Stretching and growth . . .

Listen here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/356f4e00/stretching-and...

As soon as I grab the leashes for my little dogs, Philly and Hutch, they seem to immediately drop into a 'downward facing dog' stretch. Dogs love to stretch . . . for that matter, so do cats. They stretch because it feels good and sometimes because they sense something good is coming--like, a w-a-l-k. hmmm...

The meaning of some scripture passages is not always obvious; like it takes a little work to understand what in the world Jesus was talking about in some settings. Years ago, I would have just kept on reading without going to the trouble of unpacking the meaning, but now I see it as an invitation to step a little closer. "God, please give us insight to understand what Jesus was saying in this exchange and what it means for us 2000 years later; give us insight on stretching, Lord."

Luke writes: "One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”

Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.” Luke 5.33-39

Perhaps a lady you met brought you a little orange New Testament and you'd like to engage a little more with the Bible for yourself, what might you do? Here is a simple method of studying the Bible employing the acronym S.O.A.P.

Write the Scripture. Just writing it out in your own handwriting has merit.

Observation - what does it mean?

Application - is there is an application to your life?

Pray about what you read and ask God to help you apply it to your knowledge or if applicable, to take action

So, what do you observe when considering these last few verse in Luke 5?

Right out of the gate, Jesus' manner was approachable and available.

Fasting? With regard to the spiritual discipline of fasting, the gospel writers Matthew, Mark and John all quote Jesus discussing the power in coupling fasting with prayer, but in this instance, Jesus merely explained that the time for fasting would come after he left them.

Jesus oft answered a question with a question, pointing his questioner to a new way of thinking. Jesus did not mince words nor did he waste them; unquestionably, he was the best teacher who ever lived.

Huh, think about it--Jesus and his disciples enjoyed celebrations, particularly weddings it seems. *Remember: John recorded Jesus' first miracle turning water into wine to save the shame and embarrassment of a family who ran out of wine at their days' long wedding celebration.1

And then Jesus used two simple illustrations about how stretching is required for growth. First, if a new fabric patch was sewn onto an old garment - the patch would neither match nor hold.

'And what about the wineskins? Wine was poured into animal skins in ancient cultures.2 When new wine was put in old skins, as it fermented, it would expand, stretching the wineskin. A brand new wineskin would be flexible and able to stretch without breaking but an old skin that had already been stretched, could stretch no further. To put new wine into an old wineskin would only be asking for it to burst.3

What a great picture his listeners would surely see in their minds' eye over and over throughout Jesus' ministry and long after he had returned to the Father-- "And then Jesus said, no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”4

I wonder at the inflection of his voice as he said this. . . and how about his posture? Did Jesus' shoulders reveal his disappointment in those who chose not to hear the Good News he was bringing? Did his eyes show the intensity of emotion that they chose the Law over Him as he stood right in front of them, the Son of God in the flesh? You see, when we really seek to know the message from Scripture, there is much to observe and consider. How very rich it is!

Last thought: is Jesus looking to do a new thing in you? Is he wanting to stretch you and grow you? Are you open to that?

"All of my Days" - listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGzJxSS2W8Y

Stretching is good.

Christine

Luke, #23

1 - John 2.1-12, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%202%3A1-12&ve...

2 - "This day in wine history" https://thisdayinwinehistory.com/wineskin-before-the-invention-of-t...

3 - Daytona Biker Church: bringing bikers to Christ, "New Wine in Old Wineskins"

4 - Luke 5.39