Introduction

We begin a series covering the twelve disciples of Jesus. Jesus’ disciples are different from other famous teachers who had disciples, such as Socrates, Mohammed or Buddha. They chose their disciples based on their qualifications or potential. At the very least their disciples could read. However the twelve disciples were kind of hopeless in their own way, ranging from fisherman to a zealot. In fact, Jesus knew that one would even betray him, yet he chose them (John 6:70).

One key difference between Jesus’ disciples and everyone else is that the other religions are always added more to their teachings over time. Jesus and his disciples never changed the gospel message and it is the same today as it was 2000 years ago. (Ephesians 3:19) This is because every other teacher fails to address the core problem of man, sin. Socrates’ and Buddha’ teaching cannot save you from your sin, which is why they need to keep getting updated. Jesus says you don’t have to add anything but just simply tell them about me and what I commanded. (Acts 1:8, Mt 28:19-20) Jesus says to be saved you must be born again. (John 3:3) He led people correctly to God the Father. Jesus knew man is a sinner and they are hopeless. Peter was one of them and was chosen.

Who is Peter?

Outside of Jesus, Peter is the most mentioned person in the gospels. The Gospel of Mark is essentially Mark recording Peter’s teaching on Jesus. Peter was not originally named Peter but Simon (John 1:42). The name ‘Peter’ is Greek, while ‘Cephas’ is Aramaic, which means ‘rock’. Jesus prophetically renamed Peter three years before Jesus says that Peter is the rock on which He will build His church when Peter confesses that Jesus is the Son of God.

Peter was married and was very close to his wife. She helped him throughout his life, most notably she helped him build the church in Antioch. Peter was also a very devoted fisherman. (Luke 5:5) In general, there are lots of adjectives to describe Peter and his actions recorded in the New Testament. Overall, Peter was like us, sometimes Simon, sometimes Peter.

Three Characteristics of Peter

Repentance

As a believer, Peter was a man of repentance. Before going to the cross, Jesus had cautioned Peter but Peter boasted about his loyalty. The result was his betrayal of Jesus by denying Him in front of a little girl. However, Peter repented. (Matthew 26:75) Repenting is a hallmark of a Christian. Repentance is turning from sin, from idols and from darkness and turning into the light and into God. As Christians, while we are on earth not yet glorified, we are in the process of sanctification. We must admit that we sin every day so we should be repenting every day. As Martin Luther said, “Repent; he called for the entire life of believers to be one of penitence”. Once saved, always repenting.

Peter’s repentance was genuine because he remembered what Jesus said. Jesus admonished the church to remember. (Revelation 2:5) To truly repent when you sin, you must remember God’s word. ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17) Without the word of God, we would not know what our sin is and would not be able to repent of it. By the Word, we are also convicted in our hearts of our sin, when otherwise we would deceive ourselves. (1 Samuel 12:7,13) In order for God’s word to be effective towards repentance, you must meditate on it and ask yourself, “How does this passage point me to Christ and what should I do?”. Repentance does not begin with a guilty emotion but instead a remembering of God’s word.

After remembering, it says Peter went out. He left the scene of the sin, which indicates that he started bearing fruit of repentance. Repentance is not genuine until we act. John Calvin said, “Repentance is an inward matter, which has its seat in the heart and soul, but afterwards yields its fruits in a change of life.” Peter fled and wept bitterly as an expression of the godly sorrow in his heart. Until we too have this sort of bitterness and sorrow towards sin, we are not serious about our faith yet.

Humility

Peter is notorious for not being a humble man. He even rebuked Jesus! (Matthew 16:22) Imagine trying to scold God Incarnate. That takes a certain level of pride. He also boasted about his loyalty saying he would follow Jesus to death even if others left, claiming he was the most loyal among the other disciples. (Matthew 26:33)

The sin of pride is extremely deceitful and powerful. Spurgeon claimed after death pride would be second to be destroyed. However we see how much Peter changed, in 1 Peter 5:6, he shares from his own past sin and experience why young men should humble themselves. God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to humble. Opposed means organized resistance. We don’t want to be miserable Christians facing God’s opposition. So we need to be humble because when we are humble God gives grace. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Peter Masters says, “Humility makes much of Christ, standing amazed at him, and in deep admiration. Whenever his works and attributes are extolled in worship, humility truly marvels and praises him.’ Christ Himself is the prime example of humility (Philippians 2:8). Between King David and King Saul what was the difference? Externally they were similar, handsome, warriors, and kings. The difference was David was a man after God’s own heart, he was humble to obey God. (Acts 13:22 ) Peter makes his final request to the church to ‘grow in the grace of God and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Peter 3:18) Peter was no longer prideful but humble and desired the church to be humble as well.

