Are You a Prodigal

 Jesus Uses Parables to Preach the Gospel

 Book of Luke Chapter 15

 

We have answered this question before, but what is a parable?

 The Webster dictionary describes a parable this way: "A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction".

 In truth, a parable is not a fable nor an allegory.

 One commentary says: A parable makes it evident that an essential feature of the parable lies in the bringing together of two different things so that the one helps to explain and to emphasize the other.

 To make it simple, a parable was often used in a more restricted sense to denote a short narrative, under which some important truth is veiled.

 In these parables, it proves the great love God has in seeking lost sinners and His forgiveness for them if they will only repent and return to Him.

 Luke Chapter 15 begins with the Parable of sinners coming to Jesus, and next the Parable of the Lost Coin.

 We could say that Luke Chapter 15 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible.

 Our lesson spends its time on the Lost Son, whom we call the Prodigal Son.

 Praise the Lord, for He knows how to find lost things!

 I was once one of those lost things that He found.

 The Pharisees and the scribes of today see searching for the lost as a waste of time.

 What does God say? Luk 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

 Luk 15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 

 If we make a few substitutions, we can better understand this parable.

 1) The lost son teaches us about sinful living and true repentance.

2) His father represents our Heavenly Father.

3) The other son in this parable teaches us about the self-righteous and those who reject the truth. 

 Remember this is the Lord Jesus speaking.

 ****Luk 15:11  And he said, A certain man had two sons: 

Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 

 We could say the problem in this family is a problem of relationships.

 The problem of the relationship of the father to his two sons.

The problem of the relationship between the two sons and their father.

 One son will represent the sinner.

The other son will represent the Pharisee who was always against Jesus.

 The father represents the love of God for both of these sons.

 The Lord Jesus Christ died for every sinner and every Pharisee and all others on Mount Calvary.

 Those in the past, those who live now, and those who would live in the future. This also includes every Israelite.

 The truth is that man's love is narrow, shortsighted, and selfish.

We do not see much love in the world today.

 God's love is boundless, profound, reconciling, and unreserved.

 Both of these sons, in their own way, sin against the love of God.

 When we reject our Creator, we are sinning against His love!

 There are so many differences between these two sons, so it is hard to believe they are brothers.

 The one thing they have in common is that they have the same father.

 The youngest son is rebellious, as we see in many of our youths today, driven by the desire to leave home and treat his parents as if they do not exist.

 This son wants to make grown-up decisions and be his own, but no person alive then or today becomes so mature that they can declare their independence from God.

 This reminds me of all those politicians and preachers who claim to know the truth of God, but they do not uphold the truth of God's Word when dealing with the lost.

 How can any so-called Christian defend any kind of immorality when God says it is an abomination?

How can any so-called Christian defend any sin when God says for us to repent of our sinful ways?

 No one can claim they are saved and in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and then defend the sin, the wickedness, and the immorality in our nation or in our world; no matter what they say, they are liars.

 Even in Israel at the time of Jesus, it was the custom for the property to be divided among the sons after the death of the father, with the firstborn getting a double portion.

 Today, if there is a last will, the possessions of that father would be divided according to that will.

 This foolish young man convinced his father to divide his estate, which he did, and gave to both sons their inheritance while he was still alive.

 He was declaring that to him, his father was dead!

 The young man immediately exchanged his property for money.

 On that day, land and animals were a sign of wealth and not money.

 He had no intention of honoring his parents in their old age, which in that day was the responsibility of the sons.

 He severed his relationship with his father and wanted nothing else to do with his family.

 There have been many such sons and daughters who have done this today, and a great many of them have come back home because independence and the world are not what they thought they were.

 This is the picture of the sinner who wants to do with his life what he wants to and to heck with everybody else.

 *****Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 

Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

 In most family homes, the children are first trained to help keep the home clean, and they will have more responsibility as they get older.

 This young man wanted his independence from any such responsibility. He wanted to do his own thing and live as he wished.

