All Or Nothing

 

"And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’"

Luke 5:33-39

 

 

Good Morning my beloved, 

 

We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. What a privileged is to have you here with us today. I am grateful for those of you that have been faithfully praying for me, for this ministry, sharing the website with their friends, neighbors and loved ones. We have expanded our efforts to help those committed to sound teaching by developing biblical knowledge and understanding, equipping them to stand firm and resist against the deceptive influences of the world, an initiative has been praised as "progress" by those who mishandle the interpretation of God's Word, to help the church get back to being an impactful God glorifying, Christ-exalting effective church.

If God has used or is currently using this ministry to impact your life, or the lives of those in your community, please write and let us know, we are eager to hear how this ministry has touched your life. Your testimonies serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration to reinforces our commitment to serving God and others. We believe that every testimony is invaluable, whether it's a personal story of transformation, a newfound sense of purpose, or a miraculous act of God's love and grace. By allowing us to share your experiences, you have the potential to touch hearts, change lives, by providing hope and encouragement to individuals facing similar challenges as well as strengthen the bonds of fellowship among believers. Your voice matters to us, so please, consider sharing your story today. 

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It is disheartening that despite the increased availability of biblical truth, the modern church still continues to struggle with upholding and maintaining sound teaching. There appears to be a strong emphasis on cultural accommodation, adaption to cultural shifts, that often leads to modification of doctrinal interpretation and teachings, succumbing to the pressure to conform to societal standards and expectations,  to make the Gospel more appealing to a morally depraved and perverse generation compromising biblical truths and its transformative power. This trend is evident in various aspects of church life,  from worship styles to  a growing number of churches are experiencing a decline in membership, therefore,  highlights the urgent need for churches to reevaluate their approach, ensuring doctrinal integrity, the importance of prioritizing sound teaching that is firmly anchored in the timeless truths of biblical principles, remaining faithful to their divine calling  rather than striving to align with the fleeting societal trends and the push for inclusivity and tolerance. Satan is not intimidated by a grand church infested with worshippers that compromise with evil, where watered-down messages and feel-good sermons are preached, but he does however fear a church rooted in the unwavering truth of God, he trembles at the thought of the Word being authoritatively and boldly proclaimed without compromise, to edify, exhort, and comfort a congregation united in truth, allowing the Holy Spirit to convict hearts, truly transform lives, and restore families, because that kind of spiritual growth advances the kingdom of God.  

 

In a world where dishonesty and deceit are running rampant, it has become easier for false teachers to disperse misinformation and distort the Truth, ascribing Satan's damning lies to the teachings of God, it's no wonder that the Bible strongly condemns those who not only sow confusion among the most vulnerable given that eternity hangs in the balance but betray the trust of God. The purpose of ministry isn’t to entertain the congregation, it is to teach and empower them to grow by investing in their personal development, equipping them to through prayer to navigate the challenges and complexities of this life through the lens of their faith, and inspire them to become more Christ-like in a godless world. 

 

In other words, the truest measure of success in ministry lies in the faithfulness of the pastor to preach the Word, and live a godly life and influence the flock to grow in holiness, in a day and age where the church is seriously compromised by vile perversions, you will either live the life you preach and preach the life you live, which explain the rise of clergy members engaging in immoral and sexual misconduct that are considered major threats to the sanctity and purity of the church, that has deeply shaken the foundations of trust within the Christian community and has left many questioning the authenticity of the church as a whole. Therefore, I believe it is imperative for leaders to take firm and decisive action to tackle the underlying causes of corruption, by establishing clear guidelines and uphold high biblical moral standards, minimizing the risk of future unethical behavior and immoral misconduct to bring back integrity and restore transparency and accountability to the pulpit, in order to overcome the formidable obstacles we face within the ministry and enable the church to emerge stronger than ever before. 

 

I have to keep reminding myself that no matter what else is going on in the world or the church for that matter, Jesus emphatically and unequivocally said, "I will build My church. I will build My church," I firmly believe that He's the Only One that can. Listen, if you’re a leader in the church, and you're preoccupied with growing the church by becoming like the culture, you need to understand something, the Lord said in Matthew 12, He said "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart," meaning that if you are attempting to build His church by spewing Satan's lies to make the Gospel more palpable, you will give an account for every careless utterance that you speak, and by your words you will be condemned. When the Gospel changes a whole church, there won't be anyone judging anybody, nobody will be trying to fix everybody else, because the reality is we can’t even fix ourselves.