Courage

Peter has many examples of an initial display of courage but eventually caving to fear. Peter was walking on the water but started sinking and cried out for help and he declared his loyalty, then denied Jesus before a little girl. In Acts 5:29 we see the new Peter who was resolute to obey God rather than fear men even after being thrown into prison. In Acts 10:23-24, Peter braved going against Jewish social norms by staying with Cornelius who was a Gentile. Also in Acts 12:7 Peter is in prison and facing a potential execution, and yet he is sleeping so deeply the angel had to forcefully wake him up.

What changed that gave Peter courage? Peter was always filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 4:7-8) We too have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us but it is another matter to be filled. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be controlled, to constantly be under God’s Word. This is what the church needs today. The church has grown weak. The early church turned the Roman empire upside down because it had the courage of Christ while being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Eventually Peter was crucified upside down as he sought to obey Christ rather than men. He was a true disciple of Jesus. His example of repentance, humility and courage brings Christianity to life.

In Scripture, discipleship is often illustrated where Christians are the branches that have complete dependence on the Vine (i.e. Christ). Thus, the converted that remain in Christ are able to bear fruit through a life of discipleship. And an important aspect to making disciples is prayer as exemplified by Christ as he communed with the Father to pray for his disciples. In the same manner, disciples of Christ are to follow Christ in making disciples through fervent prayer to God.

The prayer of Jesus makes a disciple

Jesus is a man of prayer as emphasized often times in the gospel according to Luke. Jesus intentionally set aside time for prayer and he often went off to the nearest mountain (Mk. 1:35-36). Jesus focused on the importance of prayer for preparation and success of his ministry. It begs the question why Jesus, who is the Son of God, had to pray and prayed as often as he did. As Christ emptied Himself when he took on flesh, he became like a servant of God.  From the time of Christ’s incarnation, he submitted to the Father to learn obedience through prayer. Jesus exemplified that prayer and obedience went hand in hand.

“and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” When it came to choosing the twelve disciples, Jesus prayed throughout the night as he knew the church would be built through them following his resurrection and ascension.

The calling of Jesus makes a disciple

Jesus called the twelve disciples to himself a year before his crucifixion. During the two previous years, Jesus had called many disciples to himself, but he specifically called the twelve by name to be his disciples and apostles.

All Christians are disciples as we are called by Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Being a Christian is our nature and being a disciple is lived out in action through faith and obedience. In other words, becoming a Christian implies conversion whereas becoming a disciple implies sanctification. Faith (conversion) without works (discipleship) is dead (Jas. 2:26).

Obedience is a hallmark of Christianity and Jesus exemplified his perfect obedience even until the point of death. Jesus’ love and trust of the Father allowed him to submit and obey. Therefore, those that love and trust Christ will also obey to the end. “Real faith results in obedience. True faith is never seen as passive – it is always obedient” (John MacArthur).

As the Holy Spirit enables the sinner to repent and believe in Christ for salvation, it is the same Spirit that dwells with each believer that enables to obey leading to sanctification.

The commission of Jesus makes a disciple

Jesus also commissions his disciples. What Christ commissioned to the twelve is the same for all Christians when it comes to making disciples. The Great Commission is the Christian’s commission and duty to obey. Christ is the prototype of a disciple of who submitted to the Father’s will in making disciples.

Therefore, we must at fervently pray for evangelism that leads to discipleship. Every disciple is involved in discipleship as an ongoing mission in this side of glory. And the only way to grow in our passion for discipleship is a life that cultivates the gospel of Christ through diligent communion with the Lord through studying the word and prayer.

Introduction

Jesus is again in the midst of a controversy centered around the Sabbath. This is because there is a fundamental difference between the true Sabbath given by God and the tradition of the Pharisees. The Pharisees demanded that a person do absolutely nothing in order to not break the law. Unless it was an emergency, don’t do anything. Jesus, on the other hand, says that you should be active and do good on the Sabbath.

There’s another question that’s related to the Sabbath which is “As Christians do we keep the Sabbath or the Lord’s Day?” One thing is for sure, whether the Sabbath or the Lord’s day, it is an important command from the Lord and a failure to keep the Lord’s Day is a leading cause to the lack of distinction in the modern church and the weak Christianity that is so common. We must strive to make the Lord’s Day alive again.

The Lord’s Day

God established the Lord’s Day in the book of Genesis. In Genesis 2:1-3, it says God completed His work. On the seventh day, God stopped working and rested. This is the beginning of the Sabbath and also the best picture to know the purpose. In Exodus 16:17-30, we see again that God commands the nation of Israel to not gather on the seventh day. In Exodus 20, the Sabbath is the fourth commandment written in God’s Law and explained because God had rested in Genesis 2. All through the Old testament through the generations, the purpose and essence of Sabbath has never changed. The Sabbath is about rest that God has given. The Israelites failed as a people of God when they failed to keep the Sabbath properly. Noticeably, when the Israelites failed to uphold the Sabbath, it was they were turning to idols. Jesus even accused the Pharisees of turning the Sabbath itself into an idol (Mark 2:27). The Sabbath is more than just a day of the week but a key part in our relationship with the Lord.