 This father gave his son what he asked for.

 There is no clearer way to deny God than to give in to your own will and ignore the will of God!

 What do we see? He wasted all that his father gave him on riotous living.

 He tried to live in luxury.

He was wanton, he became immoral, and lived without moral restraints.

He was licentious, giving in to festive indulgences, which meant he lived the party life, ignoring the laws of his upbringing.

He ate only the best foods this world had to offer, no matter the cost.

 He chose a country that was far different from his father's home.

 He chose a country that was full of wickedness and immorality, where he could live a worldly, fleshy life.

 We could say he was living for pleasure.

 We know that King Solomon tried this lifestyle and found it a vain way to live.

 Solomon had much more money than this prodigal son.

 What does the word prodigal mean? One that expends money extravagantly or without necessity; one that is profuse or lavish; a waster; a spendthrift.

 In a short time, this son had spent every dime he had, as he had wasted his inheritance and was now broke in a foreign country.

 He had nothing left on this earth to help him.

 The world we live in is only nice to those who can afford it, but this world will take away everything that you have and laugh at you.

 When you wrap your life up in pleasure, you will find that the pleasures of this world get old fast.

 There is only pleasure in sin for a season.

 Isa 21:4  My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. 

 This young man had found out that the world we live in is a corrupt world.

 I used to think we live in a nation that could not be corrupted, but I know no better.

 A certain political group has corrupted our nation, and they fight with the strength of the Devil to keep it that way.

 Proverbs 11:19 says so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. 

 Not only was he dead broke with no help, but a famine came to the country he was now living in, and he, being an illegal immigrant, would suffer even more.

 He became a slave and could only get the worst jobs.

 *****Luk 15:15  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luk 15:16  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

 We should know that a Jew was forbidden by law to attach themselves to a Gentile.

 Even if we disregard this, the humiliation of cleaning hog pens was a terrible pain for this young man.

 The attitude of the Jews toward swine was also governed by the Law.

 Lev 11:7  And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 

Lev 11:8  Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 

 In typology, those hog pens give us the picture of sin when a man is enslaved to it.

 Sin will enslave us!

 Pro 5:21  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. 

Pro 5:22  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 

Pro 5:23  He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

 His bodily hunger became so great that he would have eaten the food that was given to the swine.

 The Greek text of the Bible says those husks were the pods of the carob tree, which was used for the feed of animals.

 Some say it had a sweetish taste, but it would tear your bowels up, and only the very poor would attempt to eat it.

 This young man came to his senses.

 *****Luk 15:17  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 

Luk 15:18  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 

Luk 15:19  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 

 He had sunk as low as he could go. Trying to do things his way just was not working out.

 When he could only see how his freedom had turned out, he began to think about home and the only one who had loved him, his father.

 Heaven will be so wonderful that God considers any person who rejects the Lord Jesus to be mad or insane for wanting to live in this unreal, wicked world.

 Our world is not only vain, but it is also fake.

 Our nation has been known as the land of opportunity, but it is fake.

 Only Heaven is the true land of opportunity.

 Ecc 9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 

Ecc 9:6  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

 Inner conviction began to lead this young man to repentance.

 Repentance is the beginning of reality and the basis for building a sound life.

The beginning of repentance is thought, thinking about the need to repent and turn back to God.

 The Holy Spirit will first convince us that we are sinners.

Then He will put in our hearts that there is a God who loves us.

It is the heart that will convince us of our lost condition.

It is the heart that will bring us to confession.

This is how the Holy Spirit works to bring us under conviction.

God is Light, and God is Love.

As Light, He works in the Heart to convince us of our lost condition.

As Love, we can see in Him in His Goodness.

1Pe_5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

This son knew one thing for certain. If he remained in his condition, he knew he would perish!

His sin is staring at him in the face.

When we sin against God, we have sinned against His Love for us.

He began to think about his father and how his father had many servants, but not one of them were slaves.

