3.  There is an ongoing battle against a Biblical Perspective on Grace  The war against God’s Grace has been waged for millennium  This war is the result of two irreconcilable ideologies

4.  Accusing Him of blasphemy (Mk 2:7)  Calling him the friend of sinners (Mk 2:16)  Accusing Him of being empowered by Satan (Mk 3:22) Attempting to Discredit Jesus

5.  Jesus refused to conform to their mold for the Messiah  “watching” – “as one who dogs another’s steps” (Vincent)  Jesus refused to be swayed by their hard- heartedness 1 He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2 They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward! Mark 3:1–3 (NASB95)

6.  The modern day conspiracy against grace is characterized by the same attitudes  Narrow-mindedness  An unbalanced view of Grace  Hatred of God’s true Law 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. Mark 3:5–6 (NASB95)

7.  Jesus demonstrated a compassionate righteousness  Casting out demons (Mk 1:23-28;32;39)  Healing the sick (Mk 1:29-34; 40-45)  Forgiving the sins of the paralytic (Mk 2:5-12) 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. Mark 2:14 (NASB95) An Unbalanced View of Righteousness

8.  The Pharisee saw these people as stained beyond cleansing  Jesus called them to follow Him  The Pharisee saw this as fellowship with sin  Jesus was saving sinners! 16 …“Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” Mark 2:16 (NASB95) An Unbalanced View of Righteousness

9.  Jesus was preaching a simple message – “Repent and Believe the Gospel”  Repentance requires an initial realization followed by a determined action 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “ It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (NASB95) Accepting the Penitent and Rejecting the Self- Righteous

10.  Jesus was preaching a simple message – “Repent and Believe the Gospel”  Belief also requires an initial realization followed by determined action! 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “ It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (NASB95) Accepting the Penitent and Rejecting the Self- Righteous

11. “Your sins are more sinful because my righteousness is more righteous” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “ It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (NASB95) The Pharisee

12. “Your obedience is more wicked than My sin” 17 And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “ It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17 (NASB95) Grace Only

13. 18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Mark 2:18 (NASB95) Tradition and Human Reasoning  The fasting here refers to the Pharisees tradition of fasting 3 days a week  The disciples were being condemned based on tradition not law

14. 23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. Mark 2:23 (NASB95) Tradition and Human Reasoning  The Law forbade harvesting on the Sabbath  The Disciples were eating lunch  They were only guilty of violating tradition

15. 25 And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” Mark 2:25–26 (NASB95) Tradition and Human Reasoning  They excused David based on circumstance  They condemned the Disciples based on tradition  They refused pardon to the tax collector based on hatred

16. 27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27–28 (NASB95) Arbitrary Prejudicial Reasoning  Holding the writings of men on par with Scripture deny the authority behind grace  Demanding our own terms for grace demeans the true power of grace (Jn 14:15; Lk 1:28; 1Jn 2:4-5, 5:2)

17.  The doctrines of men have always been at war with Grace  Labeling obedience as anti-grace destroys the divine notion of grace  Fortunately, the offer of grace cannot be dictated by the desires of men’s hearts not the narrowness of their minds