As Christians we observe the Lord’s Day on Sunday instead of Saturday. While the form has changed, the principle and purpose has not. Now, we must be careful and realize that this is not a change to God’s law. We would be like the Pharisees if we made God’s law what into something it isn’t. The Lord’s day is not a man-made tradition outside of God’s word, but a new tradition Jesus established with His resurrection. It was on Sunday, Mary met the risen Lord (John 20:1). The early church gathered together on Sunday (Acts 20:7). Historically, Sunday worship was a common practice in the early church, even before 300 AD. Even Jesus says he came to fulfill, not abolish the law (Matthew 5:17). In the new covenant, we don’t keep the Sabbath, but the Lord’s Day.

The Sabbath is for rest

Between Jesus and the Pharisees, they both agreed that the Sabbath is for rest. However, the conflict is about how to rest. In the Pharisee’s system, rest was defined by a strict external standard. In denying the incorrect definition of Sabbath, Jesus is also establishing the Lord’s Day based on the original Sabbath. Just as new wine does not belong in old wineskins, Jesus is saying his words and his work does not belong in the traditional Sabbath. By His authority as Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus is establishing the Lord’s Day (Luke 6:5).

While the Pharisees are focused on legalism, Jesus is focused on God’s grace. Using the example of King David, Jesus who is greater than David, is restoring the true Sabbath (Acts 2:29-32). So Jesus asks, “I ask you whether it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it?” He answers His own question by doing good works and saving lives. This is the true purpose of the Lord’s day: to do good works and to save a life.

Four things to do on the Lord’s Day

• Stop our normal work. We must completely cease from our regular jobs (Exodus 20:10). God stopped and enjoyed the work of creation. This is not a ‘do and don’t’ but a blessed principle that God takes pleasure in and brings us joy in Him (Isaiah 58:13).
• Keep the Lord’s Day holy (Exodus 20:8). Holy means set apart, distinctive, and different from the world. This is why we come to church and worship the risen Lord. We must be diligent to prioritize Sunday corporate worship to participate and enjoy the fellowship in the body of Christ.
• Help others. Like Jesus, we pursue good works, especially towards those who need our help. We practice acts of mercy. This helping others doesn’t come at the sacrifice of worshipping the Lord but in conjunction. Jesus himself showed how he healed and helped others on the Sabbath for the glory of God.
• Avoid doing anything unnecessary on Sunday. Examples could be homework or chores around the house. If there are no personal obligations, then we can reserve the time on Sunday to serve the Lord. This will also push us to be more diligent on weekdays.

An avoidable absence from church is an infallible evidence of spiritual decay -Frances Ridely Havergal

The Lord’s day is of great importance to the Christian and to the Church. Let us strive to keep our worship distraction free. Be thoughtful about your observance of the Lord’s Day, prepare yourself and plan ahead. There are many fruitful things to do: spend time reading God’s word or reviewing the sermon, building relationships with the brethren, going out to evangelize, helping others, or even exercise and catching up on sleep.

God wants to bless you on the Lord’s Day. But if we treat that day without the proper attitude, then we cannot expect anything. Too many Christians mistreat Sunday and restrict God to only the time of worship service. It is no wonder that today’s Christians are no different from the world.

Conclusion

After Jesus healed the man, the Jews were furious. As sons of Satan, the Pharisees, hated Jesus’ way of observing the Sabbath. It shows that there are two ways of observing the Lord’s Day but only one was loved by God. We too must avoid an incorrect view of the Sabbath, or else be in danger of hating the true Sabbath. Currently, there are two extreme views that are wrong. The liberal view which says the individual can keep the Sabbath, the Christian is free and can worship anywhere without restrictions. This is false because Sunday worship is meant to be corporate. The believer has every other day for individual worship but on Sunday the Church gathers to worship together. This side tends to be worldly. On the other extreme there are those who observe too strictly, with regulations and restrictions. Like the Pharisees, they focus on the external and try to enforce it.

The solution is not a balance between the two extremes, but a renewed heart. What we need is a heart full of love for the Lord and a life of obedience brought by grace. This is what Jesus gave as an example, which expresses His desire for us. This has been missing from the American church. It is a failure in our sanctification. We are comfortable in our sinfulness, when we should be submitting to God’s word, especially concerning our complacent attitudes towards the Lord’s day. May we repent and enjoy the blessing of the Lord’s day.

If the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ never happened, Christianity never happens. Christianity hinges on the truth of the resurrection. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). Therefore, Christ’s resurrection is what transforms the sinner into a Christian and continues to impact their walk with the Lord.