 

Jesus Himself said He came to save the lost and in John 6:44, He said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." I am but a servant of God, and my responsibility is to faithfully disseminate the Word of the living God to you, to help sinners understand what is at stake, calling them to turn from sin to repentance, which I will endeavor to do to the very best of my ability as we go through the Scriptures. God willing, I trust that He will enable me to be faithful to do just that week after week, for as long as He allows. In the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote in 1 Corinthians 9, "For if I proclaim the gospel, I have nothing to boast, for I am under compulsion. For woe is me if I do not proclaim the gospel."

Since the Lord said "I will build My church," the only question is by what means will He use to accomplish the fulfillment of His words. We can find the answer to exactly how the church is built in chapter 2 in the book of Acts, which started with only 120 people, and grew by about three thousand on the Day of Pentecost. And then, "The Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved," who had heard the Gospel message that Peter preached by the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s how the Lord builds His church, through the preaching of the Word by the pastor, as the Father calls and the saving work of the Holy Spirit, Who imparts salvation to individuals through faith in Christ and belief in the Gospel, not by artificial efforts to make the church grow by human ingenuity. There are a lot of misinformed preachers out there, that are living under the illusion that they have anything to do with building the church, and call it a church. Frankly, it's embarrassing. Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and get out of the Lord's way. 

Would you pray with me?

Heavenly Father,

Father, it’s such a privilege for us to have access to Your Word, we are so grateful for the clarity with which You have chosen to reveal it to us. Thank You for the privilege of making each of us part of Your building Your Church. Lord, I would pray that even now that You would add to Your church globally, by calling sinners to repentance, that through the proclamation of Your Word, many would come to believe and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive the gift of everlasting salvation. Lord, I pray that You would use this message to reveal heaven’s Truth, unveiling it with clarity and insight to every misguided person, who’s on the outside of authentic saving faith, O' Lord, how I pray that You would gather them from every false religion that exists, across cultures and civilizations, all around the world. We ask and pray this in Jesus' name for Your glory and for His sake.

Amen

Today's Message: All Or Nothing


Open you Bibles with me, if you would and turn them to Luke chapter 5. Luke 5:33-39. I trust that you will follow along with me as I read, to get our minds set on God's Word as we open up our hearts and listen for what the Spirit of God has to say to each of us today.

 

"And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink." And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’"

 

Before we begin our ongoing study of the gospel of Luke, I want to start by emphasizing the significance of this particular passage holds great importance as it highlights the exclusivity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Meaning that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which we all know and love, stands alone as unique, therefore, it is absolutely incompatible with any and all other religious beliefs, in that salvation is only achieved by unmerited grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, that is the heart of Christianity, setting it apart from every other religion. In fact, it is important to understand that the Gospel of Jesus Christ transcends all cultural and societal norms, all languages, all nations, therefore, it cannot be mixed with human psychology or philosophy, or combined with any other religious doctrine, including Judaism, it supersedes all other religions. The accelerating current trend to blend Christianity with every false religious system on the planet, including Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, claiming every religion is valid and has more in common that not, is nothing new. Jesus fought back against combining Judaism with Christianity over two thousand years ago.

 

The attempt to drive people away from worshipping the One true and living God, is a blatant assault on Christianity and an attack on the supremacy of Christ. The growing push for inclusivity and tolerance, embracing all religious belief systems is rapidly progressing towards inter-religiosity, the "One world, one religion" of the Antichrist and the false prophet that will dominate the world during the tribulation in final days as prophesied in Revelation 17. Eventually, craving to receive the world’s worship for himself, he will betray this counterfeit religious system, causing its destruction, and establishing himself as god. Fortunately, the Lord has blessed me with the wonderful privilege that when I have the opportunity to preach, I get to preach to not only believers but unbelievers and non-Christians from different religious backgrounds all over the world, to see if I can have an impact for Christ. So it’s very crucial to make sure they understand the uniqueness of the Gospel and the incompatibility with any other religious doctrines or traditions. Although the Gospel has been shown to have a profound impact on countless individual lives of those who embrace its message of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace, it is inevitable that those who live out their faith in practice will encounter animosity and persecution in a world overshadowed by darkness. In our passage, our Lord is skillfully telling a parable to emphasize a powerful lesson on the dangers of clinging to old religious beliefs and rabbinical practices of Judaism to merge them with the new values and beliefs. That's really what He's talking about.

