Matthew 9:14-17
The Old Won’t Do

The text that we are looking at is actually three small parables.  The purpose of
all three is to answer the question the disciples of John had asked, "Why aren’t
Your disciples fasting?"  That question is actually a small part of a bigger
question that needed to be asked and answered.

The bigger question is, "Why aren’t your disciples keeping the Old Testament
traditions?"  While Jesus did not break any Old Testament law, He did not follow
the traditions that had come from the law.  Some of those traditions were just
extra burdens but not all of them.  Some of those traditions were honest efforts
of the saints to do right.

The disciples of John understood that.  Their own master, John the Baptist, had
taught them the importance of fasting, but Jesus did not seem to be emphasizing
things like that and these disciples wanted to know why?  "Why aren’t Your
disciples fasting?  Why aren’t You following the Old Testament traditions?"

The short answer is that the Old Testament traditions cannot hold what Jesus came
to give.  Grace, salvation, forgiveness, the New Life, the indwelling of the Holy
Ghost, adoption, justification, and on the list goes—these things are components
of what Jesus came to give were just to great to be constrained within the Law.
That’s what Jesus’ parables are teaching.

I tell you that answer because instead of preaching on the context of these
parables, I want to preach on the application of them.  Follow with me as I share
some thoughts.

    I. \\#16\\ The patch on the garment tells us that you can’t patch
        the old life.
        A. It is a sad reality but a true one.
            1. Some things just cannot be fixed.
            2. One of those things is your life before Jesus.
            3. That life cannot be fixed; it must be replaced.
        B. A common Bible message is, "You need new life."

2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after
the image of him that created him:

        B. Unfortunately, many people believe the way to get a better life is
            by patching up the old one. That’s the picture of the old garment
            being sewed with a new patch.
            1. You can’t change your old life by patching new habits over old
                ones.
            2. You can’t change your old life by patching good work onto the hem
                of the old one.
            3. You can’t change your old life by patching new colors or even by
                adding a whole new layer onto your old life.
        C. None of those things will work because you are attaching everything
            to a dirty rotten base.
            1. Most of us just don’t understand how rotten we are.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are
as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the
wind, have taken us away.

                a. The rags mentioned in this passage are the old torn rags used
                    for medical purposes.
                b. The rags are old and worthless and then soaked in blood and
                    human wastes.
                c. Old rotten rags covered with rotting flesh.
                d. That is us.
            2. As long as that rotten base is there, nothing you add will stay.
                However you try to attach it, it will come unraveled and fall
                away.
            3. All you do is corrupt the good things that you try to add to your
                life.
        D. What you need is a new garment!
            1. \\#Matt 22:11-14\ Parable of a wedding garment.
            2. You and I have been invited to Jesus.
            3. God has supplied a new garment to you in the person of Jesus
                Christ.
            4. If you accept His death, He will take your old garment of sin
                and give you a new garment of righteousness to wear.
            5. If you refuse Jesus, God will cast you out of His heaven into outer
                darkness.

