to fast at certain periods of time throughout the nation of Israel's history but there was only one commanded time when they were commanded to fast and that was on the day of atonement that was on day of atonement to you know just say to the Lord God I am so sorry it was an act of repentance it was an annual thing and only once a year and so once again they added to the word of God and his law and so again we see this conflict that is going to continue to build over the next couple of weeks in this increasing tension between the God who made them who came as their Redeemer in these self-righteous religious leaders of the day and these people they approached Jesus directly

And they asked why do John's disciples and The Disciples of the Pharisees F but your disciples do not and it's it's a fair question stated by two different groups with two different motives as we said that John's disciples they may not have heard about the baptism of Jesus and him being declared as the Holy One of God the promised Messiah and so they might be asking out of curiosity or even concern but the Pharisees they hated Jesus and they hated his methods and so they're asking the same question but as a way to bring shame and even accusing Jesus of doing something wrong and so we don't know their hearts but we can watch our own in order to make sure that our motives are good before we assume the worst of people but I digress Jesus he understands what they're asking and he answers their question with a question can the wedding guest fast while the Bri bridegroom is with them so let's talk about Jewish weddings real quick Jewish weddings were not a 25 minute long ceremony followed up by a three-hour party in the first century it was a weeklong festival for the entire town people from the community would would just Cook and Cook and Cook and they would eat and eat and eat and they would bring out the best wine that they had available and they would dance in the streets and they would have such a great time and it was a it was a time of feasting and celebration and even if a rabbi who was walking through if he was on a fast he would stop the fast immediately because it was so inappropriate for him to fast during the wedding Feast it was the groom's best week of his life it was the bride's best week of her life and it was a time of Celebration the whole town would partake in this and as a group as a guest as a groomsman your entire job for that entire week is just to celebrate to have fun to you know encourage them kiss again kiss again you

Know and get out there and dance and have fun and so it would be completely inappropriate for a guest to fast during this time of Celebration and joy if you did that would cause the groom to actually become upset and to be offended and think why what do you have to be sad about this is my wedding how can you be so long in the face get some food and get out there and have some fun and celebrate and Jesus is emphatic he says they cannot fast now Jesus has done something here that the people do not realize and he is claiming to be the bridegroom once again Christ he forgave sins which was something that only God could do and here he is also claiming to be God how well in the Old Testament the Lord is described as Israel's bridegroom if we look in Isaiah 545 it says for your maker is your husband the Lord of hosts is his name and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer the God of the whole earth he is called listen to what again Isaiah says in chapter 62 vers 4-5 you shall no more be termed Forsaken and your land shall no more be termed desolate but you shall be called my delight is in her that is a marriage term and your land married for the Lord Delights in you and your land shall be married for as a Young Man marries a young woman so shall your sons marry you and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride so shall your God Rejoice over you God he has shown to be in this role of bridegroom and Only God and of course we know Jesus he is fully God and his bride as we see in the New Covenant is his church and we see this in through this the glory and the beauty of the Gospel and you see that this Joy of being with Christ means that there is no mourning there is no ability to fast while the disciples were with Christ on the earth because you see everyone had these different expectations of the

Messiah they wanted a political leader they wanted social reform they wanted all of these different things they wanted the temple to grow and flourish and fill the Earth with its influence but the Gospel is so much better when it comes to syncretism and the difference that the Gospel makes if you're taking notes write this down the Gospel replaces unbiblical expectations with Biblical Truth The Gospel replaces unbiblical expectations with Biblical truth as a pastor I've got all sorts of expectations of me amen Pastor wears his best on Sundays some people expect hymns to Be Sung some people want the latest that's on the radio some people expect jokes in the sermon I ain't got no jokes but some people they just want that robust you know deep meaty sermons all the time some people expect for my children to behave perfectly they do it happens some people expect the pastor to drive that nice car some people expect the pastor to drive a beater so you're welcome some people expect the pastor to live in a nice home some people say well he needs to just give all of his money to the church Church some people they expect the pastor to keep regular office hours and do home visits and go to the hospital and be at every meeting and Lead every Ministry and be a part of everything and I thank God for the glory and the beauty of the Gospel that I don't have to meet man's expectations and you don't either the only person that you called to you know really live for is God what does God expect of you what makes God happy with you what makes God smile and delight and sing over you with joy that should be our greatest

