Today, we continue in our Luke - Exploring who Jesus is - series.
‘‘He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” (Luke 5:36-39)
Lesson: We have to learn how to live in the New Covenant - learn to obey the Old Testament and relate to God in light of Jesus’ coming.
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To those who challenge Jesus for His eating with the wrong people and for feasting too much and not fasting enough, Jesus gives them a parable about new cloth, new wineskins and new wine. The religious people who are concerned about Jesus’ behaviour are trying to get Him to fit what they consider to be the right mould. However, Jesus’ response reveals that He has come to bring in a new way of relating to God and a new way of living - The New Covenant.
What is the old garment, old wineskins, and old wine? These three things represent living as a good Jew before Jesus came, which involves obeying the laws of the Old Testament. Jesus is not saying that these things are bad; far from it! However, Christians are to live differently now that Jesus has come.
What is the new garment, new wineskins, and new wine?
Christians are to read and apply the Old Testament in light of Jesus’ coming. As you read the New Testament, you see this being done. So, for example, Christians no longer have a temple; no longer have animal sacrifices; no longer keep the dietary laws; no longer have a priesthood from a particular tribe; no longer keep festivals such as The Passover… However, we have to interpret and apply these things in a new way according to the death and resurrection of Christ and the giving of His Spirit. The new garment, new wineskin, and new wine have many similarities to the old, but they are radically updated in light of Jesus’ coming for us. For example, in the Old Testament all males were to be circumcised or be condemned. Circumcision was a sign of being a part of the people of God. However, after Jesus had come, circumcision was not to be carried out because circumcision pointed to our being given new life in Christ and so is no longer binding:
‘No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.’ (Romans 2:29)
Response
We have to learn how to live in the New Covenant - learn to obey the Old Testament and relate to God in light of Jesus’ coming. It’s not always easy to know how to apply the Old Testament to our lives in this New Covenant era. However, as one reads the New Testament, we learn how to do this. When reading the Old, it’s important to ask, does the New Testament say anything specifically about this?
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
This week is our week of prayer so we won't be meeting in our Community Groups.
Please go to Church News or contact the office or your CG leader for more details.
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