Try Something New

20 Feb Try Something New

February 19, 2023

Try Something New

And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

“No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made worse.  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:18-22

Our scriptures today are two parables Jesus gives after being ask why don’t your disciples fast. Jesus used parables many times to illustrate a point. Jesus is the Word made flesh dwelling among the people (John 1:14) Showing them a better way, not patching up the old way.  I like the way the Wilmington Bible Handbook sums it up “Though he had come to fulfill the law The fulfillment itself will be a transformation into something new. “

Jesus is not here in the flesh now, but he left us the gift of Holy Spirit.  Jesus said in John 14:25-26 while talking to His disciples “All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

That advocate is what we all need to experience the new and better way of living in these perilous times.  We must understand and actively use the person of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. See God planned creation and redemption, Jesus paid for it and the Holy Spirit is the agent in the earth.  If this is new to you hang on, we are going to be studying the Holy Spirit for a few sessions.  The key is you must be born again (accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior) for the Holy Spirit dwell in the believer.  1 Corinthians 3:16 says “Know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? “ 

Read the Gospel of  John chapters 14 – 16. 

Tired of the same results, wasting time… then try something new. Someone said, “We can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions”, we can sometimes become so regimented that we miss a better way doing things and living.  Even those of us who have been Christians for a while. Case in point in the midst of writing this message I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me that I needed to stop, take a break and come back after I ran an errand.  I did not heed the tug of the Holy Spirt spent three extra hours trying to finish.  Finally, I stepped away and the message began to flow. That is just an example of how He leads/guides us, but He does so much more, He is omniscient/ knows everything (John14:16), He the comforter (John 14:26), convict of sin (John 16:8), helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27) He is the best teacher no matter what the subject is (John 16:13), and spiritual advisor to name a few things.

Father in the name of Jesus we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit help us trust Him and depend on Him more and more.

Theresa Woodard