Old wine, new wine

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Devotions: Ps 101, 109:1-30; 119:121-44; Hos 4:11-19; Acts 21:15-26; Lk 5:27-39

Lord, I will focus my heart and my testimony on responding to Your grace with integrity. I will not set anything base before my eyes; I will avoid the works of those who transgress; I will set perversity of heart far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Day by day, I will strive to end iniquity in myself and in the situations I influence. I have these struggles within, but also without: wicked and deceitful mouths slander me without cause. They reward my good for evil; I love them, but they hate me. So I turn my enemies over to You, Lord, as a righteous and holy Judge. Deal on my behalf for Your name's sake, Lord. I throw myself on Your mercy. Save me according to Your steadfast love, and let my enemies know that they face You; let them be wrapped in shame as in a mantle! Don't leave me to my oppressors, I pray. Teach me Your statutes, and enculture me in Your holiness and love. I will direct my steps according to Your precepts; unfolding Your words brings light to my path. Let no iniquity gain dominion over me. Let Your countenance shine upon me, righteous Lord. You are faithful, and keep all Your promises; You are righteous and right in all Your judgments. I am satisfied by Your goodness, my God.

Hosea wrote: my people are drunk; they inquire of wooden idols; they depend on blocks of wood to guide their lives. A spirit of harlotry has led them astray; they abandon God and prostitute themselves to demons. They offer sacrifices in high places and under tall trees; women and men alike commit adultery and fornicate with cult prostitutes. My people are stubborn and stupid; leave Ephraim to his idolatries; leave them to their drink and their shame!

Luke accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, despite the dire prophecies they had heard in every stop along the way. Some of the disciples from Caesarea went with Paul and his companions. They were welcomed by the Christians in Jerusalem. The next day, Paul and his party met with James and the Jerusalem elders. He reported what God had done through his missionary ministry, and the Jerusalem leaders glorified God. But they raised a concern: the Jerusalem church had grown, incorporating many new Jewish believers, who had been misinformed about Paul and his message. They suggested that Paul join four men who were taking a vow, pay the costs of their sacrifices, and ritually purify himself along with them, so that all might shave their heads. This, said the Jerusalem leaders, would show the skeptics that Paul was an observant Jew as well as a Christian apostle. Paul acceded to these instructions, and purified himself and accompanied the four to the temple and gave notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled; and he made offering for all five, including himself.

As Jesus was departing from a confrontation with Jewish scribes and Pharisees, He passed a tax collector named Levi; Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me.' And the man left everything, got up, and followed Jesus. Levi made a great feast for Jesus in his house; attending were a great company, including many tax collectors and others, reclining at table with Jesus. The Pharisees and scribes murmured against Jesus's disciples: 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' Jesus answered them: 'Those who are well have no need for a physician; it is those who are sick who need healing. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' His critics responded, 'John's disciples fast often and offer many prayers; so do the disciples of the Pharisees. But Your disciples are feasting and drinking.' Jeus said, 'Can you force the wedding guests to fast while the Bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the Bridegroom is taken from them; they will fast in those days.' He told them this parable: 'No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it onto an old garment. If he does, he tears the new, and the new piece will not match or patch the old. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does this, the new wine will burst the skins, and both wine and skins will be lost. New wine must be poured into new wineskins. Finally, no one desires new wine after he has imbibed the old vintage; such people maintain, "The old is good," and they reject what is new and fresh.