Evidence of Jesus’ resurrection

There is ample evidence of Christ’s resurrection that occurred over 2,000 years ago. At the time of Jesus’ death, the conspirators were expecting the rising of Jesus from the dead; thus, they conspired to spread lies (Matt. 27:62-66). God also sent the Holy Spirit to help the disciples to remember what Jesus had said before his death in regard to his future resurrection. Another evidence is found in the manuscripts which were translated in fourteen different languages all consistently tell of the same story about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Moreover, Jesus’ disciples, with the exception of John, all suffered and died preaching about Jesus’ death and resurrection for over forty years, not once denying the resurrection of Jesus. More evidence can be shown, but the greatest evidence is how the resurrection impacts a Christian’s life who has been made new by grace through faith in it.

Impact of Jesus’ resurrection

The power of the resurrection impacts all Christians. One of the ways it impacts Christians is not fearing death and its consequences. Therefore, fear of death or anything in this life cannot deter the believer from always abound in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). The resurrection also drives the Christian to live for Christ in all things. Living for Christ will bear much fruit as long as we abide in Him (Jn. 15). Abiding in the word of God is the means to remain in Christ so that much fruit can be bore for God’s glory. Without the power of God’s word, Christians face the temptation to commit idolatry in creating our own version of Christianity that leads to pride, hypocrisy and legalism.

Believing the Lord’s resurrection leads to salvation, sanctification, and an ongoing habit of repentance. The only way to prevent Satan, the world and our flesh to take control over us is to believe in the resurrection of Christ and live in the presence of that reality daily. We need to remember there was nothing we possessed that deserved salvation, but rather it was only by God’s grace we were saved. Therefore, we must strive to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). Working out our salvation is the means to experience the risen Lord to follow God’s will alone. With the risen the Lord, life is joyous and He has given us the opportunity to fulfill His work through us.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus seems to be intentionally starting some controversies in order to explain or reveal some wondrous truth about the Bible and Himself. Jesus uses the Sabbath to declare Himself as the Lord who gives true rest, a rest which is not available in this world. He also condemns the false, works based religion of the Pharisees. In Matthew’s version of this event, Jesus leads them into a grain field. Nothing Jesus does is by accident or coincidental because He is sovereign. He wanted to expose the wrong understanding of the Pharisees of that time. Now, Jesus never violated any law in the Scriptures, according to Deuteronomy 23:25. The Pharisees knew that, but they accused Jesus of violating their own oral law, the law of their man-made religion, not God’s word.

So what does the Sabbath mean? It simply means cessation from work. It falls on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and it means to rest. The origin of the Sabbath is in Genesis 2. God showed his example. He doesn’t need rest but He rested on the seventh day. This rest was not because God was tired or lazy but it was a day for God to enjoy what He made. It was a day for fellowship and devotion to God, a holy day of worship. To the Jews, the Sabbath held great importance and represented their covenant with God. Observing the Sabbath set Israel apart from all the other nations. The Jews emphasized the Sabbath so much, that they were outraged by Jesus claiming to be God, yet violating the Sabbath. It was ridiculous in their eyes.

God does command the Sabbath in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 20:8-11). It’s the fourth commandment. However, in addition to the Mosaic law, the Pharisees believed that there was an oral law passed down from Moses to them. These extra rules are called the Mishna. The Mishna had thousands of sub points covering every detail of life. The Pharisees taught and studied them so diligently that many of them spent their lives just studying a few points. It was due to their devotion to the Mishna that Jesus was constantly clashing with the Pharisees.

So the Pharisees accused Jesus, the leader of these disciples, of breaking the law. By their standards, picking is reaping, rubbing is threshing and winnowing, and eating is storing, which was all work. The Pharisees were so controlling over every action in relation to the Sabbath that even what God permitted, they denied. Jesus is the liberator from this sort of works based religion. It is when people don’t understand the spirit of God’s law, it turns into futile legalism. Salvation is never earned by our deeds and how well we perform. By trying to keep the law as a means of salvation, we break the spirit of the law. Since Jesus is the author and perfect keeper of the law, he knew its true meaning and purpose to reflect God’s holiness and love. The Pharisees were drowning in legalism, hypocrisy and self righteousness and they all have to do with how they treat the law of God. In Matthew 15:2-3, Jesus challenges them, asking them why they are against God’s word for the sake of tradition. If the good deeds or righteous behavior is the means of your salvation, then you are not obeying God’s law, you will never be saved, and you will never find rest.

We must realize without Christ there is no Sabbath, meaning there is no rest in this world. Only in Christ is there true resting. Therefore, if you know Jesus, you have true peace because of who Jesus is and what He has done, not what we’ve done. You can be like the Apostle Paul who is fully satisfied in Jesus. That’s why Jesus came to destroy the false Sabbath and restore the true Sabbath. Hebrews 4:9-11. You don’t have to work to earn your salvation because Jesus accomplished our redemption on the cross and rose again so that we are free from sin and death. He declared ‘It is finished!’. A believer’s obedience is different from legalism. In fact, they are opposite. We obey because we love and because we already have what we do not deserve. Jesus died for us, so we obey His commands. It is through obedience that we know Christ more and how we obtain our Sabbath.

