Out of the Old, Into the New

(Heb. 1:1-4, Phil. 2:5-8, Heb. 8:13, John 5:30, 8:28,38)

Over the last 2000 some years, since the Son of God appeared in the likeness of a man, many have attempted to wrap their brains around this mystery.  It is simply not possible for the natural mind to explain what is a mystery and a marvel.  Jesus is the full expression of our Father in heaven.  In humility, and in truth, He called Himself the Son of Man.  We capitalize that to honor Him but He did not carry around a sign with capital letters.  In His 33 years here as a man, He remained a mystery.  I think the one person who had the greatest insight was His mother, Mary.  I have thought she said what she did at Cana because that is how it was in their household as Jesus grew.  If they had a need, Jesus would pray, would listen, and His Father, God, would show Him what to do.  Some of us think He acted on His own.  He plainly said He did not do it apart from His Father.

Something changed sometime before the wedding at Cana.  Jesus had submitted to water baptism and was anointed on another level as we read.  After being tempted severely while fasting, He began a public ministry like no other.  He was prepared to do amazing miracles and had learned to do works as His Father showed Him to do. If we search the stories of the prophets and kings of Israel and Judah, no one comes close to Him.  He is so much greater, so much wiser, so pure and undefiled by any sin.  He is full of grace and truth.  Yet He spoke with Elijah and Moses and three disciples saw the transfiguration.  Jesus wanted to give them a glimpse they would never forget.  That scene would enable them to endure things later.  While the shadows and types of the old covenant provide insights into the glory of Christ, nothing can touch the wonder of a revelation of Him, by the Spirit.

Some would call the old covenant the first.  That is fine but it puts it on a par with the eternal covenant established before the foundation of the earth, even of all of the cosmos.  The eternal covenant was displayed at that table when Jesus said “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”  Nothing compares to the new covenant for it is ratified by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God.  New wine poured into an old wineskin will cause it to burst.  The new wine will then spill on to others.  That is what happened at Pentecost.  The old could not receive it and by 70 AD the temple had been destroyed.  The old wineskin burst.  Those who did not receive the new were found empty of life.  If you want to be a new wineskin, leave the old behind and come fully into the new. For until the Spirit was poured out, the fulness of God’s purpose could not appear.  Jesus appeared so that the Father could birth many more like Him.

The old should be honored.  The Lord gave the law, the feasts, the ordinances of the tabernacle, and the temple.  All of these are swallowed up in Christ.  He is the sum of all spiritual things.  He is the full revelation of the Father.  The shadows of the old do provide pictures of Christ and the tabernacle shows steps into the presence of God.  The substance is Christ.  How long do we remain in the old and not press into the life of discipleship and follow the Lamb?  Some are following the feasts and the Hebrew calendar.  It has a value in instruction.  Some assign moments and gatherings on that calendar.  Why are we still circling this mountain?  All the promises, all that the Lord would do, is found in His Son, in Jesus Christ.  We are on this path to be found in Him, to know Him who is our life.

As this knowledge of Christ increases, we grow as sons, as mature ones.  We see that He is making all things in our lives new.  That new life is to flow to others, just as it did through Jesus.  That is not heretical.  It is in line with His words that greater works would we do because He has gone to the Father.  He has received all authority and the Spirit which He poured out.  We learn to cooperate with our Father.  Our Father is a creator who makes all things new.  May we walk in that so that life flows wherever we go.