Concern amen is Christ saying that fasting is unimportant here or that's done away with no not at all actually he reaffirms it here he says the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast in that day that word being taken away it's it's actually a very forceful taking at that moment in time there would be a joyful celebration and then the bridegroom would be taken away violently and that would be Unthinkable in that culture at that time but through this Jesus is alluding to his death on the cross and then Christ he shares to Parables both of them have very similar points as to why he is not fasting the first one is about clothing Thomas thank you so much for talking about that because you know it's garments he says no one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment if he does the patch tears away from it the new from the old and worse tear is made and this unwashed clothing okay it means it's new it's fresh it's clean and then the patch it will tear away interestingly enough I did not get this picture from his pants but you'll see that there's these bigger bigger tears this person they really tried hard to get that patch right right there and as you see it shrunk and it tore as a result of well not knowing this particular passage of Scripture I guess but what happens is that they were left with a bigger hole in actually a worse condition than the first and I came across this picture online from someone that was wondering what happened here and looking for advice on how to correct this problem but is Jesus really talking about clothing and fabric no he's talking about the old Covenant and the New Covenant he is pointing to his work on the cross and how he is going to be fulfilling all things and what we may be tempted to do

Is keep a bunch of old aspects of our life and try to fit Jesus into it somewhere you know it used to be that if you walk the aisle and say I believe in Jesus you could join the church the demons believe in Jesus should we let them join the church that's a good answer kid from the mouth of babes you see let me say this Jesus does not want to be number one in your life okay he doesn't he doesn't want to be your first priority he doesn't want to be your first desire he doesn't want anything like that he didn't die for first place he died for your life he died for every aspect of your life your priority your desire that should be our first concern and so instead of putting other people on the Winner's pedestal next to Jesus and say Jesus is the first place let's get rid of the Winter's pedestal put a throne there and put Christ on the throne and say whatever you want Lord what is most pleasing to you my Christ and my God what would you have from me because you see here's what happens is that the Gospel exchanges the old life with something new and better now let me say this what is always new isn't necessarily better okay some people I know that you went there we're talking about the New Covenant that God has a tested to that is new and better and as we abide in Christ what we should see is greater submission to his authority and more obedience to his commands but what happens when we just try to add Jesus to our life like he's just some sort of trinket or maybe just something that we do on Sundays what if he's just like an extension of our desires but not necessarily our desires then the new patch tears away and our old garments are incompatible with our

New life in Christ Our old life was death and darkness and Rebellion but the New Life Is Life Light and obedience Christ is Lord period Christ is Lord and he is always willing to receive humble Sinners into his arms as Savior and Lord but he is not willing to be your buddy just for you to call on when you need him he's not a genie for your prayers to just say whatever you say master he's not a people pleaser never giving offense he is God Almighty and he deserves no less than our Lives Eric little he was a the ugliest runner in Olympic history people would make fun of him because he had these really long strides and you Claw at the air as hard as he you guys ever seen Chariots of Fire you know okay you might remember the song but he's he would run as hard as he could and people would laugh because he was a Scotsman and he you know they said he's just the ugliest winner or ugliest Runner but he wins and in 1924 he had his best race it was the 100 meter dash and it was going to be held on a Sunday and he had a difficult decision to make and Eric Maxis he writes about this testimony in his book Seven men in their secret G greatness it says while deeply regretting that he would not be able to run Eric did not hesitate making the making an abiding by his decision as far as he was concerned Sunday was the Lord's day not a day for playing games even the Olympic Games can you imagine that like in our culture we just get excited if someone mentions God in a speech a sad state of Christianity Eric keep took the Lord's command seriously that we were to observe the sabbath day and keep it holy and as he saw it running in the Olympics on that day was out of the out of the question Eric could not compromise on what he believed that God had

Commanded okay and imagine being a teammate for that Olympic group I mean you know it says in there that they were flabbergasted and outraged and they would not let the misguided fanaticism and arrogance of his overly religious young men ruined Scotland's chances for National glory and they would use any means necessary to get this annoyingly headstrong young man to run okay so you know they were trying to convince him you know there's really nothing wrong with that and I'm not saying that you have to you know become a sabot carian or anything like that I'm not saying that's that's a conviction issue for you okay but what I listen to what they he had to go through I mean people they were arguing with him they were saying you know that the Sabbath you know God he gets your morning just run that afternoon and they said even the Continental Sabbath it only lasts until noon let's just do it that way and Eric he says you know what my God gets the whole day the point of the story is for you to ask this question what gave Eric that kind of resolve what made him have such a conviction that he was willing to you know put the Olympics on standby he went to win two other things that year I think it was the 200 and the 400 he went he won those but what made him have such resolve and confidence in his decision it was because he was controlled by his love for the Lord he was concerned about what God thought he also was not living for himself he was living for Christ and also his aim and his ambition and his whole purpose in life was not to win races but to be most pleasing to the Lord that's it the second illustration that Jesus shares is about wine or Welches because we're Baptist just