So unlike the Pharisees, how should we define our Sabbath? Jesus reveals the true Sabbath that is already demonstrated long ago from the Bible. The Bible is sufficient and powerful. We don’t need anything else, outside of the Bible we already have. Jesus refers to 1 Samuel 21:1-6 when David was being chased by King Saul. While running away, they asked for bread but the only bread available was the consecrated bread, the bread of presence, which was reserved for the priests (Exodus 25:29-30), which the priests gave to David. Jesus’ situation was very similar to David’s. Jesus is David’s descendant and his disciples were hungry. As God did not condemn David, Jesus does not condemn His disciples. This is because the law is the law of Christ and His law is to love God and love your neighbor (Galatians 5:14). The spirit of the law is love. By reading and knowing God’s word, you understand the true spirit of God’s law and gain freedom from a works based salvation.

If you have Jesus in your heart as Lord, then you have the Sabbath. In this world there is no satisfaction, no rest. No matter how hard people try, it’s like chasing the end of a rainbow, never getting any closer. (Matthew 6:31-32) However, Jesus says He is Lord of the Sabbath and only he can give true rest. As a Christian, this is our initial and natural response, Jesus is our Lord and in Him our hearts find such blessed rest.

What sets apart Christianity from all other false religions of the world? From the previous week Pastor Paul preached that Christianity is different because it deals with the heart and the inner man. Because man’s heart is deceitful and sick, Jesus came down from heaven to transform hearts made of stone to hearts of flesh. Moreover, Christianity is a religion full of joy and love that surpasses all circumstances and comprehension. And it begins and ends with Jesus Christ alone. It is only through Christ’s death and resurrection a sinner is given a new heart filled with joy and love inexpressible, and the desire and ability to love Christ above all else.

Exclusivity of Christianity – v. 36

As Jesus begins to tell a parable, He illustrates by beginning with something that was common sense to all people during Jesus’ days: “No one tears…”. Jesus, then, quickly transitions into contrasting a new garment and old garment, the old garment representing Judaism by which the Pharisees exercised their authority and emphasized the importance of oral laws over the written laws (i.e., tradition). What is dangerous about tradition is the lessening the seriousness of sin, so that there is no need for a Savior. False religions are no different when it comes to downplaying the gravity of sin. Another problem with tradition is it breeds a heart of hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Jesus likens these hypocrites as washed tombs with dead bones inside because they only care about the externals.

Bu, Jesus presents the exclusive gospel that brings sin to light, which represents the new garment. The new means something never heard or seen. This newness Christ illustrates is when “anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, Christianity is defined as a pure religion that is unmatched (Jn. 14:6); there is none like it because it is supernatural. Only through God’s supernatural work in the sinner’s heart can sin be realized, repented of, forgiven and live in exclusive love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Christianity is a living religion – v. 37

The first implication Jesus makes is that the gospel is new. In the analogy that describes no one putting new wine into old wineskins, Jesus implies there is no room for the gospel of Christ (i.e., the New Covenant) with Judaism and its rituals. Christianity is alive because Jesus rose from the grave and is alive today and forever and it is through His Word that continues to pierce the hearts of sinners to trust and follow Him. This truth is what makes Christianity growing and continuing until the Lord fulfills everything until the end.

Why Christianity is supernatural – v. 38

As mentioned previously, it is when we hear the living word of God that we know we are made alive to God (Heb. 4:12). The word of God has power to save and helps the redeemed to continue on in their faith through diligence (Heb. 4:11). The truth is that without God drawing us out from our sinful state we will have no desire to do so. The old cannot ever be made new without the supernatural of God. Unless God changes the way we think about our sin can we, then, turn from it to God to be saved. Therefore, only the Christian can utter the words “It is by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).

In Jesus’ parable, He illustrates that is not possible to patch New Covenant truth onto Old Mosaic ceremonial forms.  It is through Him alone a sinner is made alive to live according to the will of God. In the context of the passage, the Lord Jesus Christ was showing what the Pharisees did in fasting or any other ritual had no part in the new gospel Jesus preached. Therefore, may the sinner realize their sin by the grace of God and believe in Christ through faith so that change can take place from the inside out. This is Christianity.

In this message we will see why Christianity is different and unique from other religions. Jesus uses fasting as the wedge to make a broader point about Christianity and to show that is not like the religions of men.
First, in Luke 5:30, the Pharisees and scribes complained behind Jesus’ back to his disciples about how Jesus himself eats with the sinners. Now, in Luke 5:33-35 they attack Jesus directly, accusing him and his disciples of eating and drinking and not fast. This bothered them because according to the centuries of Jewish religious tradition, the way to be righteous was to fast and pray and it was to them a means of salvation.

