Welcome to Grace!

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1

“I’ve got nothing against God

… it’s His fan club I can’t stand”

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction

Please notice that Jesus has already (in Mark 2:21-22) spelled out that institutional religion and Christianity are not compatible.• Religion is to do with the

codification and institutionalisation of rules, regulations and ritual.

• Following the King in the Kingdom of God is to do with repentance and restoration to relationship.

One of those is Christianity.The other is not.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger 2:23-27Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way. 24 So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 28 For this reason the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger 2:23-27Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger 2:23-27Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way. 24 So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?”

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger 2:23-27Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way. 24 So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?”

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger 2:23-27Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way. 24 So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?”

27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. 28 For this reason the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him. 3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. 5 After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him. 3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him. 3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. 5 After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him. 3 So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. 5 After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea,8 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done. 9 Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him. 10 For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea,8 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done.

… from Judea,8 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea,8 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done. 9 Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him. 10 For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea,8 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done. 9 Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him. 10 For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Mark 2:23-3:12• Introduction• Objection to meeting need: hunger, 2:23-28• Objection to meeting need: livelihood, 3:1-6• Response to God’s Kingdom meeting need: 3:7-12• Conclusion

Religion sets you rules: Jesus sets you free. Religion is going to gun for you if you’re a follower of Jesus. Now let’s be clear on this, that religion which is self-reliant insistence on rules

and ritual can take any number of forms. It’s not some particular religion we’re discussing here.

It’s religionS (if you like) over against turning away from sinful self-reliance to live trusting in Jesus, and we HAVE to stand away from the former to get clarity on the latter.

If Jesus needed to do that in first century Palestine, we DEFINITELY need to do it in 21 st. century Wales!