June 3
Mark 2:18-22
One of my colleagues once asked me, “What kind of church do you go to?” When I told her, she replied, “Oh, I go to a *** church. I need the kind of religion that allows me to drink.” (I’m not making this up) She obviously was not concerned with a real relationship with God. She was looking for a religion to fit in to her desires. That is what the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were wanting as well. They were impressed with Jesus and His teachings, but they were just looking for a way to incorporate it into their pre-established traditions. But that is not why Jesus came. He came to bring the new! “When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13 NLT) The old covenant was made in the time of Moses. I just spent an entire year studying Moses, so I’m afraid if I start talking about that I won’t be able to stop. I’ll just say this, in the old law every sin had to be atoned for in the form of a sacrifice. Can you imagine having to slaughter a cow every time you did something wrong? Well, the reason we don’t have to do that anymore is because of Jesus. He is our eternal sacrifice. “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” (Romans 8:3 NLT) New patches shrink and ruin old clothes. New wine expands and ruins old wineskins. Jesus did not come to make religion better. Jesus came to bring new religion, new rules, new life. Thank you, Jesus!
Principle: When Christ comes, all life becomes new; it no longer fits the old framework.
Application:
1. If I am not joyful since Jesus has come into my life, why?
2. Where in my life have I tried to patch up the bad places with a little Christianity?
3. When will I wholeheartedly make Christ the Lord of all?
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New wineskins are flexible. As the wine ferments, they stretch. Old wineskins are have no elasticity. When I'm 80 years old, I want to be the guy in the senior adult group telling my peers, "Support the changes our young pastor is trying to make. The faith must be passed down to future generations so let's STRETCH!"
ReplyDeleteI am very thankful for the new covenant. When we were studying about the different sacarfices and rules that go alone with them this year, My comment was I would never make it. I love animals too much. I also love Jesus and the sacrfice he gave to us so we could serve and worship Him.
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