Kidding and no one puts new wine into old wine skins if he does the wine will burst the skins and the wine is destroyed and so are the skins but new wine is for fresh skins what happens if we try to add Jesus into our life without any kind of change look at this the Gospel cannot be added to previously held beliefs this leads to destruction see people they might try to keep old new age practices or astrology or whatever and that leads to apostasy others may attempt to put Christ in the Old Testament say I am justified this way and I'm going to add Jesus here and keep everything else no that's heresy you see the Gospel cannot just be added to our lives it must replace Our Lives the Gospel cannot be added to our philosophies and our world systems the Gospel Must Destroy them and reign supreme listen to second Corinthians 10: 4-6 for the weapons of our Warfare are not of flesh but have the divine power to destroy strongholds we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ being ready to punish every Disobedience when your obedience is complete in other words when things crop up in our lives okay that are unbiblical we should be ready to put those down for the sake of knowing Christ better a wine skin a wines skin was made out of a typically an animals hide most often a goat and they would cut out this wine skin with starting at the throat that would start as the spout and go down with the legs and everything and so they would sew it all together up real tight after tanning it lightly so that way it would still have a lot of flexibility and the ability to expand and everything they would sew it to where it almost looked like just a skinned goat there and they would fill it up and they would tie it real tight and then they would hang it

Up and because of the fermentation that whole thing would balloon and it would stretch and it would expand almost to the point of bursting and then that fermentation process was complete and then they would take it down and that's the new wine that's what it was as soon as it was fermented that was it and it was complete but once a wine skin was used it couldn't be used in that way again it was stretched to capacity to reuse it would be disaster Not only would the skin break but the wine would be destroyed as well and when people are inflexible to God's prompting or maybe they're unwilling to change their views to reflect God's word then they are in real danger of proving that Christ is not their God Christ doesn't just bring Salvation to people he brings new life new priorities new desires new thoughts that are in line with what the Bible says which is why discipleship is so important it's part of the reasons why the Pharisees couldn't stand Jesus and they were resisting him the entirety of their of his ministry is because he was new wine and they were old win skins and they just couldn't handle the new wine of Christ and in Luke of telling this he adds this comment in Luke 5:39 and no one after drinking old wine desires new for he says the old is good and in saying that he's not making a commentary about wine he's condemning the Pharisees for their inability to receive the promises of the New Covenant he is condemning them because they were even willing to keep to kill God in order to keep the Old Law couple of big points and then we're going to wrap this up and I'm going to State these big points positively and negatively so that way we understand this first the negative is that we cannot bring our previous beliefs and marry them to the Gospel this leads to ruin in our future we could take finances as an

Example because we all have to deal with our finances and some people believe that finances are the ultimate source of joy and happiness before Christ and therefore they want to get as much as they can so that they can have a good retirement with lots of toys and fun during the retirement years but the Biblical worldview is better the Bible teaches that we're called to be stewards with everything that God has entrusted to us all of those resources he's blessed us with therefore we should use them in ways that bring the most glory to him it means living reasonably within our means it means not taking on extraordinary debt or making sure that we are investing in things that will last for eternity I mean what good is having a massive bank account having a massive bank account if we see it burn up in judgment but rather we should invest in eternity because that's where true wealth is and we can apply that principle in every aspect of Our Lives from relationships to how we deal with Temptations or addictions how we re regard each other interpersonally and I would encourage you that regardless of how long you've been following the Lord reexamine yourself examine your worldview and see if there's Maybe Roots of syncretism that have taken place in your life and praise the Lord that God he could even do that with Pharisees because we know that J Joseph of arthea and Nicodemus were both followers of Christ because they were willing to receive the promise of the New Kingdom now let's State this positively for us that we have been given something wonderful and new in Christ and we get to walk in the newness of the Gospel praise the Lord for that amen I mean who wants to wear the old garments or drink from crusty old wine skins anyways Christ he offers us something better than the old Covenant he offers

