March 23, 2025
Out With the Old
Pastor Ricky Smith

Sermon Notes

Mark 2:18-22
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 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. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 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. 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.”

I. Jesus Came to Bring Joy, Not Sorrow

Fast and mourn when you consider what your sins cost.

II. Jesus Came to Make Things New, Not to Perpetuate the Old

Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh

Acts 4:12
There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.

When Christ makes you new, the old you must stay at the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

Next Steps

• I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as King for the first time.
• I confess I doubt my faith because of religious fear and recommit to trusting Him by faith alone.
• I commit to practicing the faith exercise of fasting at least one meal this week.

Deep Dive

1. Syncretism is a mixture of religions. How has Christianity been mixed with other religions? Is this dangerous?
2. Read 2 Timothy 4:3-5. How can we avoid myths and maintain the purity of the Gospel?
3. Read Romans 10:1-13. What does Paul teach about the Gospel’s impact on both Jews and Gentiles?

Springboards

1. What are the most important rules in your house?
2. Why do they exist?
3. Why does it matter that we understand why we say yes to some things and no to others?