Today's Reading: Mark 2: 18-22
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Mark 2: 18-22
Bible Study
In ancient times, goatskins were used to hold wine. As the new wine began to ferment, the wine expanded in the process and the new wineskins would stretch and not break. But used wineskins, already stretched, would break. The new wine represented the message of Jesus, which brought a newness that cannot be restricted or confined within old forms. That's why Jesus' disciples did not need to follow the old tradition to fast as Jesus used the parables of the bridegroom and the guests of the bridegroom to explain of His coming changed everything. And, the parable of the new wine and new wineskins gave a deeper meaning to what Jesus meant.
N.T. Wright gives us a very good conclusion to this passage:
Christians look back to the time of Jesus as the one-off moment when God did the great new thing that had long been promised. Everything is different as a result of what he did. But that doesn't stop us, sadly, from trying to combine the new things the gospel offers with the old things from the world all around us - or, indeed, the old and often unnecessary traditions from the church of former years. When God is doing new things, we should join the party, not grumble because the new wine is threatening to burst our poor old bottles. A good deal of day-to-day Christian wisdom consists in sorting out the new from the old.
"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
Mark 2: 22
Are you willing to become new wineskins to prepare yourself for His new Kingdom work? What do you have to be changed if you want to become new wineskins?
Have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to God as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
My Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Are you new wineskins or old wineskins?
Today Jesus gave me quite a number of memories of how I have been changing from old wineskins to new wineskins and yet still can respect those who are in old wineskins. As a Chinese I have that kind of blood of "middle kingdom" mentality. Not to the far left, not to the far right, always maintaining a balance to be in the middle. As an Anglican I have that kind of Anglican blood somewhat like the Chinese's "middle kingdom" mentality but using another word - via media, meaning through the middle way.
Any how, lots of time both methods doesn't work. Lots of time I have to choose side. Now, I choose to be in the new wineskins so that I can do His new wine Kingdom work. It's not easy to change into new wineskins but it is Jesus' way. So, let's try our best to follow Jesus to extend His Kingdom in a new way!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Chinese praise song - 祢讓我生命改變 You Transform My Life
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