We must note that Jesus never condemns fasting. The Bible supports fasting and has numerous examples, such as Nehemiah 1:4, Esther 4:16, and Acts 13:2-3. Jesus also fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Mt4:2). In general, fasting is a good means to fight against the temptations of the flesh. Jesus does not condemn fasting in this passage but said there’s a moment for it.

To focus on fasting in this passage is missing the point. Jesus is not concerned with fasting. The point Jesus is making is that Christianity is internal, not external. True Christianity is about character, who’s on the inside, not what happens on the outside. Christianity is all about Christ.

We can see this because Christianity starts internally not externally. First, God looks at the heart, not  your outward appearance or actions. This is where true religion begins, in the heart. Saul versus David is an example of the external versus the internal. Saul was a tall and handsome man on the outside, very much like the kings of the world, while David was a man of a righteous heart (1Sa9:2;1Sa16:6-7) 

The accusation that is made against Jesus is based on an external observation. It actually reveals the heart of the accuser, that they measure righteousness externally. But the disciples of Christ were merely responding based on the joy in their heart, for it is after a sinner repents, like what happened to the lame man and to Matthew the tax collector, that there is joy. There is a stark contrast between before and after repentance. God, the Holy Spirit works in our heart and we are changed completely (Ti3:5).

After repentance, Christ starts living in us and there is a joy and satisfaction in Christ because there is no more condemnation! (2Cor13:5, Ro8:1) This joy is different from the world’s shallow and temporary joy. We have a joy because Christ is in us, an inward joy that displays in our lives. This is why they were eating and drinking with Jesus, the one who saved them (Eph 2:1, Ro8:10). On the other hand, the Pharisees thought their righteousness and life came from their deeds of fasting and praying. True Christianity is a righteous life from within made righteous by the life Christ (2Cor4:16). Every other religion is based on externalism while Christianity is based on the divine accomplishment of Christ and the inward salvation. This is why Christianity is unique.

Christianity is a joyous religion (Ac2:13, Ac8:39). ‘You cannot make the make the attendants of the groom fast… can you? It’s a rhetorical question with the obvious answer of no. Jesus is saying it’s obviously impossible to force someone to fast on such a joyous occasion of a wedding. Israel’s relationship with God is a marriage. God rejoices over his people, his bride (Is62:4-5). Even Jesus’ first miracle is at a wedding where he turned water into wine, which in a way is a metaphor of turning a dead joyous religion (water) into a good and wonderful life (wine).
Also the source of your joy defines the type and quality of that joy. Sinners rejoice in sin so their joy is wicked and fleeting. The source of Christian joy is Jesus, who saves us out of the wilderness (Mt18:12). Jesus emphasized above even miracles that we rejoice that our names are recorded in heaven (Lk10:20). Being saved is the chief joy in this world. It is the joy that satisfies completely. If you are not satisfied with salvation then nothing can or will satisfy you since it is God’s greatest blessing and grace. This is our homework as a Christian: to find our joy in Christ. We worry sometimes, about money or health or other worldly things, but we should not worry if Christ is truly our joy (Ro8:31-32).

This joy is realized because Jesus is with us. It’s funny, as Christ was leaving the disciples, He said I’m with you always (Mt28:20). The answer is Jesus sends the Holy Spirit (Jn14:18;Jn 16:7,14). The question for us is, do you have the Holy Spirit in your heart? (1Cor3:16;Rom 8:9) Without the Holy Spirit, you are not a Christian. If the Holy Spirit is in you, then walk by the Spirit and as you walk by the Spirit, you will bear His fruit which is love and joy. True spiritual joy is this close intimate relationship with God.

Ultimately, Christianity is nothing but Jesus Christ. Other religions rely on their works (Lk18:13) but Christianity is based on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone (Eph2:20). Jesus is the truth we acknowledge and believe. Christianity is not the building or programs, but Christianity is a person and that person is Jesus, who He is and what He has done. We are witnesses of Christ, not a religion (Ac1:8).

As a true Christian, Jesus will never be taken from you, but there might be a season in your life where Christ is distant, when the intimacy is gone. This is the recommended time to fast. Sometimes, we forget Christ’s words and act like Mary who was in despair (Lk24:5). This is something Christians practice by acting like Jesus is dead when He is alive. We worry, we have anxiety, we have worldly desires and stumble under the circumstances, forgetting that Jesus is alive and reigning sovereign over all things. We must be like Apostle Paul who asserted Jesus to be alive (Acts 25:19). Christian, you must continually be living in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and trusting in the will of God. This is the beacon of joy and hope for you. However if the resurrection does not encourage you or help you overcome your situation, then you must fast. Fast to remember Christ who is with you.

