The document discusses Jesus being questioned about his disciples not fasting like other religious groups. Jesus responds that his time with his disciples is a time for celebration, like a wedding, and fasting will come later. Jesus also uses parables to illustrate that the new teachings of the kingdom of God do not fit with the old religious traditions and cannot be combined. The key messages are that Jesus focused on love and service rather than outward religious practices, and that the new covenant he established should not be mixed with the old laws and traditions.

1. SKIP THE SHOWY STUFF Luke 5:33-39

2. Jesus Questioned About Fasting 33 They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." 34 Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." Luke 5:33-39 ( NLT )

3. 36 He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' " Luke 5:33-39 ( NLT )

4. TAKE HOME Jesus wasn’t much for showy religion. But he was big on caring love and service to others. Although the Old Law was done away with, people all around you will try to resurrect it. Don’t fall into that trap. What God wants from us is true contrition and extravagant compassion.

5. Opening Prayer

6. Announcements

7. Worship

8. The Leaders Of Jesus’ Day Were Big On Form And Small On Substance --Luke 6:33 It’s been this way for a long time: Judging others by the ‘form’ of worship. God is sick of it. Hebrews 10:5-9 Luke 5: 33 They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."

9. Time Spent With Jesus Is ‘Party Time’ --Luke 6:34-35 Put fasting and long faces on hold. The Bridegroom is here! Later, when I seem far away, my friends will have time to be solemn and subdued. As for today, let’s party! In the midst of conflict and in the shadow of the cross Jesus main message was that of leaving his disciples with Joy. -- John 16:20- 24 Luke 5:34-35 Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."

10. This New Picture Of Exceedingly Great Joy And Celebration Won’t Fit In The Old Frame Built For Long Faces And Burdensome Religion. --Luke 6:36-39 Rigid wineskins leave no room for expansion. Old ‘long face’ religion will have to make way for the new model…great joy, yippee, and ‘ he is risen’ celebration. Something’s got to give…there is no meshing the old with the new. Luke 5:36-39 …“ No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment. “ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins…

11. There is still a fascination with priests, holy places, outward stuff and an abundance of regulations. The Restoration Movement was built on a clear distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Only two rituals will be practiced here… Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both declaring the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although Jesus Promised An End To The Old Ways (Formulas, Lists, Rituals) Religion Has Sought To Merge The New With The Old

12. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. I trust him as my Lord and Savior. Confession

13. Worship

14. Money Saving Disciplines Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo: Alvimann In Tough Economic Times STEWARDSHIP TIPS

15. 1. Pay yourself automatically each month. Have your bank move money into your savings account. Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo: Alvimann Putting aside funds will force you to budget. STEWARDSHIP TIPS

16. 2. Do not feed your desires by flipping through catalogues and browsing online. Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo: Alvimann Putting your mind on what you don’t have will make you feel poor. STEWARDSHIP TIPS

17. 3. Set Priorities. Decide what you really can’t live without. Pick and choose extravagances. Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo: Alvimann If eating out once a week is a must, sacrifice another expense, such as a cleaning service or cable TV. STEWARDSHIP TIPS

18. 4. Think about the future. Make it a goal. Set aside a little money toward investments such as retirement savings. Source: The Wall Street Journal. Photo: Alvimann You will be developing the discipline to start saving more aggressively as the economy turns around. STEWARDSHIP TIPS

19. 5. Remember God. We do not serve money. We trust in God. Source: Scripture. Photo: Alvimann Before paying any bill set aside your offering to God. STEWARDSHIP TIPS

20. Your offering is your gift of confidence in God. Source: Scripture. Your gift says, “Thank you God for always being there, even in the tough times. I trust you as my partner.” STEWARDSHIP TIPS

21. Offering

22. The Restoration Movement was built on a clear distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Only two rituals will be practiced here… Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both declaring the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. God is fed up with the externals that keep believers in different classes and become power tools. You Just Experienced A Clear Distinction!

23. Follow Jesus Around And You’ll Find Little Ritual Or ‘Form’ Religion But Plenty Of Loving Service He’s out there in the highways and byways reaching out to people and healing what ails them. He spend no time appeasing the bigwigs of his day. His critics made it clear…Jesus was not big on fasting or the picky details of the Sabbath.

24. The Early Church Caught The Drift Of Jesus’ Way Of Thinking… Loving Service! Men were chosen to feed the local and foreign Christian ladies… Wow! --Acts 6 Christians were generous with their possessions …even selling property to assist the poor. --Acts 4:32ff

25. There Is No Prescribed Way To Conduct Our Weekly Assembly Predictable patterns of worship may be convenient, but none is the ‘right’ one. An international church requires immense flexibility in how we sing, posture in prayer, wardrobe, building-or-no-building. Only the Lord’s Supper and Baptism are rituals to be held onto tenaciously.

26. The Genius Of The Restoration Movement Its Commitment To The Essentials No book but the Bible No name by the divine (Christ’s) No creed but Christ

27. WHAT FREEDOM! WHAT JOY! WHAT AN EXAMPLE BY JESUS!

28. Worship

29. Prayer

30. TAKE HOME Jesus wasn’t much for showy religion. But he was big on caring love and service to others. Although the Old Law was done away with, people all around you will try to resurrect it. Don’t fall into that trap. What God wants from us is true contrition and extravagant compassion.

31. Go in the Power of the Jesus Essentials