Us the New Covenant a covenant not built on my obedience or my works or my abilities but on the obedience work and ability of Jesus Christ and you see Jesus in this confrontation he is pointing to the cross and the new garment and the new wine that would be offered to every person that would trust in him you see it is in Christ that we gain a new position a new identity and a new life and perhaps instead of walking in those old ways God might be calling you to evaluate your life and your conduct according to what his word has said I want to encourage you to do that today head heartand head I want you to know that the Gospel should replace our old worldview and give us a right one a new one a better one Christ he came to set all things right according to the father's will and for us as his disciples our first concern should be what do God say about this what does God want for me in this situation how should I handle this and you know the Holy Spirit he's fully God and he will lead you into all truth according to God's word heart I want you to believe that in order to be most pleasing to the Lord most pleasing we may have to let go of deeply held beliefs if they are counter to the clear teaching of God's word ultimately those closely held beliefs even if we've held on to them for decades if they are against what God's word teaches then we should be willing to let them go as a sign of submission and ultimately of our own salvation that God you are my Lord you are my king you are my God help me with this in hand I want you to examine your worldview and your practice to see if whether or not you're you have allowed syncretism into your life you know there is nothing better than knowing the Lord there is nothing more glorious than growing in him and maybe maybe you just need prayer

Maybe you just need you know Cody I just I need someone to pray with me because I've got this in my life and you know I just want to encourage you take it to the Lord or if you need someone to pray with you turn to a friend or come down and say Pastor I just need someone to talk to about this we're church and we love you we want to see you thrive in your walk with the Lord let's all stand and I'll pray then we're going to worship together and then we'll partake in communion father we love you we just ask that you would help us to understand a little bit more about you as we've heard your word today help us to bring ourselves under the authority of your word always seeking out what you have to say and not what we've come to know in our culture or anything like that God help us to submit ourselves to you as we worship together may you be glorified in Jesus name [Music] amen all I once H dear buil my life upon all this world re and Wars to hold all I once thought gain I have counted loss spent and worthless now compared to this knowing you Jesus knowing you there is no greater thing you're my all you're the best you're my joy and righteousness and I love you [Music] Lord now my heart's desire is to know you more to be found in you and know as yours to possess by faith what I could not earn all surpassing gift of

Rightousness knowing you Jesus KN you there is no greater thing you're my all you're the best you're my joy my righteousness and I love you Lord oh to know the power of your Ron life and to know you in your s sufferings to become like you in your death my Lord so with you to live and never die knowing you Jesus knowing you there is no greater thing you're my all you're the best you're my joy my righteousness and I love you Lord and I love you Lord you may be seated I won the battle with the microphone okay we're going to take the Lord's supper now and in the passage we just looked at in Mark the Lord mentioned that he's he was giving us a new covenant and that's what we're celebrating in this communion service is that we have something new that the world doesn't offer we are brothers and sisters in the body of Christ and if you look at the passage in 1 Corinthians 11 that we're going to look into the whole context of the end of chapter 10 then chapter 11 and then on into chapter of 12 is celebrating the body of Christ that's amazing and that's us we are the local Body of Christ so when we partake of communion we want to not ignore that we are together in this

It isn't an individual celebration as much as it is a corporate celebration that we are celebrating that we are all Brothers and Sisters in Christ now obviously for that to be true you've got to be a believer and so our communion service is open to all believers but if you're not a believer in Christ we'd ask that you just let it go by because the celebration is that we are part of the body of Christ so hang on to that the word communion is kind of interesting because it comes from the two words common Union and that's what we have in Christ so we're celebrating communion as a common Union that we have in Christ not in Kansas City Chiefs or any anything else but in Christ alone in Luke 22 when Jesus introduced the Lord's Supper to his disciples he said I really want he earnestly desired to take this supper with them because he wanted that Union and now we have that as Christ's brothers and sisters so grab on to that and hold on that we have something together that mankind has not had before this is the New Covenant in his blood so I'd like to read to you from 1 Corinthians 11 says in verse 23 for I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he'd given thanks he broke it and said this is my body which is for you do this in remembrance of me so take your little bread and let's partake together in the same way he took the cup after supper saying this cup is the New Covenant in my blood do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup you Proclaim CL the Lord's death until he comes so let's drink together and let's proclaim the Lord's

Death until he comes let's go to the Lord right now and we do that father we thank you that we have this privilege of sharing with one another in the remembrance of what you have done for us in forgiving us individually and then bringing us together as your body so as we leave here we pray that we would go into this world as your ambassadors and represent you to a world that needs you desperately thanks for that privilege in Christ's name amen