Christianity is internal, full of joy and all about Jesus Christ. This is the heart of true Christianity and why Christianity is unique.

Anyone that thinks he deserves to be saved errs by thinking that he is intrinsically good. If you think you are already good before your salvation, the joy that you experience from salvation is not true, because you think you deserve salvation. Contrary to this, the Bible states that no one is good. None are righteous, not even one (Rom 3:10).

The Bible states that when God created man in the beginning of history, man was good (Gen 1:27, 31). God is pleased with man as He created him. However, man is not birthed with the same goodness. Because of the sin of the first man, Adam, all subsequent generations, from Cain and Abel, become evil. Man’s goodness is not preserved. Sin enters through one man, and all sin (Rom 5:12). Again, it must be emphasized that no one is good except God alone (Mk 10:17-18), and if no one is good, none deserves to be saved.

Because of their strict adherence to the law, the Pharisees and scribes thought themselves to be good and thereby set apart from others. This is why they were indignant that the disciples would eat and drink with sinners and tax collectors, whom they considered to be unclean because of their sinfulness.

However, Jesus rejects “good people” who do not realize they are sinners. The Pharisees deny their sinfulness and are the subject of Jesus’ mourning. How, then, can anyone be good like Jesus? One must understand that goodness is not determined by outward acts alone but is ultimately determined by the heart. The Pharisees believe they are good because they believe they are disciples of Moses (Jn 9:24, 28). They have a holier-than-thou attitude, but Jesus sees through their act into their hearts. They are moralists who believe that their works will save them. Even though the law clearly delineates the need for a Savior through the exposure of sin, “through the law comes the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:19-20), the Pharisees believe themselves to be saved by their legalistic following of the law. They do not understand sin, which is an inward state that precedes evil deeds and a state of heart that refuses to be in subjection to God (A. W. Pink). Sin comes from within (Mk 7:18-23). All men are intrinsically sinners. The Biblical principle is that if you see yourself as intrinsically good, you cannot be saved. Only when you see yourself as Jesus sees you, a sinner by nature, you can be saved.

Jesus rejects “good people” who deny that they are spiritually sick. Every man is born with a congenital sickness – sin. The Pharisees reject Jesus’ diagnosis that they are sick and are in need of a Physician. Their preference is to turn to philosophy, science, or entertainment. They believe they can become perfect and fulfill their desire for anti-nomadism. Jesus states that He came to fulfill the law. How do we avoid becoming pharisaic in our self-examination? We can determine if we are spiritually sick by examining the fruit we bear (Jn 15:5) and by examining whether we are guided by the Word of Jesus (Jn 9:40-41).

Jesus rejects “good people” who claim to be self-righteous, who follow their own standards instead of God’s holy standards. Jesus states that he came to save the sinners to repentance (v. 32). The Pharisees’ self-righteousness arises from their studying of the law. The self-righteous serve themselves rather than God. As John Flavel states, “It is easier to cry against one thousand sins of others than to kill one of your own.”

Without repentance, no one can be pardoned. As A.W. Pink states, “Repentance is a supernatural and inward revelation from God, giving a deep consciousness of what I am in His sight, which causes me to loathe and condemn myself, resulting in a bitter sorrow for sin, a holy horror and hatred for sin, a turning away from or forsaking of sin.”. We are indeed sinners in need of the grace of God, but we can become the righteousness of God in Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). How wonderful it is that Jesus the Righteous is our Advocate with the Father (1 Jn 2:1)!

As we learned from last week’s message that man does not want to be converted if left to their own volition, but only by God’s grace and intervention can a sinner repent and turn to Christ through faith and be saved. Consequently, the converted transitions from embracing sin to embracing Christ. The stark contrast between pre-conversion and the converted life is obvious through the inner working of the Spirit of God.

Prior to our conversion, God regenerates the soul of the sinner. The quickening of the soul begins to awaken the dead spirit to seek God and eventually believe. Scripture likens regeneration as follows: “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going so is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:8).  Therefore, only God enables a dead man to become alive.  And when a sinner is made alive to God, He calls the converted to forsake all and follow Christ.

And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him (v. 28).

Leaving everything behind implies both the spiritual and physical. Leaving means forsaking what is non-essential (Matt. 4:4). Matthew forsook his love for the world and the things in it (i.e., occupation and pursuit of wealth; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). In addition, by God’s effectual calling, Matthew was able to forsake all, follow Christ, and living in continual obedience.

Therefore, bearing fruit in repentance and sanctification in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ is inevitable. And in all things, the converted loves Jesus and only want to share Christ to others for the glory of God. This is the aim of the truly converted, the product of the triune God.

