Faith Daily | 3 September 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - PENTECOST APBA p576

Lord of all power and might,

the author and giver of good things:

create in our hearts the love of your name,

increase in us true religion,

nourish us with all goodness,

and of your great mercy keep us in the same;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 5: 33-39

33 Then they said to him, ‘John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees, frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.’ 34Jesus said to them, ‘You cannot make wedding-guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.’ 36He also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, “The old is good.” ’

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Debbie Pringle

Jesus was at the great banquet that Levi had given in His honour after Jesus had called him to follow Him.

The Pharisees did not understand Jesus’ mission and thought that Jesus was cheapening discipleship; they didn’t think that Jesus was serious about God. Not only did He mix with sinners, but His disciples didn’t fast. Fasting was part of the Jewish way of life. It expressed sorrow, repentance and a need for God. The Pharisees fasted twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, and made a big show of doing so. (Mosaic law required fasting only one day a year, on the Day of Atonement.)

John’s mission was to prepare people for Jesus’ coming. His was a message of repentance, so fasting was appropriate. By that time John was in prison (Mark 1:14), so that gave them another reason to fast.

In His reply, Jesus said that His being there was a cause of celebration! Now was not the time for fasting. That time would come later. He went on to tell two, short parables from everyday life. Clothes were generally made from wool or linen that shrunk when washed; they could not be patched with new cloth. The first parable teaches that we can not just patch Jesus into our old lives and carry on as we were.

Wineskins were made of animal leather and stretched as the new wine fermented. As they became old, they lost their elasticity, so could not be reused. In the second parable Jesus is the new wine; it cannot be contained in old wineskins. Whether the old skins are religion, behaviour or world views, we cannot stay as we are and be filled with the new wine.

In the final verse, Jesus pointed out that some people are comfortable as they are and don’t want to try the new wine. They don’t want change in their lives.

Are we prepared to let Jesus change to our lives?

FINAL PRAYER: – by Hugh Palmer

Lord, where we have settled for ruts that are not yours,

forgive us.

Where our hearts are hardened to the changes you’ll bring,

soften us.

May we be those who can go on hearing Jesus

And changing for Jesus

And enjoying this kingdom more and more.

We ask it for His name’s sake,

Amen.