Ministry Methods Questioned Part 2

Ministry Methods Questioned (part 2)

Mark 2:19-28

Good Morning,

Exodus 20:8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God.” NKJV

Ever since the beginning of the Church after Pentecost; there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the Sabbath Day.

Since the start of the Church, Sunday has been the corporate day of worship in the NT, even though Saturday was the Sabbath.

Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week. The Gospels tell us Jesus appeared after His resurrection, and those appearances took place on the first day of the week as well.

Please open your Bible to the Gospel of Mark 2 as we continue in the verse by verse study of that Gospel.

Last week we learned how Jesus called Public enemy number one to follow Him; the hated man was the tax collector Matthew

Matthew collected taxes for Herod and the Roman Empire that was ruling over Israel at that time; Matthew’s countrymen hated him for being a tax collector for that pagan, occupying force.

Even though the rest of Israel looked at Matthew as a despicable person, Jesus saw a broken man in need of a Savior.

As soon as Matthew followed Jesus, the greed and power no longer meant anything to him, as he left the old life behind.

Jesus went to a banquet at Matthew’s house and extended grace and friendship to some social outcasts. Jesus didn’t only eat with Matthew, He fellowshipped with a bunch of sinners.

Then we spoke about fasting…John’s disciples along with the religious leaders, come to Jesus with another accusatory question: Why aren’t your followers fasting like we are?

Fasting is where a Christian dies to some of the cravings of the flesh and of the world, while setting their focus on Jesus.

At every turn, Jesus called the religious leaders out of their comfort zones and showed them how the Lord looks at the heart of the matter, not at the rules of man.

Today is part two of the series on Ministry Motives Questioned. Here Jesus will explain the main reason His followers were not fasting and again He will claim to be Almighty God in the flesh.

I. The Bridegroom.

Read Mark 2:19-20

Jesus was communicating that the current time was a celebration of Joy, as He describes Himself as being the Bridegroom.

William Barclay said, “There was actually a Rabbinic ruling which said, ‘All in attendance on the bridegroom are relieved of all religious observances which would lessen their joy.’

“The wedding guests were actually exempt from all fasting.”

The Pharisees, who were asking this question, knew that marriage was one of the pictures used in the Old Testament to help explain Israel’s relationship with the Lord.

In the Old Testament, Israel was called God’s unfaithful wife.

Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. NKJV

In different places within the New Testament, the church is described as the Bride of Christ, waiting for the wedding day.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. NKJV

Marriage is the most powerful analogy of intimacy between the Lord and His creation.

In Biblical times, there were three major aspects to a marriage.

1. There was the original marriage contract.

This contract was usually entered into by the parents while the couple was very young, as a pre-arranged marriage.

There would have been a dowry paid to the bride’s family for the daughter’s hand in marriage. Once the agreement was entered into, this was considered a legal contractual marriage.

For the Christian, the original marriage contract is fulfilled at the time of redemption. Every true Christian is married to Jesus.

2. The Wedding began at the Bride’s house, where the bridegroom would come to escort the Bride to his home.

Think of the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25; when Christ raptures the Church; the second phase will be completed.

3. Then there is the Marriage Supper and celebration of the Lamb, where guests are invited.

Think of the Wedding Feast at Cana, Jesus attended in John 2.

Later John wrote about our wedding feast in Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. NKJV