Out with the old in with the new

Luke 5: ³³ Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

³⁴ And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

³⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. ³⁹ And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”

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After hours of work, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had followed each step meticulously and had finished my entire quota. When someone came by, they asked if I had followed the new procedures. “What new procedures?” I asked. I had to redo everything.

• Sometimes I think I need to work hard in order to please GOD.
• Sometimes I like to see progress with GOD so I follow the rules meticulously.
• Sometimes I believe that when I follow the law, I am closer to GOD and when I break the law I am far away from HIM.

Heart language is very different than head language. In other words there are those who know the rods of the Bible, but not the heart of what is spoken. JESUS proves this over and over as HE explains that HE is the fulfilment of the Old Testament, therefore HIS disciples were indeed following the law by not fasting at that particular time.

• GOD wants me to know “A new commandment that I give to you, that you love one another.”
• GOD wants me to know “Love ME with all your heart and with all your mind.”
• GOD wants me to know “Without love, nothing can be done.”

This new way of thinking that JESUS introduces is more SPIRIT led than legal. The problem is wide interpretations can leave me confused so tend to cling onto the law HE gave in the first place. GOD does not mind me following the law, in fact HE loves when I try.

BUT GOD also desires that I become a new wineskin so I can accept HIS new wine of love for those I would ordinarily hate. The “Good old days” and the “Good old ways” sometimes leave me stuck in judgment of people who GOD simply wants me to love. JESUS is my bridegroom.

• Are you trying your best to follow every letter of the Bible and are feeling exhausted?
• Are you judging others for not following the Bible as you have learned?
• Will you allow GOD to work in others differently than the way HE has you working?
• Will you become a new vessel for HIM to pour new love for others into your heart today?

Old and New

Mark 2: ¹⁸ The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.²¹ No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. ²² And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

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“You’re doing that the old way” someone said to me. They quickly showed me the “new” way of doing things and while it was pretty good, there were still some remnants of the old way that still needed to be done. I learned the new way but respected the old way because it had a solid foundation.

• Sometimes I think I can throw away the old for the new.
• Sometimes I think I need to do only new stuff because the old no longer has purpose.
• Sometimes I think I need to change because it is time to change.

JESUS’ disciples faced criticism of not following deep tradition of the Law of Moses that the Pharisees and even John’s disciples were following. Since HE made the laws in the first place, HE knew how they applied and why.  JESUS explains the law to me.

• JESUS says to me “The law is MY first covenant but I AM the second.”
• JESUS says to me “I wiped away all of your sins in a way the Law could not.”
• JESUS says to me “I AM the only way, the truth and the life.”

But what about the law? JESUS addresses the need to continue to love the Law while recognizing the second covenant, namely HIM. HIS disciples did not need to fast while HE was there, but would need to when HE would be murdered. 

JESUS wants me to not throw away the Law in lieu of HIS resurrection rather respect why HE made the Law in the first place. HE wants me to follow the “heart” of the Law and the application won’t become sterile and traditionalized. JESUS wants my heart.

• Are you trying to follow GOD out of habit?
• When is the last time you were led by GOD out of the SPIRIT?
• Can you look at the Law of Moses and apply it with the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT today?