Matthew 9:14-17; Psalm 92

Matthew 9:14-17
John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus and asked why His disciples did not fast like they and the Pharisees did. John's disciples fasted in sorrow for their sins and because they were hoping for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus' disciples had no need to fast because He IS the Messiah, and He was with them! John's message focused on the law and how far they were from keeping it and on how much they needed repentance. Jesus message was the Good News! We do need repentance, but when we turn from our sin and trust Him, we gain new life! This calls not for mourning, but for rejoicing!

vv. 16 and 17 are still talking about the Good News that Jesus came to save sinners. His is a new and living message in which He offers all individuals forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God. Our part is to believe it and receive it as a gift. In ancient times, people put new wine into new wineskins (made of goatskins). As the wine fermented, it expanded, and the wineskin would stretch to contain it. If new wine were added to old wineskins which were already stretched, they would burst. The analogy is that Jesus message was and is new. It cannot be contained by the old religious system---the law. Jesus did not come to patch up the old religious system consisting of rules and regulations. Jesus' message will always remain "new" because, it must be believed and trusted and accepted by each one of us. Also, as believers we find new ways to live and serve as well as new ways to look at people. We see every individual as someone made in the image of God and someone Jesus died for. The grace of God is indeed new to us every day!

Psalm 92
This is a wonderful Psalm of praise as we think about God's grace and goodness to us. We can thank and praise God in the morning and at night vv. 1-2, when we're young and when we're old, vv. 12-15. It's always the right time to praise Him. It's also always the right time to rejoice in God's deeds and works and thoughts. vv. 4-5.

I love vv. 12-15! As believers we are compared to cedars of Lebanon. These trees were tall, solid and strong and had a long life. We are to be like them--upright, strong, and able to withstand the "storms" of this life. We are to have roots reaching deep into His Word, and we are to flourish in the place God puts us. We can and should be "fresh and green" and bear fruit even into our old age! v. 14 I say "amen" to that! Along with the psalmist, let us proclaim "But you, O Lord, are exalted forever." v. 8 and "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him." v. 15