The modern church must understand that there’s no difference between a Christian and a disciple of Jesus. To be a Christian means you are a follower of Jesus Christ. In this text, Jesus called Matthew out to Matthew and told the tax collector to follow him. Matthew’s response is what genuine conversion looks like, he became a true Christian, a disciple of Christ. Today we will go over the first part of genuine conversion which is God’s role. While many Christians claim a genuine conversion but it is the substance or the origin of your conversion that is the determining factor of authenticity. Many conversions might look similar but time will tell who is the source of their salvation, whether it is in themselves or from God above.

In this passage we have two main characters, Jesus and Matthew the tax collector. In Jesus’ time, the tax collector occupation was a good way to get rich but socially the tax collectors were looked at poorly and despised because of their crooked and treasonous methods. They were viewed as monsters, traitors and sub-human, the worst of criminals (Luke 18:11). According to the Jews, if anyone should burn in hell, it would be the tax collectors. This is how Matthew was perceived. Jesus, knowing this, directly approached this vile tax collector called him. By the calling of Jesus, Matthew was converted. He had a willing response to the gospel call, repented of his sins and followed Christ.

There is no perfect conversion, as in at conversion, no one stops sinning forever. Christians still sin and are lying if they don’t admit it. (1 John 1:8-10). Christians sin, in fact, they cannot not sin because no one is perfect on this side of glory. But should they sin? No! 2 Timothy 3:5 True Christians pursue sanctification. There is a power of godliness in a Christians life that is visible and evident. Sanctification is not only an increasing of holiness but also an increasing homesickness for Christ in heaven (Colossians 3:1-2) In contrast, a false conversion is like a dog returning to it’s vomit. There are countless examples of people who confess at different revival meetings. They are saved but eventually end up lost again. Saved and lost, repeating this cycle over and over again. This is a conversion based on man’s determination and emotions. True conversion doesn’t start with you. It’s not started with your feelings or your thoughts.

True conversion starts with the Lord. As we see in Luke 5:27, after declaring his authority to forgive sin and curing the paralytic, Jesus intentionally initiates his next encounter. He turns to the scum of society, to Matthew the tax collector. After claiming to be God who can forgive, can Jesus save this sinner of sinners? Is Jesus the prophesied Messiah and Son of Man? Daniel 7:13-14 Jesus cared and searched for Matthew when no one else did. (Matthew 18:12). There was nothing about Matthew that drew Christ’s attention other than that he was a worst case scenario, seemingly unredeemable and unforgivable. We are no different from Matthew. No one cared for us but Jesus Christ alone. It is an important reminder that salvation begins with God, with His seeking us out. 

The verse says Jesus ‘noticed’ Mathew. The Greek word means contemplating and interested in. Jesus was purposefully visiting Matthew. We must realize, Jesus didn’t just notice Matthew in this moment, but from the beginning, before the world began He was seeking to save Matthew (Ephesians 1:4). From eternity past, Jesus noticed this single tax collector (Luke 4:26-27). When God chooses, His choosing is perfect, His election never ends in failure. There are no draft busts in Christianity where the result is different then what God expects. A true conversion never results in a bust but true sanctification. There might be struggles in the Christian life and there might be failures but sin will not have the final say. The final say is in Matthew 25:23 ‘Well done good and faithful slave’. These are the words that await every truly converted follower of our Lord.

This means there is hope for even the lowest, the worst of the worst. Tax collector’s were not meant for the kingdom of heaven (Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 6:9). Yet, God creates something out of nothing. Such blessed hope for all of us. This proves that salvation is completely God’s grace. Matthew had nothing good in himself, but he was saved by a miracle which is God’s grace. God’s grace is not boring or cheap but joyful and wonderful because by it we are saved (Eph 2:8-10). Grace sounds gentle but it’s actually the full force of God. Grace starts with God’s full justice followed by His unending love. It’s His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence and every other attribute of His divine nature. According to people’s judgement, Matthew was for sure going to hell. It was God’s wonderful wisdom to save the tax collector (1 Cor 1:18-11). He saves the small, the unknown and the unlikely. These are the ones God uses in His wisdom for His kingdom.

Jesus very clearly and directly commands Matthew to follow Him. The grammar of the word ‘follow’ implies both now and continually. Following the right person is a matter of life and death. Jesus says ‘Follow Me’. There are many people who believe somewhat correctly but act wrongly. ‘Follow me’ requires the correct belief and the correct action otherwise while claiming to follow Jesus you are following someone else on the wrong road (Luke 13:23-24). Following involves becoming a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19). Jesus’ passion is for saving the lost as seen in this encounter with Matthew. Following Jesus means we must have the same passion. Following Jesus is also denying self and going through suffering (Matthew 16:24 ). Even though there is suffering, following Jesus means full satisfaction. King David knew what it meant to follow the Lord (Psalm 23). In the case of Matthew, he was wealthy yet he was not satisfied. That changed after following Christ. As demonstrated by the tax collector, true conversion leaves visible marks in the life of the believer.