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Matthew 9:14-17
Jesus has made a declaration of a new covenant which differs from the covenant of the Law. Jesus has quoted Hosea 6:6 in announcing the new covenant (mercy) instead of the old covenant (sacrifice). This was confusing not only to the Pharisees but to the disciples of John the Baptist as well. They question Jesus about fasting, or rather, why His disciples do not fast as do the disciples of John and the Pharisees. Jesus explains that a time will come for fasting but is not yet here, and He puts it in terms of a wedding. The custom of the time was that during a wedding banquet no one would be fasting as part of the wedding banquet is a feast that may go on for a week or longer. It would be disgraceful to the wedding party if one were to disregard the feast.
Jesus then ties this into His new message and explains that the new cannot be put into the old. The message of Jesus is about what is next after the Law has been fulfilled. He has already proclaimed in Matthew 5:17 (HCSB), “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Jesus wants everyone to know what is expected of them after He is crucified for the sins of the world, buried, and then resurrected. He cannot continue to preach the Law as He has come to fulfill it – His message is a new message of grace from God unto salvation in His fulfillment of the Law – His message is of eternal forgiveness for all who will believe in Him.
This is a promise of a new message that leads all who will believe in Jesus.
We have all been caught up in trying to please God. We have all spent our lives trying to show God how good we can be. We have all been trying to show God how we need Him to run our lives for us, and in so doing are running our own lives by telling God what we would like Him to do for us so that we can do what we want for Him. These last few statements become a lot more personal if we replace the “We’s” with “I’s.” It would sound like this: I have been all caught up in trying to please You God. I have spent all my life trying to show You God how good I can be. I have been trying to show You God how I need You to run my life for me, and in doing so am running my own life by telling You God what I want You God to do for me so that I can do what I want to do for You God. Now it sounds a lot more selfish and self-centered, and maybe we didn’t even realize how selfish we can be to our Creator and LORD of all. If we really want to please God and live our lives for Him in seeking His will for our lives, we should say those same sentences something like this: I need to get all caught up in seeking what You would have of me God. I need to spend all my life seeking the things in which You would have to be good at as in my weakness, You God make me strong. I need to follow Your will for my life God as You lead me and show me what You God would like me to do for You with my life that would be pleasing to You God. Please show me God the way, the truth, and the life that is only found in Christ Jesus my Savior in whom I put my faith and trust forever. Please help me to believe God in the forgiveness and eternal life that You have promised to me for believing in You as I give up my life to seek the life that You have for me. Thank You God for saving me from eternal condemnation and claiming me as Your child forevermore.
Dear LORD,
You have saved us from out of the old and into the new. Please help us to understand that we can only please You by opening our hearts to the forgiveness that You offer to us through the One that fulfilled all the Law and is the fulfillment of peace in our hearts that is a blessing which leads to everlasting life with You in heaven. Please help us to believe LORD, in our Savior, the Savior of the world, Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.