SOMETHING NEW

LUKE 5:33-39, 6:1-11


      Jesus did not come to renovate the old. Jesus came to make all things new (2 Cor. 5:16).


  I. New ministry (5:33-35)


      A. Contrast (33)


          1. John and Jesus


              a. John in a prison


      At that time Herod Antipas imprisoned John the Baptist at Machaerus for preaching repentance. While John suffered captivity, Jesus ate with publicans and sinners at Levi’s house. Hobbs noted, “They were perhaps critical because, while their teacher was in prison, Jesus and His disciples were attending a banquet.” Endnote


              b. Jesus at a party


          2. Gloom and laughter


      Legalists turned worship into pridefulness (Lk. 18:12) and sadness.


Mt. 6:16 [ESV]. And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.


      B. Comparison (34-35)


Lk. 7:33-34 [ESV]. For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'

 34. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'


          1. Marriage


      Barclay explained, “When two young people married in Palestine they did not go away for a honeymoon; they stayed at home, and for a week kept open house. They dressed in their best. . . for that week they were king and queen and their word was law. They would never have a week like that again in their hard-working lives. And the favored guests who shared this festive week were called the children of the bride-chamber.” Endnote


Rom. 7:4 [MKJV]. So, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ so that you should be married to Another, even to Him raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God.


          2. Mourning


      David Smith noted, “They were no band of mourners but rather resembled a wedding company.” Endnote


Jn. 3:29 [GW]. The groom is the person to whom the bride belongs. The best man, who stands and listens to him, is overjoyed when the groom speaks. This is the joy that I feel.


 II. New mission (5:36-39)


      A. Clothes (36)


      Hobbs explained, “If an old garment were patched with new cloth the new cloth would shrink, and the hole in the old garment would be torn larger. In essence, Jesus did not come to patch up the old garment of Judaism but to weave a new garment altogether. Furthermore, if new wine were placed in old brittle wine skins, as the new wine worked it would expand. . . which would burst the old skins, thus losing the new wine. In effect, the old forms of Judaism could not contain the new revelation which Jesus brought.” Endnote


Lk. 24:49 [ESV]. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.


      B. Containers (37-38)


      Wine symbolized the time of salvation (Jn. 2:11). Jesus did not come to revive an old system (Jn. 10:10).

•          Wedding not a funeral (Mt. 25:6)

•          New not old (Rom. 6:6, 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:14)

•          Joy not gloom (Jn. 3:29)

•          Full not empty (Lk. 11:26; Jn. 1:16)

•          Grace not law (Jn. 2:3)


Acts 2:13 [GW]. Others said jokingly, "They're drunk on sweet wine."


      C. Comfort (39)


      Plummer said, “The prejudiced person will not even try the new, or admit that it has any merits. He knows that the old is pleasant, and suits him; and that is enough; he is not going to change.” Endnote


      A. B. Bruce said, “We are so practical in ordinary life and so impractical in religion.” Barclay wrote, “There is in religious people a kind of passion for the old. Nothing moves more slowly than a church.” Endnote


      Barclay explained, “No business could exist on outworn methods–and yet the church tried to. Any business which had lost as many customers as the church has would have tried new ways long ago–but the church tends to resent all that is new.” Endnote


      The universal keyboard for a typewriter, introduced in 1872, seemed awkward and confusing. Inventor C. L. Sholes built the first model in 1868 with the keys arranged alphabetically in two rows. The machine clashed and jammed which led Sholes to invent the keyboard known today. In the decades following the original Remington typewriter, many alternative keyboards came and went. Then, in 1932, with funds from the Carnegie Foundation, Professor August Dvorak, of Washington State University, developed the ultimate typewriter keyboard. Dvorak arranged letters according to frequency. With the Dvorak keyboard, a typist could type about 400 of the English language's most common words without ever leaving the home row compared to the universal keyboard of 100. The Dvorak keyboard failed to take hold because no one wanted to take the time and trouble to learn a new keyboard.


2 Cor. 6:2 [HCSB]. For He says: In an acceptable time, I heard you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you. Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation.


      William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, said, “If I thought I could win one more soul for Christ by standing on my head and beating a tambourine with my feet I would learn how to do it.” Endnote

 

•          Forms (Mt. 15:6-8). Many churches cling to antiquated traditions while the culture constantly changes: computers (new technology), Coke (new tastes), cars (new trends–Lee Iacocca).

