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
But how is the Bride (the Church) prepared for her husband?
There is much for the church to do while we are here waiting, but ultimately it is a work that God does through the Church.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
Justification is a gift from God to us by Jesus’ death on the cross
Christians are called to walk in Christ, and to put on Christ!
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. NKJV
Our righteousness is a gift from God; now we walk in new life!
Jesus told these Disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees that it was more important to celebrate the coming of the Bridegroom than it was to follow rituals at this time.
By Jesus referring to Himself as the bridegroom, we get a glimpse into the unwavering love Jesus has for us.
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. NKJV
The “joy” that was set before Jesus in Hebrews 12:2 was Jesus receiving us as His Children, through His offering for sin on the cross; He is the Bridegroom for His Church.
As the Groom to His Bride the Church; Jesus supplies all of our daily needs. As the Groom to His Bride the Church; Jesus sympathizes with us in all of our troubles.
As the Groom to His Bride the Church; Jesus accepts us with all of our failures and shortcomings…
Jesus loves us, all the way to completion!
II. New wine skins.
Read Mark 2:21-22
Jesus first refuted the Pharisees’ thinking they were righteous because of their works and then He said He came to bring joy.
Now Jesus communicates that He came to start a new work, and not to patch up the old work of religious activities.
Thomas Constable said, “Judaism had become old, and Jesus was going to set up a new form of God’s kingdom on earth that would be similar to a new garment, the messianic kingdom.”
In Genesis, after Adam and Eve sinned, they sewed fig leaves together to try and cover their nakedness; so we can see how a garment symbolized the covering of man’s sinful condition.
Genesis 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. NKJV
The Lord covered their nakedness with animal skin; this was the first shed blood in the Bible and it worked better than fig leaves.
We are told in Hebrews 9:22 according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. NKJV
Jesus showed the Jewish leaders to put aside the old garment of the Mosaic Law and put on the new life promised in Christ.
Wine often represents the work of the Holy Spirit in scripture.
Jesus is teaching that any religious activity fails in comparison to a true work of the Holy Spirit, because religion is unfit to contain a true work of the Lord.
Wine skins were made from animal skins and the wine was made with yeast and sugars fermented over time. As the gases were released during fermentation, the wine skins would expand
If the wine skins were new, they would be flexible and stretch enough to hold the fermented wine; however, older wine skins became brittle, dry and inflexible like legalism.
Jesus did not come to put the new work of His Spirit into the old wine skin of Judaism; salvation comes by Grace alone, provided by the blood of Christ alone.
Henry Ironside said, “The new wine of Grace was not to be poured into the skin-bottles of legalism. Such an attempt would destroy both."
Judaism had become inflexible and was now incapable of containing New Life; it was actually placing people into bondage rather than helping them to experience God.
Since the first century church; we can see new works of the Holy Spirit throughout Church history and early Church councils; leading up to the Protestant Reformation.
Almost every time there is a movement of the Spirit, man comes along and tries to fit a work of the Spirit into their thinking and turns the new work of the Spirit into a religion.
1 Corinthians 6:19 do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own. NKJV
In Jesus’ analogy, the wine is the Holy Spirit, and a relationship with Christ is the new wine skin, with Jesus living in Christians.
Judaism had become rigid and inflexible, as the religious leaders took what was placed by God to protect the people with the Mosaic Law, and turned it into 613 rules of self righteousness.
Jesus’ kingdom would not operate within those rules; instead He came to bring Good News and it is symbolized by new wine. Jesus came to introduce something new, not to patch up the old.
Salvation in Christ was not Jesus destroying the law; rather He fulfilled the Law and offered us something new through His Spirit and atonement for sin, by His shed blood.
Jesus offers Joy in place of religious duty;
When the angels appeared to the Shepherds in Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. NKJV
III. The purpose of the Sabbath.
Read Mark 2:23-27
The Pharisees come to Jesus with another accusation; Jesus’ followers were breaking the rules, picking grain on the Sabbath.
Most of the Pharisaical Law regarding the Sabbath Day came from tradition rather than from the Lord.
Jesus answers them with scripture and what a great lesson for us; we should use the Bible as the final court of arbitration.
The Pharisees said the Disciples' actions on the Sabbath were illegal; but, the Pharisees added to the Law in many ways.
For instance; someone couldn’t tie a knot on the Sabbath; but, if they only used one hand to tie the knot, it didn’t break the Law.
Someone couldn’t spit onto dirt on the Sabbath because it would make mud, which was considered plowing.
If you spit on a rock, it was okay, because it would not make mud; therefore you were not guilty of plowing on the Sabbath.
The Jewish leaders added to the Law, in order to appear self righteous. Here, Jesus was on His way to the Synagogue and His followers were hungry as they went through a grain field.
The Lord, the creator of man, made us with certain natural desires. We know after the fall of man in the Garden, where sin entered the world, our flesh and the world gave us other desires.
The Lord created hunger in us, to use food as a fuel for the body. The Lord gives us spiritual hunger for Him; but, the Pharisees thought tradition was more important than hunger for the Lord.
God made Sabbath to insist man take a day of rest, and it was to be spent fellowshipping with Him.