They were hired help, taken care of, and fed from his father’s table.

He realized that he was no longer worthy to be considered a son and sought to just become one of his father's servants.

He knew he needed to get moving before he perished.

He knew he would have to turn from his sinful life.

He knew he would have to turn toward and move toward God.

This is repentance!

When we repent, we must turn from this world and turn toward God's New Heaven.

This begins after confession of our sin!

It was time to do this before another day passed.

*****Luk 15:20  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 

Luk 15:21  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 

Many a soul on this earth realizes their sinful life and realizes that they are not worthy to receive forgiveness, but they feel they cannot be forgiven, so they remain in their misery or seek an early death, having no hope.

When we do this, we dishonor not only ourselves, but we dishonor our Heavenly Father, who is waiting for us with open arms, with healing in His wings.

Mal_4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

The greatest decision this young man would ever make was the decision to return to his father.

We need to reconcile ourselves with God!

Heb_2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

God is always ready to receive us!

God is omniscient, so this son was forgiven before he even confessed!

Repentance is the sign that we are sincere when we confess.

There is a movement in many places of worship to remove this step to salvation.

People want to be saved and then work on repentance, but repentance will not come without the help of the Holy Spirit.

God sees we are sincere when we turn from our wicked ways!

This is why the father ran to meet his son!

The God of the New Testament, the Father of all mankind, is most clearly revealed in His compassion.

When we take one step toward God, He will take two steps toward us!

Psa 34:18  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

When this son returns to his father, he finds out that his father has never stopped loving him.

His heart had gone with his son even when he was far off.

This is the example the Lord Jesus was making.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

It was time for a feast.

*****Luk 15:22  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 

Luk 15:23  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 

Luk 15:24  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 

This young son was now accepted and restored, but it would not have happened if he had not returned.

Before this son says just make me one of your servants, the heart of the father has taken over.

It is the position of our Heavenly Father that determines that we are still His sons and daughters.

Repentance is the key to returning to the arms of God.

When we walk through Heaven's Gates, we will walk in as a son or daughter who has returned home!

Luk_15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Our dirty, rotten, sinful clothing will be removed, and a robe of salvation will be given to us.

Notice an important point: the servants of this father knew exactly where this robe had been hanging in anticipation of the return of this son.

Not only do we have a mansion in Heaven prepared by the Lord, but there is also a Robe of Righteousness awaiting us.

Isa_61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

The best robe we will ever wear is the robe we receive when we get to Heaven.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

We will receive a ring as a sign of special honor and dignity: Gen 41:42  And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 

Those new shoes show that we now walk with our Heavenly Father.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

We should notice that this son receives much more than he received when he left.

That fatted calf is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was slain for our sins.

Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

There is much more that we can get from this parable of the Prodigal Son if we just take it to heart and remember our own salvation.

Amen

God Is In the Saving Business

 The Servant's Mission

Book of Mark Chapter 2

As we go through these lesson's this quarter, we are going to see our Lord Jesus Christ as a Faithful Servant.

As the Lord Jesus is our example in so many things, He is also our example of how to be a servant of God.

He loves us as His dear children, but He expects us to serve Him, not as slaves but out of love and obedience.

We always seem to forget our disobedience is our greatest sin. Just ask Adam.

Before the Lord Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He gave us a job to do.

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is the same job our Lord was doing before He went back to Heaven!

What is a servant? 

A servant is a person who attends to another person for the purpose of performing menial tasks, at least that is the meaning used by the secular world.

The liberal side of America would tell us that all servants are slaves when a servant is a volunteer to do some work.

A child of God, who is also His servant, is someone who "volunteers" to get involved in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Gospels that teach us how our Lord came here to serve His Father in Heaven, and give us the example we are to follow.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior, but He is also our loving Master!

Eph 6:5  Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 

Eph 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 

Eph 6:7  With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 

We can be servants to the Lord Jesus because we know we are more than servants, we are in the family of God, His brothers, and sisters in Christ.

