Jesus Calls Levi

Jim Leffel

Luke 18:9-14

When Jesus calls Levi (a tax collector and therefore social outcast) to follow him, he demonstrates a level of true acceptance and reconciliation. The Pharisees question Jesus' association with "tax gatherers and sinners," giving way to a conversation regarding the differences between the grace of God and the legalism practiced and preached by the religious. These two ideas are incompatible, and Jesus uses parables to point out that the religious approach is displeasing to and misrepresentative of God.

Two Ways of Relating to God

Gary DeLashmutt

Jeremiah 31:31-34

The two ways of relating to God are either: 1) through superficial rituals, and adherence to the laws of the Old Covenant; or 2) through God's intended method of a personal relationship based on Christ's death on the cross. The Old Covenant was never meant to be permanent and was never meant to bring the Jews closer to God, its' purpose was to show them how far they were from God and that they needed to be clean to come into His presence. The New Covenant was brought forward and promised by God long ago as a way to restore the broken relationship between us and God. We no longer need to clean ourselves to be able to come into His presence but can be fully restored and cleaned once and for all through Christ.

The Problem of Wineskins

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 9:14-17

John's disciples question Jesus about why he and his disciples do not hold to the Rabbinic traditions, like fasting. Jesus' response about wineskins contrasts the old covenant, which emphasizes faithfulness to God and ethical behavior, and the new covenant, which emphasizes relational union and sharing God's love with others. God's emphasis is inward and spiritual, not outward and institutional. According to Jesus, what matters is not the wineskin (man-made rules and structures) but the wine itself (what God is doing.) The problem is, humans tend to focus on and value the skin rather than the wine. We should be open to change if it means cooperating with what God's doing, instead of hindering or forfeiting God's work in favor of our traditions.\r\n