Jesus and Fasting

Location: Ballard Campus
Preacher:Justin Holcomb
Date:3/14/10
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From West Virginia, used to be a professor - Academic Dean of ReTrain


Luke 5:33-39
Continuation b/w conflict of Jesus and the Pharisees
They say how can you eat with sinners...you even have your disciples eat and drink
Mission Statement "I come for the sick...call the sinners to repent"
I bring grace, you preach works = despair/pride
His as Prof said: a Veteranian is to a taxodermist as Jesus (GRACE) is to a Pharisee (SELF RIGHTEOUS RELIGION)
Gospel is "as if", Religion is "If/Then"
AS IF - Jesus treats them as if they were good and pure, reconning of God's righteousness to us
Pharisees treat Jesus as if he was a sinner
If you love God then he will love you
If you are a sinner then I will not eat with you
Jesus followers eat and drink
Why was what Jesus did so offensive?
Eating with someone is a sign of love and reconciliation, acceptance of the fellow diners
Offended the Religious people b/c the Tax collectors/sinners were treated as if they were righteous but the Pharisees
By eating Jesus was saying that God likes to give grace
Analogy: High school football game in the paper "Redvine Lions vs the Tornadoes"
Half of Lions fans go to the Tornadoes side (banner to run through) make signs, had cheerleaders for the tornadoes
Tornados lost by 4 touchdowns, were happy to lose
Tornadoes were from a max security correctional facility
Left with burgers, a bible, and a letter from a player from the other team
Their bus was cheered off the field
Gospel is Cross Centered
Jesus criticizes Prayer and fasting as practiced by the Pharisee
Bridegroom is the view of God all through the OT
JESUS CALIMS TO BE GOD TEH ONLY BRIDEGROOM
Two offenses: God's people are the outcast sinners, Jesus is claiming to be God
Taken Away: Jesus forshadowing the Cross, Violent taking away
The cross was the goal of Jesus, laying down his life
The cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but life to those whoare being saved
The cross shows great assurance because Jesus paid all of it up front.
DESPAIR - don't know how much a good work offsets and how much
Gospel Ends Religion
(Not anti-Old Testament) - Hesed, God's undying faithfulness for his people; Grace is the fulfillment
Misunderstanding of God's purpose of the law and God's work
PURPOSE OF OT: Meant to drive people to God so he could provide grace to save them
Grace plus anything ruins grace =>WASTE
OLD WINE/NEW WINE
OLD - using the law to beat people up
NEW -
Old wine skins cannot expand, so use new wine skins
WASTE - lost wine and lost fabric
DESTUCTION - language
Grace destroys self righteous religion
KARMA - Are you suffering, you deserve, I cannot help you otherwise I'll go against the cosmic force of the universe; rich people are deserving of their wealth and should be praised
JESUS PLUS ANYTHING - becomes self righteous religion, casuses destruction, Procustean Bed
Magic bed used as a place to sleep for passing traveling by, he would set the bed to be too long or too short, then stretches or cuts off people), this is what self righteous religion is
Procrustean Standard is an arbitrary standard that is imposed with force on a man
Jesus is pissed at all the suffering people who are stretched/cut by self righteous religion
CHRISTIANITY - Jesus takees the Procrustean horror that I deserve to
Jesus anticipates the rejection
The OLD religion is often tried and called good enough (self righteous religion)
The NEW grace is what allows rest and hope
Luke 18 - Parable of the Prayer of a Tax Collector and Pharisee
Do I really click with the Pharisee?