Somewhat like families, who follow in the footsteps of a parent who has done well, we are to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.

**So, it is a family thing! We do the work that our family does that our Father in Heaven has decided, and His Son Jesus has shown us how to do it right!

Our Father in Heaven is in the saving business and we are to follow Him and be in His saving business.  

The first part of chapter two teaches us the healing powers of our Lord, as He heals a man who was paralyzed.

This miracle is so great, not just because this paralyzed man walked under his own power, but we see that word immediately, which means old muscles that had not been used and joints that had not had to do any work, all immediately began to work in this body that had been paralyzed.

As this chapter continues our Lord Jesus takes a walk on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, but not just a leisurely stroll because Jesus had a purpose behind everything that He did.

*****Mar 2:13  And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

By this time, the crowds that followed Jesus were too large to be contained in one home.

By this time, some of the synagogues were closing their doors to the Lord, because He spoke with authority and His message was a message of truth.

This same thing happens in America today, the government and the media decide what is right even when they are wrong and close the doors to the real truth. This is corruption at its highest!

Mar 2:6  But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 

Mar 2:7  Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 

The people knew better and they flocked to Jesus to hear more about this coming kingdom He spoke of.

When these people had questions, our Lord Jesus could answer them because He knows all.

As a Servant to His Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus took every opportunity to teach the truth of the Scriptures.

And then, the Lord was also in the process of choosing the twelve disciples who would later become the twelve Apostles at least eleven of them would. One was a traitor!

*****Mar 2:14  And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 

As the Lord Jesus walked and taught, He passed by a tax collector.

We can see that the Romans had a tax on just about everything like we have today.

Matthew was set up to tax the fishermen for their catch of that day.

Today there is a tax on rainwater in many places, and a tax coming on the gas that comes our farm animals, among other taxes to pay for our free spending government.

Food is already to high.

In fact climate change is more about taxes than it is the truth!

Yes, the climate is changing, it has been changing since the Lord created it.

Yes, to live as humans we do produce some things that could harm our environment if they were in large enough quantities but they are not.

Yes we could do a much better job taking care of our world. We could start by picking up the trash.

We could start by holding companies that pollute our environment accountable.

In fact it will be humans who will destroy our world. We are that foolish. Some governments are bound and determined to destroy our world.

No, it is not humans who are causing the climate change that we are see today.

It is natural elements that drive climate change just as they always have.

At least Rome was building roads to every nation that could be used to spread the Gospel.

We cannot get our own governments to fix the existing roads with the money dedicated for that purpose.

Our government is already plotting some sort of tax on electric vehicles to make up for road taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel that will be lost.

There was this man named Levi who was a tax collector who we know as Matthew.

The Israelites considered all tax collectors as traitors and sinners. They were bitterly hated.

They were looked upon as people who had sold their souls out to Rome.

Most of them were cheats and extortioners who lined their own pockets while collecting taxes for Rome and Rome did not care as long as they got what Rome demanded.

Most of them became wealthy off the backs of the people of their own nations.

We can believe that Matthew was this type of tax collector.

We can also believe that the Lord Jesus was always looking for an opportunity to save a lost soul!

Levi was an outcast and hated by those around him, but the Lord loved him as He did everyone else.

After loving on him for a moment, Jesus simply says, "Follow Me" and Matthew left the taxing table and followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew lived a life of being hated by those around him no matter where he went.

Matthew was surely craving forgiveness!

Jesus tells us all:

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

This is the same Matthew who wrote the Gospel that bears his name.

Most people called him Levi, even Mark and Luke, but Jesus called him Matthew and so, this is the name he chose for himself.

The name Matthew means "gift of Jehovah". From then on, Matthew stressed God's great mercy upon him.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

The Lord invited Himself to dinner at Matthew's house, and many more tax collectors were there and we see that the Israelites referred to them as "publicans".

*****Mar 2:15  And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. 

There were many such men as Levi who were considered outcasts to society, but many of them were like Levi they wanted forgiveness for what they had done.

