21 May 2010
Psalm 102; Jer. 31:27-34; Eph. 5:1-20; Matt. 9:9-17

The new covenant is announced through Jeremiah. The promise of the Lord is to write the law on our hearts and the knowledge of the Lord will be within us. The Spirit enables us to have understanding that is greater than any of the teachers who had come before Jesus or who teach now but do not have the Spirit. The giving of the Spirit is something that is difficult to esteem highly enough. Other than Jesus Himself, the Spirit is the most valuable gift a Christian can receive. The Spirit allows us to have access to the mind and the wisdom of God all the time if we will lean on and rest in Him. We have the very Spirit of God living in us to teach us, guide us, direct us and empower us in all aspects of our lives. Everyone who is in Christ has access to that same Spirit, without distinction to class, color, educational attainment or financial ability. Some of the wisest Christians I have ever met are people the world overlooks for one reason or another. There is truly no distinction for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The new wine has come. Jesus uses those parables to attempt to explain how He differs from all that has come before. The Pharisees question the disciples first on their eating with tax-collectors and sinners, Matthew’s friends. The attempt was surely to divide the group by suggesting that this teacher could not be important because he associated with the worst sort of people, seemingly indifferent to their lifestyle. Jesus announces that his mission is different, quoting the word of God to them regarding mercy rather than sacrifice. The disciples of John are taken more seriously and given a more thorough answer and revelation of who Jesus is in the scheme of things. He is truly claiming to be something different and even in this answer is laying the groundwork for his departure.

Paul tells the Ephesians that their lives are to be different from the past and from those around them. They are new creations in Christ and therefore all about their lives should tell the difference. He speaks of finding out what is pleasing to the Lord and doing it, living no longer as unwise but as wise, disassociating themselves from the ways of the world. They are to live as those guided by the Holy Spirit to a new manner of life, a life characterized by real joy and thanksgiving, not riotous joy induced by debauchery for which there is later remorse and guilt, but the joy that comes only from the Spirit.

Hear my prayer, O LORD;let my cry come to you!
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!