Let's look at verse 33, "And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do likewise, but Yours eat and drink." If you will remember from our past studies, when Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, He condemned the ridiculous practices of these self-righteous Jewish religious leaders in Matthew 6, who had routine alms-giving, routine prayers, routine fasting. If you recall they would have somebody go out into the streets and sound a trumpet, so that when they gave to the poor, everybody was aware and they would be glorified by men. Can you imagine, "Hey everybody, look over here, I'm about to give something to the poor!" But that's the kind of thing they did. And, when they prayed they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they would be seen by men. And, when they fasted, they would neglect their appearance, putting on their worst looking clothes and didn't comb their hair, spread some ashes on themselves and they roamed around with a gloomy face in order to be seen fasting by men. "Look at me everybody, I'm fasting." By the way, there was only one commanded fast. In the end, their actions really amounted to nothing more than hypocrisy. That's why Jesus said everything they did was an open display for men and not God, so they have their reward. If it truly was solely between them and God, they would have performed their actions in secrecy and would reap their reward from Him. Unfortunately, this same tendency seems to be true for many believers seeking recognition today, they are storing up earthly treasures, because the reward of the present life has become more appealing to them than eternal rewards.

Verse 34 leads us to Jesus' interpretation of their behavior, "And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?" That's a pretty simple, straightforward illustration, a wedding is a time of celebration, not mourning, you don't fast at a wedding, that's absolutely ridiculous, it's inappropriate. Fasting is more often associated with grief, sorrowful prayer and mourning, although I suppose that could happen if your son or daughter were marrying the wrong person, "Attention everyone, listen up everybody, I have some unfortunate news to share; regrettably there's not going to be any cake and punch today, that's right, you heard me, there's not going to be any refreshments today folks, I'm overcome with sadness, so I am mourning this dreadful wedding." By the way, there's an old Jewish document called "Megillat Taanit," or "The Scroll of Fasting," that said fasting is strictly forbidden in all days devoted to times of celebration. You've been waiting day after day, year after year, anticipating the moment when the Messiah would come and now that I'm here, there is no need for fasting; this is a time for enjoyment. Even though the Old Testament never explicitly refers to Messiah as a bridegroom, this New Testament term is introduced for the first time, yet the analogy is clear, you don't fast and mourn during a period of celebration and rejoicing, right now they're in the middle of the celebration! It just goes to demonstrate just how far out of touch their whole religious system was from reality of what is going on.  We live in that constant state of rejoicing because the bridegroom has made His home in our hearts, however, even in this state of perpetual joy, there are times of sadness in this life when fasting is appropriate, as we eagerly await His glorious return.

 

Verse 35, "But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." Jesus and His disciples didn't fast though I do believe the disciples did fast between His death on the cross until after His resurrection, when they realized that the Lord has really risen, then, the fasting came to an end. Weddings festivities lasted for an extended period of time, they could often go on for seven days at a time, but inevitably, there's going to come a future time when all the wedding festivities will draw to a close, and the joy will come to an end. Then, there will be plenty of time for fasting when the bridegroom is taken away, or the Greek verb "apairó" which conveys the idea of being suddenly carried away, from the verb "airó" meaning to be lifted or raised up; He's obviously alluding to the abrupt disruption of being suddenly removed from the celebration and being taken away captive  preceding the events leading up to His crucifixion. Just as a footnote, this marks the first mention of His death here in Luke's account. 

Verse 36, "And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new and the piece from the new will not match the old." Jesus is reinforcing the exclusivity of the Gospel and affirming its incompatibility with their rabbinic religious traditions. using a very simple analogy that anyone who has ever washed anything made of linen or cotton can understand. Anybody who has ever had to sew a patch on something knows you cannot patch the holes on an old garment with a new unshrunk piece of cloth. Otherwise when it is washed, the new patch will pull away from the old cloth, resulting in a worse tear. The Old Testament commanded Jews to fast only one day a year, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Pharisees had taken a spiritual practice of fasting once a year and transformed it into something else, they made it a symbol of spiritual superiority and self-righteousness. In contrast, when Jesus engaged in prayer and fasting, it was private, as a form of spiritual discipline, rather than a ritual created by men for for public display. Jesus is emphasizing the Gospel of grace cannot be integrated into the practices of Judaism, based on human effort through adherence to religious laws or rituals. In fact, its a radical departure from the legalistic religious system, operating on the principle of unmerited grace and unconditional love, by the way, it continues to stand apart from any form of religion for that matter, even today, despite the many attempts to merge Christianity with other religious systems. This departure is crucial in understanding the transformative power of Christianity, which is evident in the lives of those who have truly embraced it principals, experiencing forgiveness and redemption. Christianity challenges the traditional mindset, by asserting that salvation is a divine gift of grace, unconditional love and mercy from God through faith, bestowed upon those who are not deserving, fostering a sense of humility and gratitude, rather than something that can be earned as a result of worthiness or achieved by one's personal merit. Jesus' interaction with the religious leaders was characterized by conflict right from the beginning. Their intent behind questioning Him was to trap Jesus with His own words, a tactic that is clearly evident in this particular instance.

