August 25, 2018
Mark 2:23-28
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
CONSIDER THIS
32. Could Sabbath be another “wineskin” issue? Yesterday it was about fasting. Today it’s about food. Once again, the so-called “faithful” are concerned about enforcing “faithfulness” to the law as relates to Sabbath keeping. Jesus’ disciples were hungry and they plucked a few heads of grain to cut their appetite. The Pharisees appeal to the rules. Jesus appealed to the purpose of the rules—real people (i.e. David).
Old wineskin: man was made for the Sabbath. New wineskin: the Sabbath was made for man.
Old wineskins were about getting it right. New wineskins are about keeping it real.
Old wineskins were about external appearance. New wineskins are about internal identity.
Old wineskins were about the fulfilling duty. New wineskins are about the training desire.
Old wineskins—Fasting all about faithfulness. New wineskins—Fasting all about fellowship.
Old wineskins—Sabbath all about prohibitions. New wineskins—Sabbath all about provision.
33. The issue is not about the practice but the purpose. The old way: perfecting performance through religious practice. The new way: perfecting purpose through practicing love. The Holy Spirit is not in search of perfect people. The Holy Spirit searches for people whom he can perfect in love.
Old wineskins—Keeping it religious. New wineskins—Keeping it real.
So what about the “New Wine?” That’s the Holy Spirit. Why do I say this? Remember the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit first descended on the Apostles? Remember what the people said?
And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
34. Jesus agenda for his disciples: Stripping away the old wineskins of a religious kind of holy to make way for the new wineskins of a human kind of holy. It’s not an easy transition. The pathway must go through the Cross.
Ready for the New Wine of the Holy Spirit? Keep it real.
THE PRAYER
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. I confess I am still caught up in the old wineskins at times. At other times, I have rejected the whole thing because of the old wineskins. Re-groove my soul with the real purposes of these practices and train me in the new ways you do these ancient practices. Melt me. Mold me. Fill me. Use me. For the glory of your name, Jesus. Amen.
THE QUESTION
Do you tend to be more stuck in the old wineskin mentality or are you guilty of throwing out the baby with the bathwater on things like fasting and Sabbath keeping? What might a new wineskin approach look like for you?
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For the Awakening,
J.D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com
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