#30 Luke 5:33-36 No One Tears a Piece

On August 2, 2021 by

Joy:
Episode#30 Luke 5:33-36

Welcome

Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you’re here. I’m Amy Burgin.

Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin

Amy:
If you’re anything like us, you long for God’s presence and holy direction amid your own wrong-thinking, unpredictable relationships with people you long to love well, and calendars and circumstances that breathe down your neck and masquerade as your boss. This podcast is for you.

Or maybe, you don’t really know who Jesus is, what he says about you, where you fit in or why you’re even here. This podcast is also for you. If you’re curious about Christ, put aside what the world says about him and see for yourself who he truly is.

Here, we offer few words of our own and make room for Christgazing, the act of gazing upon the beauty of the Lord. Each week we focus on one biblical passage as Joy reads it several times and creates stillness after each reading to consider what it is God wants us to know. In this, we make room for a living conversation with God under the great expectation that together, we will hear his voice and know him more.

We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke focusing on the things Jesus said and did when he walked the earth. 

Pour Out Your Heart to God

Amy:
Before Joy reads it, take the next minute to pour out your heart to God whether it be thanksgiving, bitterness, forgiveness, fear, a long to-do list, or nothing to do. Whatever is on your mind, name it, and bring it to the Lord in these next few moments. [Pause and pour out]

What Does This Passage Say About God?

Joy:
I’m going to read today’s passage two times. As I read, consider the question, What does this passage say about God?

Luke 5:33-36 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
 
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
 
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”
 
Again?
 
Luke 5:33-36 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
 
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
 
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”
 
Take the next few moments to answer the question, “What does this say about God?”

[Pause and know]

What Does This Passage Say About People?

Joy:
As I read the scripture again, consider the question: What does this passage tell you about people?

Luke 5:33-36 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
 
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
 
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”

Take the next minute to answer the question: What does this passage tell you about people?

[Pause and know]

Lord, What Would You Have Me Know or Do Today?

Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God the question, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”

Luke 5:33-36 They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”
 
Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”
 
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”

Take time to ask God, “Lord, what would have me know or do today?” [Pause and listen]

Blessing

Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. May you keep your face turned toward Jesus today and know him more.

One Response

Amy:
Parables give a physical picture of what can be happening in the spiritual realm. Imagine owning only two dresses, an old favorite blue, cotton dress and a new one, red rayon, lovely but maybe not yet loved. The old one fits perfect and you have worn it to many special occasions and feel confident in it. Unfortunately, because of its old age, it has two holes, one in a conspicuous spot. You have an event to attend and tell a friend you really wish you could wear the old dress.  Your friend decides she can help and she cuts two conspicuous holes in your new red dress to patch your old blue one with!

What a terrible idea! So terrible the thought is absolutely ridiculous. Yet, in the spiritual realm, how many times does this happen when a friend mourns, fasts, and weeps and another coldly demands they look at the bright side and cheer up or even vice versa?

One of the many things I love about Jesus is that he is a God of empathy and feeling. We do not serve a God who commands us to put our feelings in a mold that fits his wishes. Rather, we serve a God of sorrows who is acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) and a God of inexpressible joy who rejoices over us with dancing and singing (Zephaniah 3:17). We serve a God who mourns with those who mourn who rejoices with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).

We serve a God who desires we pour out our hearts to him, whatever we may feel because he totally gets it and wants to meet us exactly where we are, whether we be grief-stricken or joy overflowing.

Closing

Amy:
Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails and so do you.

It blesses me to hear from you! Please leave a reply here.