Sat.’s Devo - The New Wine

Read: Leviticus 4:1-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2
God gave them laws concerning sins committed in innocence. He starts with the priesthood and the leaders. Because the priests represented God, their sin brought guilt on the people. If the whole community sinned and then found out their error and repented, they were to offer the bull and the priest was to sprinkle the blood seven times on the front of the curtain so the people could see it and know that they were released from their sin.
When a government leader sinned unintentionally, the atonement was different. A male goat, instead of a bull was offered and the whole thing was less public. The blood was applied to the horn of the altar and the bull was not taken outside the camp so everyone could see it.
If a common person sinned unintentionally, a female goat was offered. The rest was done as it was for the government leader.
In today’s society these four groups would describe the spiritual leaders, the Christian community, the unbelieving government officials and the unbelievers.
God also gave them laws about accountability. If you heard or saw someone sin and didn’t confront it you were as guilty as the one who committed the sin.
In Leviticus 5:15 God dealt with the believer who innocently committed a sin and realized his fault. He was to not only offer a blood atonement for his sin, but he was to make restitution. He was to pay adding a fifth to it. God makes it clear that to sin against the law was to sin against God. As Christians, we are not only to repent but make things more than right with whoever we hurt.
In Mark, Jesus picked his third disciple who was Levi, the tax collector. Levi was a Jewish tax collector which means that he willingly worked for the Roman government and he over-taxed his own people. The only friends he could have were the other tax-collectors and the prostitutes which is why they were all at his house.
Jesus was accused of eating with sinners and not fasting by the religious leaders. His response was the parable about the new wine in new wine skins and the new patch on old clothes. What he was doing by choosing the poor and needy sinners over the self-righteous religious was illustrating the new wine he was bringing. He was pouring his new kingdom into new wine skins - doing it a new way. Instead of going to the priests and Pharisees, he went to the common people and brought them the good news. The priests and Pharisees were the old garments that could not receive the good news - the new patch.
Jesus came to fulfill the Sabbath which is the day when God will restore everything. Jesus did most of his healing and miracles on this day because in the last millennium, the last Sabbath, everyone will be healed and God will wipe every tear for their eyes. Death will be defeated and everyone will be made whole.
Lord, help us to walk filled with the new wine. Help us to shift with you and see your kingdom come in a new way.