- And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Luke 5:30 – Don’t listen to the “Pharisees” at church. They may have been in church their whole life, they may seems to know the ins and outs of the Bible, they may even seem to have never sinned since birth, but they don’t have a clue as to what the heart of Jesus really is about. Jesus is about forgiveness, love, and restoration. He is about us turning from a life that’s going against Him to walking with Him. Know there will be people that will come against you and try to shred your faithful walk with God, and unfortunately, many times it will be people even in your own church that do the tearing. Just remember church is a place where broken people find healing and everyone, even those who seems to have it all together and use their words to hurt people, need healing too. Walking with God is never without hurdles, but it’s all worth it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 610
- And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’ Luke 5:39 – I’ll upfront say there is a few ways this verse that is only found in Luke’s gospel account is understood by commentators, but I’ll do my best to explain what I believe is being said. Jesus just finished speaking with the religious teachers of the day sharing with them how His new gospel message wasn’t going to fit into their old, ridged, rabbinic traditions they held to so tightly. Jesus wasn’t speaking of the Old Testament law which was holy and good for He and His message fulfilled that law, but Jesus was speaking of laws the religious teachers of the day instituted and the strict adherence to such laws. In verse 39 Jesus expresses how difficult it will be for those used to the “old wine,” the traditions and strictness, to embrace the gospel Jesus was sharing. As we lean then into Good Friday today, understand there is a new wine of a gospel that has been poured into our story because of what Jesus did on the cross. A message of freedom from shame and guilt and a covering of all our wrongs. While we may not be holding fast to the rabbinic laws like those in Luke 5, we can hold fast to our own “old wines.” We can choose to see ourselves in ways we always have, yet those ways conflict with the words of Jesus. We can continue to believe we are in ultimate control of our life even when that conflicts with the words of Jesus. We can cherish our old ways and dismiss the words of the gospel of Jesus. For myself, I pray that my attachments to the old ways of my life are nailed to the cross. I want to desire the new the Jesus is offering. Are you today content with the old wine of your life or are you embracing the new wine that comes with a life following Jesus? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2322
Daily DEVO 