Jesus seeks to make all things new

In Luke 5:27-39 Jesus and his disciples are criticized by the religious leaders of His day for eating and drinking (basically hanging out!) with sinners and tax collectors.

Jesus, in an attempt to bring his critics along, tells a couple of parables. I love the Jesus that the Scriptures portray!

Jesus never is mean-spirited; never seeks to injure not even his critics!

The first response of Jesus to His critics is” It is not those who are well who need a physician but those who are sick. But go learn what this means “I desire mercy not sacrifice!”

He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance!”

Then, Jesus and His disciples were criticized for not observing the fasting and praying like other people.

Jesus said that people don't put a new patch on an old cloth lest the new patch rips a bigger whole in the old.

He also talked about new wine must be put into new wineskins lest the new wine burst and ruin the old wine skins.

In this exchange between Jesus and His critics (the religious leaders) He reveals His fathers heart toward a couple of groups of people.

Jesus shows great compassion for the “sick” or sinners by intentionally engaging them. He offers Himself as the fresh or new wine of compassion and mercy.

The religious leaders were hung up on the letter of the law and controlling people. Jesus was not willing to criticize or marginalize even his critics. Jesus also was offering Himself as the fresh or new wine of passion.

In the Old Testament, fasting was connected to grief and sorrow. Jesus connected fasting to a joyous celebration of a wedding.

New Testament fasting is about seeking clarity so we can develop deep convictions that allow us to take huge steps of faith with courage.

In the end Jesus said new wine must be put into new wineskins to preserve the wine and the old wine skins.

The words for new are different in the original language. New for wine relates to age while new for wineskins relates to condition. Literally new wine skins are renewed or refreshed old wine skins!

Jesus is passionate about saving the new wine of the Spirit and refreshing the old wineskins of our hearts that have become hard, cracked and dried up! Jesus is into making old vessels like new! That is good news!