   II. \\#17\\ The busted wineskins tell us that you can’t contain the new life.
        A. While the parables uses the word bottles, in our terminology, these
            containers would be better understood to be bags.
            1. In those days, liquids were stored in skin bags.
            2. While these bags served their purpose, most were not reusable
                because as they aged, the skins tended to dry out and stiffen.
        B. I am told that new wine, as it ages, gives off an invisible gas that
            expands against the container in which it is being held.
            1. As the gas builds, if that container will not expand some, the gas
                can cause the container to explode.
            2. Fresh juice poured into an old skin would often rupture the skins
                cause both the bag and the juice to be lost.
        C. If you are without Jesus Christ, you may not comprehend what I am about
            to tell you, but it is true.
            1. The new joy that Christ will give you cannot be contained in the
                old life you had.
                a. I know that is hard for some to believe considering the sour
                    pusses that some Christians wear.
                b. I suppose that happens because no matter how sweet a thing is,
                    we become dulled to it after awhile.  (If you will accept
                    Jesus as your Savior, I hope and pray you never do.)
                c. It might also be due to the fact that a lot of people who
                    profess Jesus as their Savior really aren’t saved at all.
            2. However, if you will let Him, Christ will add more to your life
                than you ever thought possible.
                a. Christ expands your dimension.  You will have a spiritual
                    dimension.
                b. Christ expands your morality.  You will be pure.
                c. Christ expands your activities.  You will be able to worship.
                d. Christ expands your mind.  You will know right from wrong.
                e. Christ expands your heart.  You have love in new ways.
                f. Christ expands your friendships. You will be part of Christ’s
                    body now.
                g. Christ expands your outlook.  You have faith.
                h. Christ expands your goals.  You have purpose.
                i. Christ expands your awareness.  You have understanding.
                j. Christ expands your learning. You have the Holy Spirit for a
                    Teacher.
                k. It expands your motivation.  You have grace and mercy now.
        D. If you tried to hide it or live like you used to live, you’d explode!
            1. What we all need to remember is that we are little more than a
                shell of what God intended us to be.
                a. Before the fall, Adam and Eve had abilities that were so far
                    beyond us that if we meet someone in that state, we would
                    probably think they were aliens.
                b. What Christ offers to us to be made better than Adam was in the
                    Garden.
                c. God has offered to make us into the image of His Son, Jesus!
                d. Most of us who are Christians have not progress very far.

  III. \\#15\\ The groom tells you that there is going to be a joining.
        A. Grooms, brides, and bride chamber all speak of a wedding, the joining
            of a man and a woman together.
            1. There is going to be a day when all people are going to meet Jesus.
            2. Saved and lost people all have one common destiny.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment:

            3. However, some are going to be joined to Him and some are going to
                be cast from Him.
                a. Those cast from Him are cast into the Lake of Fire and
                    Brimstone.

Re 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire.

                b. This is not the message that I want to preach this morning,
                    but every person needs to know there is a hell and if you
                    meet Jesus unprepared, you will be cast from Him forever.
        B. However, while some are cast from Jesus, others will be joined to Him.
            1. That is what happens to the saved.
                a. The disciples of John are wondering why Jesus’ disciples are
                    not fasting.
                b. Jesus indirectly answer them by saying, "Groomsmen don’t
                    fast. They are too bush rejoicing and celebrating."
                c. At the point in time where those disciples were, they had
                    Jesus.
                    (1) Man, they had it all!
                    (2) What did they need to fast for?
                d. But at the same time, Jesus says, when the bridegroom is gone,
                    referring to Himself, then my disciples will fast.
                    (1) He’s gone now.
                    (2) This is the time period when we fast.
                e. So Jesus was telling the disciples that He still had to go away
                    and that while He was gone, His disciples would pray and fast.
                f. All of that has come to pass.
            2. But Jesus also said that He is coming back!
                a. When Jesus comes back, there is going to be wedding.
                b. Those that are His will be joined together to Him.
                c. The idea is we will be joined to Him forever.

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord.

        C. Not only does this parable tell us there is going to be joining, but
            that there is going to be great joy.
            1. Fasting is a sign of mourning.
            2. Jesus said His disciples can’t mourn right now.  They are too busy
                rejoicing in His presence.
            3. When Jesus comes back and we are joined with Him, we will never
                mourn again.
            4. We won’t be able to mourn. We will be too busy rejoicing.
                a. We will rejoice that Christ has come.
                b. We will rejoice that we are with Him.
                c. We will rejoice that the bad, the evil, and the sorrowful are
                    done away with.
                d. We will rejoice that the good, the holy, and the joyful are all
                    that is about us.
                e. We will rejoice with those who have joined us there.
                f. And we will rejoice that we are there.
        D. One of the predominate characteristics of the new life
            ought to be joy.
            1. Christians do abide in Christ’s presence, don’t they?
            2. Christ does supply our needs, doesn’t He?
        E. The outsiders will not understand your joy! Even John’s disciples could
            not understand the supply and joy of those who were closest to Jesus.

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