Tuesday after Jubilate
Posted on April 27, 2021 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 2:18-22 (NKJV)
2:18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”
Devotion
This familiar illustration from our Lord Jesus makes the point that faith trusts in His Words, not our own understanding. Faith does not just grab the Word of God and then assure us that we have it all figured out. His Holy Spirit teaches us to remember that we are weak in our sinfulness and our eyes are darkened by unrighteousness. So, while we are to strive for growth and understanding, we are also taught to be humble and repent in all those times when the clear Word of Christ’s commands are different from our assumptions about what the Scriptures say.
Our broken society is working overtime to teach people that they should fill the world with their opinions. Whether it is about consumer goods, politics, pop culture, or even one another, we are taught that we have a right to judge and comment on everything. The devil wants us to think that we all have the vocation of “expert critic” concerning all things. But God would have us be still and trust in His holy commands. He teaches us to love and serve according to our clear vocations. He teaches us to hear Jesus Christ over all. Rather than subject things to our old wicked inclinations, we are to trust in our Lord for His judgment and His mercy!
Prayer: Almighty God, who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness, grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion that they may avoid those things that are contrary to their profession and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