But these religious leaders made it everything but a day of rest.
The Sabbath was a covenant with Israel and the Church is not Israel; we are a New Covenant people as the Apostle Paul said:
Colossians 2:16 let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
Colossians 2:17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. NKJV
The Sabbath was a shadow to show Israel a true rest in the Lord was coming. We now have Jesus, who is better than a shadow!
Our rest is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ because of what He did on the cross. Now He wants us to sit at His feet and experience supernatural rest and fellowship.
When following Jesus becomes about “have to-s”, we have missed the whole point of the love relationship He wants for us.
So Jesus asks the religious leaders a question about following the Lord. When David was running from King Saul and his men were hungry, didn’t they eat the holy bread of the Tabernacle?
Just as David had the right to eat the holy bread illegally, so Jesus had the right to permit His disciples to eat food gathered illegally on the Sabbath.
If David could break the Law and eat the holy bread; the Disciples of Jesus could break the Law and pluck grain to eat.
Notice vs. 27, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
People stuck in tradition, simply cannot accept the fact that the Sabbath was meant to serve man, not the other way around.
Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. NKJV
Even the Jewish Book of Jubilees said the Sabbath was a gift from God to His people, for their enjoyment.
The British Theologian, M.D. Hooker said, “Jesus' comments about David show how regulations made to safeguard something holy were set aside for David, who enjoyed a special position, and for those who were with him.
“In a similar way, regulations safeguarding the Sabbath were here set aside for Jesus, in a special position, and those who were with Him.” (M.D. Hooker)
IV. Jesus created the Sabbath.
Read Mark 2:28
The Sabbath was created for the benefit of humans, and here Jesus is speaking against the tough requirements the religious leaders had added to the original commandment.
Now, Jesus calls Himself Lord of the Sabbath.
This was a direct claim to Deity; Jesus was claiming He was superior to the Sabbath Day.
Lord (kýrios Strong's G2962): supreme in authority, controller; Master, God, Lord. This title is given to God, the Messiah.
Jesus was saying, He had the authority to instruct His Disciples on things pertaining to the Sabbath Law, because He is the Lord the Sabbath.
(In other words) Jesus is telling these religious leaders He is the same God who wrote the Book of Exodus and gave the commandments about the Sabbath Day.
The Sabbath was instituted to give man rest; but, their religion had turned the Sabbath Day into work.
The Sabbath was created for us to have time to sit at the feet of our Savior and enjoy fellowship, peace, and rest with Him.
This was a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus claiming to be Lord of the Sabbath was a deal breaker for the religious leaders; they fully understood He was claiming to be God.
In their mind, this statement was heresy and it led to their desire to seek to put Jesus to death.
To these religious leaders, man-made traditions were more important than the Word of God; but, fellowship with the Lord always takes precedence over ceremony.
The Law tells us to do; but, Jesus tells us to rest. The Lord made the Sabbath for us to be able to enjoy fellowship and rest with Him; because Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Jesus wants us to come together and corporately worship Him; but, He also desires us to have private fellowship, as well.
Jesus makes it very clear that His sheep are way more important than any rules or regulation.
V. Conclusion.
The theological definition of rest is…freedom from work, toil, strain or activity.
Rest is the cessation of motion or action of any kind and it is applicable to anybody or being,
It is a rest from labor, from mental exertion, or rest of the body or mind. Rest also means freedom from whatever worries or disturbs you.
R. Kent Hughes said, “As Christians, we understand there is no rest for the soul apart from Christ.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. NKJV
The church is under the New Covenant, bought by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; so we stop trying to earn the Lord’s favor through self-efforts and enter the promised eternal rest.
When we come to Christ by faith, we find salvation rest. Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. NKJV
When we yield and obey Him by faith, we enjoy true rest.
It is by believing that we enter into rest; it is by obeying God by faith and surrendering to His will that the rest enters into us.
1. We receive salvation rest when we place our faith in Christ
First we have peace with God.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, NKJV
We also have the peace of God.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. NKJV
Salvation rest is where self effort is replaced Holy Spirit power. Our souls can rest knowing our salvation is in Christ and He is faithful!
2. We receive rest as we grow in our relationships with Jesus.
The rest believers in Christ experience while living their Christian life in the power of the Spirit, keeping short accounts, and thus experiencing the "peace of God".
This is where we do not allow things in our life to come in between us and Jesus, so we maintain pure consciences and have a peaceful relationship with God.
When we have open sin in our lives, our consciences cause guilt and we have a sense of inner "restlessness" and loss of peace.
3. We receive the final rest associated with the New Heavens and New Earth where righteousness dwells forever.
Rest is one of the reasons Jesus told His Disciples as they were worrying about His departure…
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14:4 And where I go you know, and the way you know."
John 14:5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?"
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJV
If you have entered God’s rest through the person of Jesus Christ, you should stop trying to work to earn God’s favor, because you know you have it by faith in Christ.
God’s Sabbath rest, Salvation rest and we will have Heaven rest someday because of faith in Jesus Christ.
The Lord wants us to stop toiling and simply trust Him and rest in His finished work!
Jesus provided for our salvation, not our works. Rest in Him!
