Mark 2:1-12 (ESV)

John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” 23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” 3:1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Intro: Who is the most joyful person you know?

THE GOSPEL vs. RELIGION DIFFERENTIAL
How is the Gospel diametrically opposed to religion?

THE LORD WHO SAVES
Why is Jesus different from every other leader?

A LIFE OF REST & JOYFUL PURPOSE
What does joy mean to you? And rest? And how does that fuel your sense of purpose?

YOU CAN PRAY WITH US …
1 - Worship the LORD, our Maker who is our Husband. Praise Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that He is a committed, tender Bridegroom, loving toward us when He does not need us.

2 - How have you lived believing that you have to earn God’s acceptance or even believing that can do it? Confess your pride and arrogance to Jesus, asking Him to forgive you for doubting Him and His work to save sinners.

3 - Give thanks to Jesus for His commitment to you (like a Bridegroom), His work for you (to give you true rest), and His power (to make you whole). Thank Him for His saving Grace that frees you up now to just pursue Him and others in love.

4 - Who do you know that is trapped in the joyless misery of religion? Pray for them, asking the Lord to have mercy on them as He has on you, that they would see their need for Him and see His mercy to all who trust Him.

5 - Ask the Holy Spirit to bear in you His fruit of love and faithfulness. Pray for such joy at being redeemed and wed to Jesus, that you would overflow in eager obedience and energized purpose for your Bridegroom.