This dinner became a huge feast.

Luk 5:29  And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 

Matthew had discovered a peace and a comfort that he had never known, and he reached out to his friends who were like him, so they could learn of the peace that comes from forgiveness.

This world will not show forgiveness unless

It is a life-changing experience when we have a meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus gladly accepted the opportunity to meet with these sinners and Jesus took His own disciples with Him, even though they were wary of being associated with publicans.

Anyone who is willing to confess their sins has a willing ear to listen to them, when that ear belongs to Jesus Christ.

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 

Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 

Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 

Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

What this modern generation does not understand, especially those who are transgender or gay, is that the Lord Jesus Christ cannot help anyone who is unwilling to confess their sins and repent!

The Church is open to all comers no matter their sin but all those who know the Lord as their Savior have repented and been Born Again.

What did Jesus teach?

Joh_3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The self-righteous, the self-sufficient, the self-dependent, feel like they have no need to confess their sins and repent of them.

Our Lord Jesus did not ever act above or act better than anyone and this is a great lesson for us all.

Our Lord Jesus also did never compromise His message of repentance!

The Church cannot compromise today or more people will go to Hell because they think they have no need to repent!

The Church must open the doors to all who would enter, no matter their walk in this life, but to be forgiven we must all yield to the Lord's message of confession and repentance.

Our faith must be in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for our salvation, and then, we can confess our sins and begin that work of repentance with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Those unwilling to repent will find that they are not saved and in the end the Lord will say "I Never Knew You".

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Only after confessing the knowledge of the work the Messiah has done for our salvation and repenting of our sinful life, can we become that new person, being "Born Again" into a new life!

Those who are self-righteous will never understand these things!

*****Mar 2:16  And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 

Mar 2:17  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 

If we have noticed the things that are happening in America, we must understand that the sins that America winks at are much worse than those that are already condemned.

Self-delusion, that we have no sin, is the sin that cannot be forgiven because it rejects the reason the Lord came in the first place!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 

There is no one in this world today who is not a sinner!

We can also know that we are to reach out to all sinners outside the Church, but we are not to run with them and partake in their sinful ways.

It is the sinner who can become a disciple and follow the Lord Jesus, and not the other way around.

You see, a religionist who is respectful of the ways of society, will become a judge to those who are trying to reach that society with the Gospel.

Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is medicine for the sin sick soul!

Religion is philosophy, Christianity is the truth of God!

The Lord Jesus expects us to change, but He also knows we need the help of the Holy Spirit to make that change!

It is the sick person (sinner) who knows he needs a doctor (Savior) because he knows he is sick (a sinner).

Those who do not know they are sick (a sinner) will not go to the doctor. (the Savior)

All those who have made themselves self-righteous will never repent!

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

This is where the American society is failing today!

This is where the compromising Church is failing today!

Those who live in their own righteousness will not answer the call of Jesus Christ!

It is Jesus Christ who is the "Great Physician"!

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Those religionists just will not give up and they can ask some really foolish questions.

*****Mar 2:18  And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 

What is fasting all about?

Fasting is the laying aside of food for a period of time when we are seeking to know the Lord in a deeper experience.

Fasting is to be done with the object of seeking to know the Lord in a deeper experience!

There are three types of fasting:

1) Normal fasting involves the total abstinence of food but not water. The Lord Jesus fasted forty days.

Luk 4:1  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 

Luk 4:2  Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 

2) There is the absolute fast for about three days.

Act 9:9  And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 

3) There is the partial fast where there is just a restriction of diet.

Dan 10:3  I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 

There are some physical benefits to this type of fast. It would be similar to dieting.

Daniel chose bread, meat, and grape juice to do without.

Remember all these fasts were done to get closer to the Lord!

When the early Church wanted to know the mind of God, there was a time of fasting and prayer and most all the church took part in this fast.

Very little fasting is done today!

What was the answer from the Lord Jesus?

