In order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3: 8-9.

When I become overburdened by the politics and sins of our age, God reminds me they are the ebb and flow of every age of mankind – old wineskins. And, He tells me to rejoice in the new that He brings that is from before the beginning. I love reading Luke. And our chapter, Luke 9, gives us so much of when Jesus walked with us then. And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” v. 1-5. Everyone is hearing about all that Jesus is doing and I try to imagine what that must have been like for those who never were able to see Him in person. Herod, too, has heard and is perplexed. He fears Jesus is John, whom he beheaded, raised from the dead, v. 6-9. And reunited again, Jesus and the disciples travel to Bethsaida where Jesus teaches the crowd about the kingdom of God and healing. Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat, for here we are in a desolate place.” But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” v. 12-13. They can’t feed the 5,000 men gathered there but they can give Jesus the five loaves and two fish. He has the people assembled settle in groups of fifty each, looks to heaven, blesses the food and God multiplies the food that all can eat and be satisfied with 12 baskets of pieces left over, v. 13-17. I can’t imagine how that food was multiplied, but imagine what that was like for the people there. I would imagine those further away wouldn’t have seen all that was done but they heard about it later! They were fed by Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. As they are alone again with Jesus, He asked them who people were saying He was. Who would have thought or understood who or what the Messiah was? The closest they and people could come was that He was John the Baptist or Elijah or one of the prophets of old. Do we today understand? And Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” v. 20. But their expectation of what that meant in their own age of men then, needed correcting with God’s truth of who and what His Messiah IS. “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” v. 22. And there’s more. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” v. 23-27. And so it happened for Peter, John and James. Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah” – not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” v. 28-35. Can you imagine? The Father Creator God, is telling them This is My Son…My Chosen One…Jesus Creator God – from before the beginning of us. There is so much we cannot understand without Him helping us. And there was so much the disciples could not do without God. They descended the mountain, as we all must after an amazing experience with God, to find a crowd and a man distraught because the disciples could not drive out a demon from his son who was being thrown and slammed to the ground and convulsing. Jesus’ words sound so harsh but is it the harshness for the blindness of us? “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” v. 41. And Jesus healed him. And while the crowd marveled, Jesus again tells His disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement, v. 44-45. Remember wineskins of old? The disciples argue among themselves about who is the greatest; John prevented another person not with them from casting out demons; and when James and John were angered by a village of Samaritans who would not let them stay there, they asked Jesus to let them command fire to come down from heaven and consume them. And Jesus? When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem. v. 51. And His answers to their old thinking that is our way of thinking? “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great…Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you, is for you…You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” v. 48, 50, 55-56. Contrast Jesus’ determination to do the Father’s will for us with the excuses we make…As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to them, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and turning back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” v. 57-62. Jesus never turned back. Creator God never turns back from the truth and the love that are His. His purpose from before the creation of us is new in every heart that turns to Him. It is His love and His truth that will help us bear living in the old wineskins of the lies of mankind turned away from Him. Rejoice in the new you find in Him!