•          Fads (false fire as dangerous as no fire). Wiersbe said, “Many churches refuse anything new. . . . Other churches accept everything new. . . and in the process, destroy the old things that must be preserved.” Endnote


III. New meaning (6:1-11)


      A. Laws of the Sabbath (1-5)


      The Mishnah (Shahbath, vii.2) contained thirty-nine classes of prohibited actions with regard to the Sabbath.


      David Smith wrote, “A woman must not look into her mirror on the Sabbath Day, lest she should discover a grey hair and be tempted to pluck it out.” Endnote


Lk. 14:3-5 [ESV]. And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?"


          1. Grain


      As the disciples passed along, they plucked off the ears of corn, either barley or wheat, and rubbed them in their hands, to get the grain clear of the husk.


      Edersheim explained, “The following Talmudic passage bears on this: ‘In case a woman rolls wheat to remove the husks, it is considered as sifting; if she rubs the heads of wheat, it is regarded as threshing; if she cleans off the side-adherences, it is sifting out fruit; if she bruises the ears, it is grinding; if she throws them up in her hand, it is winnowing.’” Endnote


          2. Grace (1 Sam. 21:6)


      Edersheim wrote, “David was allowed to eat of the shewbread, not because there was danger to life from starvation, but because he pleaded that he was on the service of the Lord and needed this provision. The disciples, when following the Lord, were similarly on the service of the Lord; ministering to Him was more than ministering in the Temple, for He was greater than the Temple.” Endnote


Hos. 6:6 [ESV]. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.


          3. Good


      Edersheim said, “We are not free to do anything we please; but we are free to do anything needful or helpful, while we are doing any service to Christ.” Endnote


Mk. 2:27 [GW]. Then he added, “The day of worship was made for people, not people for the day of worship.


      B. Lord of the Sabbath (6-11)


      Jesus is the Lord of the Day of the Lord.


          1. Withered (Jn. 5:3)


          2. Watchers (Lk. 14:1, 20:20; Gal. 4:10)


      Barclay wrote, “They came to scripture not to learn God’s will but to find proof texts to buttress up their own ideas.” Endnote


      Lost church members attend each Sabbath who know the rituals but do not know the righteousness of Jesus.


Mt. 5:20 [ESV]. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


              a. Accuse (Lk. 11:54)


              b. Condemn (Jn. 5:10)


      It is easier for a man to criticize (Lk. 5:22) other rule-breakers than to examine the purity of his own heart.


          3. Win


      With the Pharisees, the keeping of the day replaced the saving of a soul. The best way to honor the day is to save souls.


Mk. 8:36 [MKJV]. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?


Jas. 5:20 [MKJV]. know that he who turns back the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.


          4. Whole


      David Smith commented, “Only when life was in danger, did the Law permit healing on the Sabbath; and, since his life was in no danger, it would be a breach of the Law should Jesus grant the man’s prayer and heal his hand.” Endnote


      Jesus put saving souls ahead of making peace with the Pharisees. Jesus stretched out His hand (Acts 4:30) to restore (Mk. 8:35) the man.


          5. Wrath


Mk. 3:6 [GW]. The Pharisees left, and with Herod's followers they immediately plotted to kill Jesus.


      Hobbs said, “This within itself shows the extent of the Pharisees’ hatred toward Jesus. They were arch political enemies of the Herodians.” Endnote


      Religious people went into a senseless rage wanting to kill Jesus simply because Jesus ruffled tradition. The Pharisees had lost reality.


O how well do I remember
How I doubted day by day,
For I did not know for certain
That my sins were washed away.
When the Spirit tried to tell me,
I would not the truth receive;
I endeavored to be happy
And to make myself believe.


When the truth came close and searching,
All my joys would disappear,
For I did not have the witness
Of the Spirit bright and clear.
If at times the coming judgment
Would appear before my mind,
O it made me so uneasy,
For God’s smile I could not find.


When the Lord sent faithful servants
Who would dare to preach the truth,
How my heart did so condemn me
As the Spirit gave reproof!
Satan said at once, “Twill ruin
You now to confess your state;
Keep on working and professing,
And you’ll enter Heaven’s gate.”


But at last I tired of living
Such a life of fear and doubt,
For I wanted God to give me
Something I would know about,
So the truth would make me happy
And the light would clearly shine,
And the Spirit gave assurance
That I’m His and He is mine.


So I prayed to God in earnest,
And not caring what folks said.
I was hungry for the blessing;
My pour soul—it must be fed.
Then at last by faith I touched Him
And, like sparks from smitten steel,
Just so quick salvation reached me.
O bless God, I know it’s real!


But it’s real, it’s real!
O I know it’s real
Praise God, the doubts are settled,
For I know, I know it’s real!

(Homer Cox, 1907)