Luke 5:27-39
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.”
34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
36 He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
The True Vinedresser
If we compare The Scripture for Today with the Parable of the Talents
Matthew 25:14-30
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Levi is a savvy thug.
He consorts with the Roman Empire to push the Jews to cough up money to make him look good to the Romans. And Levi sees Jesus is with God Himself. Immediately, given the opportunity, Levi follows Jesus. Like the ten talent servant, Levi risks. He is going to share Jesus with others and the others he knows to share Jesus with are - thugs.
Jesus is delighted.
Small-town papers would publish this party and say, "A good time was had by all."
The two talent servants are having a big discussion, figuring out what power is what.
Rather like demanding Jesus tell them how to have Power with talking to God. Rude. But Jesus is going to forgive them. He sees good in them. Reading the last page of the discussion, we all see it's going to turn out alright.
The days we say:
Difficult God, Bossy God with your reaping plan, gathering up all the means, no justice power, not providing what I wanted - abundant seeding. Making me afraid, I hid all the goodness safely in the dark. Jesus says days will come we call God the lazy, mean judge. And we are the bad servant.
He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.
Not to take our faith, the Love we have for God and let it falter. Keep Love and Hope alive. Every day as the Book of Hebrews says. Today.
37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Once the fearful, complaining servant has let his opportunity go for the ages it takes for the Master to Return, the opportunity has gone. Fled.
We are Living Stones, a Royal Priesthood
Called to be the Light of Jesus Christ.
His Love.
Abba, Father God,
Help us to Seek You First.
And in making us part of Your Eternal Family, to remember the Heavenly House, the Garden, The Gardener, being part of the Body of Christ.
In Realizing How Great Your Love is for me
for you
for us
Let us be bold for God.
Willing to tell about God.
Levy started out just by walking with Jesus
Studying Jesus
and eventually leaving with Jesus,
and this we will all do one day.
Levy realized Your Love.
And the Beauty of Your Mercy to those with Love.
Help us "Follow You" like Levi.
Trusting Your Love that we are giving people.
The Joy of the Lord is our Strength.
Help us gain in solid strength in You, Abba,
that we do not tear away the old of the person You have created.
Instead, with Love, Jesus, let the new match the old
and be seamless like Your Robe.
Pleasing You, Abba.
Not bursting apart
the containers of life You have given us
instead being renewed
with the Oil of Gladness
in Salvation and Love.
We pray for the Nation.
Your Good Creation still experiencing Covid.
And pray healing and health
to cover us all in
Love, Joy and Peace.
Praying Health and Wellness for Elliott
and Peace for those who have illness in their families.
In the Highest Name of Jesus,
we ask Your Good Will,
and You provide
more than we can ask or imagine.
Amen.
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