Encounter Church
Sunday Morning 03.08.26
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Psalms 28:7NIV2011

  • I've Got My Mind Made Up
  • Running For My Life ( Caan Ketch me Again)
  • I'm Not Sorry I've Answered the Master's Call
  • yaweh will manifest himself
  • Cornerstone
  • Our God is an Awesome God
  • Alpha and omega
  • Echo (In Jesus' Name)

      • Proverbs 11:24-25NIV2011

  • We're Blessed
  • Trading My Sorrows
  • The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

      • Matthew 26:26–28NIV2011

  • Matthew 9:14–17 NKJV
    Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

    Introduction:

    John is asking Jesus’s disciples a question about fasting. Which is a question that rings even today but with a different context. Why don’t your disciples fast? Fasting is a discipline that calls us to be close to God. To deny their flesh and the things of this world to be closer to him.
    What fasting does:
    It humbles us before God, Ezra 8:21
    It helps us when we seek direction Acts 13:2-3
    Spiritual Breakthrough Matthew 7:21
    Repentance Joel 2:12
    Fasting removes spiritual distractions and makes us more heightend to the leading of the Spirit
    Ezra 8:21 NKJV
    Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.
    Acts 13:2–3 “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”
    Joel 2:12 NKJV
    “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
    Matthew 17:21 NKJV
    However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
    The Pharisees had become obsessed with religious observance rather than the revelation of the kingdom.

    I. JESUS SHOWS US PRESENCE OVER PRACTICE

    Fasting was only required on the day of Atonement. Religion had the pharisees fasting twice doing it twice a week.
    We must be careful of falling into a habit of dead dry religious practices where our behaviors are automatic but not authentic.
    The Ark of the Covenant was gone. They had a religious system to fill the gaps but the presence of God was absent. {research when the ark left the temple}. People systematize religion  and behavior when they don’t prioritize relationship. They lack to the fresh wind of God.
    The presence of God was present with Jesus. Jesus was letting them know the disciple’s time of mourning was not yet because he was present with them. It was a time of joy because his presence was with them.
    Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

    II. The Bridge groom comes

    Matthew 9:15 NKJV
    And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
    When we read this passage with western 21st century eyes, we can miss something very important in the text. Those who were listening to Jesus would have immediately have their minds go back to times in scripture where God had referred to his relationship between Himself and his people as the bride and bridegroom.
    Jesus is establishing himself as the bridegroom. This is messianic language that reveals his true nature as God
    Isaiah 54:6 NKJV
    For the Lord has called you Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, Like a youthful wife when you were refused,” Says your God.
    Isaiah 62:5 NKJV
    For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.
    Hosea 2:19–20 NKJV
    “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.
    Even in the new testament the church is referred to as the Bride.
    Ephesians 5:25-27  (the church is the Bride)
    Ephesians 5:25–27 NKJV
    Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

    III. When We all get to heaven

    Matthew 9:15 NKJV
    And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
    We fast while Jesus is away. Although Holy Spirit is inside the believer we still seek the presence of God in his fullness. We fast because we seek in a deep and profound way.
    Psalm 73:25–26 NKJV
    Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
    But one day, fasting will be over.
    Revelation 19:7 NKJV
    Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
    Revelation 21:1–5 NKJV
    Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
    Revelation 21:22–27 NKJV
    But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

    Conclusion:

    The good news is one day we won’t need to fast either! Because our redeemer will be with us! He has brought us the new wine of his new covenant that cannot be poured into the old wine skins of religion. He has offered us something fresh, new and expanding.
    We still see the gospel.. While I am with you… I will be taken away
    Jesus is not trying to dress up old religious sytstems  and recycle systems of church. He is bringing living breathing faith.
    There would be no need for them to fast and mourn for the redeemer was with them
    He is bringing in the new wine of the kingdom of God 

      • Matthew 9:14–17NIV2011

      • Ezra 8:21NIV2011

      • Acts 13:2NIV2011

      • Joel 2:12NIV2011

      • Matthew 17:21NIV2011

      • Matthew 9:15NIV2011

      • Isaiah 54:6NIV2011

      • Isaiah 62:5NIV2011

      • Hosea 2:19–20NIV2011

      • Ephesians 5:25–27NIV2011

      • Matthew 9:15NIV2011

      • Psalm 73:25–26NIV2011

      • Revelation 19:7NIV2011

      • Revelation 21:1–5NIV2011

      • Revelation 21:22–27NIV2011

Encounter Church
http://www.encounter360.org
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