GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH of DANVILLE

Sermon #7 Series: Mark

Title: Don’t Put New Wine in Old Bottles.

Text: Mark 2:13-22

Subject: The Call of Matthew

Date: Sunday Evening - January 12, 1997

Tape # T-29

Introduction:

What Mark relates in our text this evening is almost identical with the account given by Matthew in Matthew 9:9-17. Yet, there are slight differences in the two accounts of these events. The differences are no more accidental than the similarities. Though there are no contradictions between Matthew and Mark, the differences in these accounts, light as they are, are instruments by which unbelievers are tripped up and stumble because God has made Christ a stone of stumbling to them. When rebels will not bow to Christ, when they will not believe the Word of God, God gives them that which in their minds justifies their rebellion and unbelief.

The slight differences between the way Matthew tells a thing and the way Mark, or Luke, or John tell the same thing demonstrates the sovereignty and wisdom of God the Holy Spirit. He used these men as instruments in his hand, as a man would use a pen or a typewriter, to write the very words he inspired, exactly as he wanted them written. Yet, he allows the contrasting personalities of those men to shine through their writings.

Since we are studying the Gospel of Mark, we will read Mark’s account. Our text is Mark 2:13-22. I encourage you to read Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of these events before you go to bed tonight. Read with me, beginning at Mark 2:13.

Mark 2:13-22 "And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. (14) And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. (15) And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. (16) And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? (17) When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (18) And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? (19) And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. (20) But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. (21) No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. (22) And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."

No doubt, we have all read this passage many times, probably passing over the things recorded here very casually. When reading the Word of God, that is always a mistake. The things written here were written by Divine inspiration and written specifically for our edification, consolation, and instruction in the things of God. This brief narrative of a brief segment of our Lord’s earthly life contains four lessons, four important, spiritual lessons which we need to earn and lay to heart. May God the Holy Spirit, who inspired these words, now apply them to our hearts by his grace and power, for Christ’s sake.

The first lesson set before us is the fact that THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OFTEN CALLS THE MOST UNLIKELY TO BE HIS SERVANTS.

Mark 2:13-14 "And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. (14) And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him."

The man called Levi here and in Luke’s account is the same person who is called Matthew in the gospel narrative bearing his name. What we have before us is the early history and remarkable conversion and transformation by the grace of God of a base publican named Matthew. This man was transformed in an instant by the almighty, irresistible call of the Son of God. The publican became a disciple, then an Apostle, and an Evangelist, because the Son of God passed his way one day and said, "Levi, Follow me!"
There are several things that just leap out as you look at these two verses.

A Specific Time - "As he passed by!"

A Specific Person - Levi, Matthew, The Publican!

A Specific Call - "Follow me!"

A Specific Result - "He arose and followed him!"

We ought never to despair of anyone’s salvation. Our Lord can take a money loving CPA like Matthew and make him a soul loving evangelist by the mere call of is almighty, irresistible grace!

We never know who is elected, until they are called. And once they are called, God’s elect are usually surprising.

Next, in verses 15-17, we see that OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREAT PHYSCIAN OF SIN-SICK SOULS.

Mark 2:15-17 "And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. (16) And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? (17) When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

The Scribes and Pharisees were highly offended by the fact that the Lord Jesus was comfortable in the company of publicans and sinners and that they were comfortable in his company. When the Lord Jesus heard the report of their insinuating gossip he told them plainly that he had come into the world specifically to save sinners.

1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Our Lord Jesus performed many mighty miracles on the bodies of men. And I have no doubt that he still does. I know what it is to experience his marvelous intervention, when medical help seems futile. Yet, his miracles of mercy, love, and grace were and still are indescribably more glorious. The bodies he healed were soon to sicken gain and die. But the souls he heals are healed forever. The physical healings were intended only to demonstrate that he has the right and the power to heal the soul and save his people. I want you to see just two things here.

Our great and glorious Savior saves sinners by three mighty acts of free and sovereign grace, which he alone can perform.

By Blood Redemption!

By Sovereign Regeneration!

By Glorious Resurrection!

Our great Physician heals every sin-sick soul that applies to him for healing.

Luke 9:11 "And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing."

The first step toward cure is to know that you are sick.

No case is too hard for the Son of God.

Your sins will never keep you from being saved; but your righteousnesses will.

Illustration: The Artist and the Beggar

No sinner ever came to the Son of God for mercy who did not obtain mercy.

The third thing that we should learn from this passage is this: SOMETIMES TRUE BELIEVERS BECOME SIDETRACKED AND CONFUSED BY MEANINGLESS THINGS AND FALL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS HYPOCRITES.

