Welcome to Grace!

“This is eternal lifeto know You, the One True Godand Jesus Christ, Whom You sent”

John 17:3

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• On June 25th 2013 the Huffington Post (UK) carried

a YouGov poll which showed that …More young people in Britain believe that religion is a cause of evil rather than a force for good.

The place of religion in the lives of 18-24 year olds is smaller than ever, with politicians, brand names and celebrities having more influence than religious figures in the day-to-day decisions of young people.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction

Young people are being heavily exposed to the accusations against Christianity typified by New Atheism communicated through schools and the media … most of which are straw men to Biblical Christianity

The accusation

Episode 1 – ‘The God Delusion’• Lourdes• Faith v. Science• Colorado Springs• Jerusalem• Russell’s teapot

• Episode 2 – ‘The Virus of Faith’

• Sectarian education• Religion as a virus• Biblical morality• Secular morality

(proposed)

If Jesus Christ felt the need to distance Himself from ‘religion’ in His day, we should expect to as well.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17– Setting the scene, v. 13

Mark 2:13-22Jesus went out again by the sea.

The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17– Setting the scene, v. 13– The incident, v. 14

Mark 2:13-22Jesus went out again by the sea.

The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them.

As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.

“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed Him.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17– Setting the scene, v. 13– The incident, v. 14– The challenge, vv. 15-16

Mark 2:13-22Jesus went out again by the sea.

The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.

“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.

As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his

disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17– Setting the scene, v. 13– The incident, v. 14– The challenge, vv. 15-16– The explanation, v. 17

• A proverb with which all can agree

Mark 2:13-22Jesus went out again by the sea.

The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.

“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him.

As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his

disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”When Jesus heard this he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17– Setting the scene, v. 13– The incident, v. 14– The challenge, vv. 15-16– The explanation, v. 17

• A proverb with which all can agree• A major principle in Jesus’s ministry

Mark 2:13-22Jesus went out again by the sea.

The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.

“Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. As Jesus was having a meal in Levi’s home, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why

does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”When Jesus heard this he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:13-22Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.

So they came to Jesus and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,

but your disciples don’t fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they?

As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast.

But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.

No one sews a patch of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear

becomes worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins;

otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed.

Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins."

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b

So they came to Jesus and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the

Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

Mark 2:13-22Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they?

As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast.

But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them,

and at that time they will fast. No one sews a patch of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment;

otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,

and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed.

Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins."

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19• Principle, v. 20

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19• Principle, v. 20• Proverb 2 – with which all agree, v. 21

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. ”

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19• Principle, v. 20• Proverb 2 – with which all agree, v. 21• Proverb 3 – with which all agree, v. 22

“And no-one pours new wine into old wineskins;

otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed. Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins.”

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19• Principle, v. 20• Proverb 2 – with which all agree, v. 21• Proverb 3 – with which all agree, v. 22• Principle … NOT expressed!

Mark 2:13-22• Introduction• First challenge, 2:13-17• Second challenge, 2:18-22– Setting the scene, v. 18a– Incident, v. 18b– Explanation, vv. 19-22

• Proverb 1 – with which all will agree – v. 19• Principle, v. 20• Proverb 2 – with which all agree, v. 21• Proverb 3 – with which all agree, v. 22• Principle … pointedly NOT expressed!

• Conclusion