Jesus Is Not a Patch by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Before we get into the message this morning, I want to come back to a question which I posed last Sunday. Are you really wanting freedom or are we merely satisfied with God'd provision in our life? This morning, we are going to be reading from Matthew chapter 9 and verses 14-17.

        14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but the disciples fast not?

        This is a valid question posed by the disciples of John regarding fasting. John's message was that fasting would kill your flesh. What we will read though is that there's always more than a simple answer from Jesus. In all four gospels, Jesus would expound further than just a mere brief and simple answer.

        15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

        16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

        17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

        Jesus did not come to repair or restore the old covenant. The people thought he was, but Jesus had come to fulfill the law. When you read the many laws and commandments in the old testament, Jesus was not here to amend or adjust the commandments to his time. If you try to judge Jesus by the old covenant or by our own misinterpretation, you will be sorrowful.

        He doesn't want to fix or mend your old life. Jesus wants to create in you a new life. The commandments brought down from Mount Sinai to reveal sin. The book of Leviticus is filled with individual laws. Law revealed the sin, but it couldn't remove the sin. Sacrifice merely rolled the sin back with the old covenant. After Jesus' ministry with the new covenant is grace and truth.

        Jesus is not a patch for your dysfunctional life. Many try to add Jesus in their life without surrender of their flesh. Anything we do for God without surrender is a waste of time. We add prayer without repentance. Church attendance without conversion. Good works without faith, you can do the basics of a christian life but no submission, there's no commitment.

        The tear in your life grows worse over time. Within the tear lies frustration, hypocrisy, and burn out. These are all visible when a person is trying to patch Jesus into their life. Bitterness is another term for disappointment. Disappointment often brings a horrible outcome.

        In church there's disappointment that leads to bitterness which leads to a poisonous outcome. You cannot sew holiness over hidden sin. There's no path for you if you're trying to retain your own life. There's no patch for your old belief system. You cannot pour the holy spirit into a dirty vessel which is an unchanged and unrepentant life. Tongues are the indicator of the holy ghost. It is a witness to a non believer.

        Let's quickly turn to the book of Colossians chapter 3 and verse 4.

        4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

        Jesus doesn't want to be an accessory in your life. Jesus wants to be in your life. When you evaluate your life, you should use self reflection. Let Jesus transform you by inhabiting your thoughts, you habits, your mindsets, and your words. Jesus has you if you're connected.

        When you find out something God does well in you, don't forget to put it into practice. Work at it until you get really good at it in life. The limitation of Jesus in your life is only as great as your faith is in your lfie. Let it be as your faith is.