*****Mar 2:19  And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 

Mar 2:20  But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 

How could the disciples fast to get them closer to the Lord, when He was with them every day at this time?

The religious Jews fasted twice a week but for what purpose, we do not know because they were not getting closer to God.

They fasted simply because of religion. It was just another ritual for most of them! It was just another tradition with no real meaning! It was just something else they could brag about.

The disciples of John the Baptist also fasted twice a week just as the religious Jews because they did not have a clear meaning of the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ even though the Messiah was amongst them and John had pointed them to this fact.

They did not have the Holy Spirit until they understood the work of the Messiah.

What was the purpose of their fasting, it was just a ritual!

They should have been fasting for the release of John the Baptist, but it was time for John to cease and for the Messiah to step forward and John had also pointed this out to them. 

They should have understood the purposes of the Messiah. They had little faith.

If fasting is not used to seek a closer relationship with the Lord, it has no purpose other than dieting to lose weight or for health.

Yes, we can fast for an answer to a prayer but if we do not have a close relationship with the Lord, how can we expect an answer to that prayer?

These religionists were just mocking the Lord Jesus asking, how could the true Messiah not teach faithfulness to religion.

Religion will not get you to Heaven! Only the Messiah can get us to Heaven!

If God had wanted John the Baptist out of prison, then he would be out of prison.

The time of John the Baptist had ended so, there would be no confusion about the true Messiah.

John was a powerful preacher whose message had been fulfilled.

Jesus simply stated there is a right way and a wrong way to fast.

In fact, Jesus again, as our example states, we must not judge others for keeping religious rituals. 

Censuring and condemning others is uncalled for!

We must understand that all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ are condemned already.

We need to show them the only way to be redeemed and pardoned.

We will not be judged according to whether we keep or not keep religious rituals!

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can judge these things!

Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 

Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 

Rom 14:7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 

Jesus Himself said there were two reasons to fast.

1) Sometimes, we just do not feel the presence of the Lord, then, it is a suitable time to fast.

2) Sometimes, we feel we need that special empowering of the Lord to meet a special need, then, it is a suitable time to fast.

This fast must be sincere and we must lay out the rules of our fast with the Lord and the reason for our fast, and this fast must include sincere prayer.

We must understand that we are going to suffer in this world and it is going to get worse before we go home to be with the Lord!

We must also understand that the Lord is not trying to patch up our old way of life, but we will be "Born Again" into a new life, our old life passed away!

The Lord Jesus is not out to reform an old religious life, but He will regenerate us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tit 3:4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 

Tit 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

Tit 3:6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 

Tit 3:7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 *****Mar 2:21  No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 

Mar 2:22  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. 

God says, if you want to alter the habits of some other person, we must begin by changing their principles.

If we are to plant the Gospel Seed into a rotten heart of some sinner and there must be some sign of progress.

To be a Christian is to be a new kingdom. That old life cannot be patched. 

This is the downfall of many places of worship today. They are trying to patch up an old life and God says we must be Born Again into something entirely new.

There will be a New Heaven!

There will be a New Jerusalem!

The persons in both these places will be a New Person, the Born Again children of God.

2Co_5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Rev_21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

A patched up sinner will be worse than he was!

The word bottles in this Scripture means wine skins.

A new bottle made of an animal skin would be elastic enough to expand as the gases of fermentation built of pressure.

Old skins that had already been used would be hardened and they could not take the pressure of the fermenting process and that old bottle would burst.

Jesus said that He was bringing a new life built upon expansion and a new excitement for eternal life. A life never ending!

Our old sin nature cannot be repaired!

Just like corruption, it must be removed!

We must understand that all those old forms of religion in this world will one day perish and the only thing left will be Christianity.

The true foundation of life is the Lord Jesus Christ, and our "Born Again" new life will be clothed in the "Righteousness" of our Lord!

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

We cannot be fixed in our own ways; we must be elastic and expandable in the life that Jesus offers to us!

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Amen