I know that Christ’s sheep will not follow a stranger. I know that God’s saints have an unction from the Holy One and cannot be deceived with regard to the gospel. But I also know that God’s saints in this world are only frail, fickle, sinful men and women of flesh and blood. Sometimes they fall under the influence of wicked men, thinking that they are doing good. Sometimes, by bad influence from people they think are sincere, they get sidetracked by meaningless issues. That is exactly what happened here with John’s disciples. They got to listening to the Pharisees, with whom they had in common the practice of religious, ceremonial fasting. Ignoring the far, far, indescribably greater issues of redemption, grace, and forgiveness, they joined the Pharisees (Of all people!), carping and criticizing the Lord Jesus and his disciples because they did not fast.

Mark 2:18-20 "And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? {19} And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. {20} But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."

The fourth lesson is found in the parable given by our Lord in verses 21 and 22. IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS WE MUST NEVER ATTEMPT TO MIX THINGS THAT DIFFER.

Mark 2:21-22 "No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. (22) And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles."

Our Savior delivered this parable in response to the question raised by John’s disciples and the Pharisees about fasting. There may be occasions when fasting is proper. In times of great strain and trial, Moses, Elijah, and the Lord Jesus all fasted. But with the Pharisees fasting had become a common, publicly advertised ceremony. It was an outward show of holiness, piety, and devotion. John’s disciples seem to have placed great emphasis upon this religious custom. But our Lord always dealt with it as an insignificant thing and insisted that when men do fast they must do so in utter privacy (Matt. 6:16-18). We are never to make a show of religion!

It may have been proper, our Lord says to John’s disciples, for the friend of the Bridegroom and his disciples to fast. But to require the Bridegroom and his disciples to fast was as ludicrous as sewing a piece of new cloth in an old garment or putting new wine into old bottles, or wineskins.

Actually the parables here given were simply proverbial sayings that may be applied to many things. But essentially their meaning is simply this - We must never try to mix things that do not mix. Many great evils that have arisen in the church could have been avoided if the lesson of these parables had simply been heeded. And many of the evils exiting in the church today could be corrected if this lesson was followed.

In spiritual matters, we must never attempt to mix things that differ. Just as under the Mosaic law the mixture of linen and wool and the plowing of an ox and an ass together were prohibited, so in this age, we cannot mix and must never try to mix law and grace, flesh and spirit, Christ and the world, or carnal ordinances with spiritual worship.

The problem at Galatia was that they tried to put the old wine Mosaic laws and ceremonies into the new bottle of grace.

The Judaizers at Galatia were trying to mix Judaism and Christianity. They tried to hold both to the law and the gospel. They wanted both Moses and Christ. They tied to mix physical circumcision with spiritual circumcision. Such mixture can never take place. Either we are under the law, or we are free from the law. It cannot be both!
Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Galatians 5:2 "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing."

Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

In the early church many tried to mix the philosophies and religious customs of a pagan world with the gospel of Christ, just as they do today.

Nothing is new under the sun. In the earliest days after the apostles, and even while the apostles were living, there were those who attempted to make the gospel palatable to the world by mixing the religious customs, traditions, and opinions of the paganism with the gospel of Christ. The result was disastrous then and shall be now. In those days, compromise paved the road to Romanism Today, men are laying the road back to Romanism as fast as possible.

We simply cannot mix flesh and spirit or works and grace in the worship and service of our God.

Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

Crosses, Pictures of Christ and Angels, and Religious Symbols.

Law, Sabbath Keeping, and Ceremonialism

Crossings, Kneelings, and Religious Show

Many professing Christians today constantly attempt to stitch Christ and the world together.

How many there are who seem determined to prove our Lord wrong, who try to serve both God and mammon. They wear the name of Christ in profession, but serve the world. They want to enjoy the new wine of Christ; but they want to drink it from the old bottle of the world. They will not utterly despise the new garment of discipleship, but they want it without cost or cross. So they try to sew it to the old garments of pleasures, covetousness, and love of the world. They will find one day soon that hey have attempted that which cannot be done.

Application:

I send you home tonight to consider this matter carefully and seriously. I pray that each of us will take it to heart. Are we trying to serve two masters? Are we still trying to serve both God and mammon. Are we still trying to put new wine into old bottles?

We must not do so. Don’t put new wine into old bottles. We simply cannot mix…

Law and Grace.

Flesh and Spirit.

The World and Christ.

We must choose one and hate the other.

Don Fortner