Then, in verse 37, He gives them a second illustration to further emphasize that you simply can’t merge the old with the new, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined." I understand that embracing the gospel of grace is hard for you, especially since you've been accustomed to relying on your self-righteous works system for so long, but I'm here to tell you that apostate Judaism's reliance on human effort and achievement is diametrically opposed to the desires of God, it promotes a mindset of arrogance and superiority, deeply entrenched in the self-righteousness associated with pride that ultimately leads to destruction in hell. I can tell you from my experience in dealing with those who have bought into the devil’s lies, it’s hard for them to give up their old religious traditions, even if there’s no salvation in them. Even though John the Baptist was preaching a message of baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, his followers did not necessarily fully make the transition away from the traditional religious practices associated with Judaism, like some of the disciples, they continued to struggle to break free from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, who are obviously disturbed that Jesus and His disciples aren't observing their religious man-made traditions. It seems to me the real issue the Pharisees were addressing was, if you were really holy, you should go around pretending to be miserable like us, so that everyone can see you. There was no spiritual brokenness, no mourning over their sin, no genuine compassion for those who were suffering, everything they did was an empty ritual for show. False religion is always self satisfying without anyone actually being reconciled to God. Isaiah 58:6, says "Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to release the bands of the yoke and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?"  Like many professing Christians today, the Jewish religious leaders were attempting to pursue a relationship with God based on their own terms and conditions.

Verse 38, "But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins." I love that Jesus uses analogies that are simple to understand, don't kid yourself thinking you can just add Jesus to your old way of life that you've been comfortable with for years and years, if you're going come to Christ, it's important to understand that He's going to replace your old life with a brand new one. Jesus doesn't want to merely give your life a temporary touch up, a superficial exterior makeover, He wants to radically transform your life from the inside out by taking control of every aspect of your existence, a process involves relinquishing control of personal agendas and placing your trust in Him to guide every decision, an action that will ultimately result in a lasting change that transcends human understanding. However, I must tell you this is a journey that requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to let go of the familiar in order to embrace the extraordinary work that Jesus desires to do in your life.

That brings us to verse 39, "And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is good enough." Jesus is highlighting that people often find that the familiarity and comfort of the old surpasses the allure of the new. In other words, many people are reluctant to change, they tend to stick with what they already know, even if its based on falsehoods rather than to seek out the newer alternatives. This sentiment may resonate with some of you who have a tendency to gravitate towards what is known, rather than taking risks with the unknown. Much like the traditional, tried-and-true family recipes that have been handed down from one generation to the next, as well as the stories behind them that embody the spirit of what cooking is all about, sharing and caring a love that transcends time. I know these time honored recipes continue to remain cherished in my family's hearts, serving as a constant reminder of our memories with family members, despite the influx of ever-evolving contemporary cuisines. I personally love the aroma of freshly baked bread and apple butter in the kitchen, that evokes breakfast memories of my great grandparents, while the smell of a hearty stew simmering on the stove reminds me of past family gatherings around the dinner table. According to a study by the National Institute of Health, sharing meals prepared from traditional family recipes has been linked to improved family bonding and communication. I believe this emphasizes the importance of preserving and passing down these recipes to future generations.

Before I get too carried away, I suppose we better get back to Luke, I have to tell you its so hard to reach "comfortable Christians" who have become entrenched in their old ways, whether its gossiping, lying, or indulging in other sinful behaviors, that have become deeply ingrained in their daily lives, making it nearly impossible for them to recognize the need for change and to break free of those sinful patterns to embrace a new life of spiritual growth and transformation. I would much prefer to evangelize the millions of destitute non-believers, who may be struggling and in need of a helping hand, or guidance by engaging in a meaningful conversation with them based on mutual respect that can bridge the gap between different views, including belief and unbelief, an experience that can often have a transformative impact on all parties involved. Believe it or not, statistics show that there are millions of people around the world living, many of whom have been exposed to the Good News of the Gospel. By reaching out and sharing the message of love and grace  to just one of these individuals, we can provide them with a sense of hope in someone far greater than themselves, Jesus Christ, an encounter that has the potential to ignite a powerful spark that can create a ripple effect of lives being changed and hearts being healed, extending far beyond anything we could ask or imagine. Let us never underestimate the power of the Gospel.

May it be so..

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

Now and forever, in Jesus' name

Amen


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