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Luke 5:36-38 - And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 "But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. NASB
Since it is a "New" year I thought I would write a Pump Up studying the word "new". In the verses above you will notice that three of the words "new" are in bold letters (vs.36) with an underline. The other three words "new" are simply in bold letters with no underline (vss.37-38). The reason for this is because two different Greek words are being used. The first new (bold and underlined) is "kainos" and the second new (bold no underline) is "neos". The meaning of "kainos" is something fresh or newly made. It is used to describe something that is new in quality, different in nature from the old or superior to the old. It can be used to describe something that hasn't been used before such as Jesus' "new tomb" (John 19:41). The meaning of "neos" is new in respect of time or that which has recently come into existence and sometimes these words can be used interchangeably.
It will not work. It would be obvious to everyone who would look at this garment that the materials don't match. Then Jesus takes this parable one step further when He says you can't pour "new - Gk.- neos" wine into old wineskins for the moment you pour the new (Gk. neos) wine in and it ferments the expansion will burst the wineskins. Again, Jesus' point is you can't put Christianity (new wine) into Judaism (old wineskins) to do so would to be a catastrophic loss of the wine.
Anyone want to take a guess which Greek word Paul uses here? If you said, "Kainos" you would be correct. If you are a Christian reading this Pump Up you must understand that you are a "new - Gk.- kainos" person. The old things or old ways you were living before giving your life to Christ have passed away. They are gone. So I ask you do you ever find yourself being more like the old you, the old garment or the new (Gk.- kainos) you? Have you ever been caught up in being judgmental, gossiping, slandering some one, jealous of another person's accomplishments or abilities and the list continues? In Paul's letter to the Galatians he writes these words for us in the fifth chapter: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. In this fifth chapter Paul tells us what the deeds of the flesh are in comparison to the fruit of the Spirit. I would recommend reading over them a time or two and make sure you are being all you can be in Christ. I hope you have a Happy New Year by being the best possible "new" creation in Christ. Think About These: Every Christian has the liberty to do that which is good, just and honest. The most difficult thing to open is a closed mind. God still speaks to those who take time to listen. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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John 8:3-11 - The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might
have grounds for accusing Him…But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."… Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." NASU
No, I used the correct pronoun. Do you have your ears on and your eyes open? He didn't condemn "her" that is correct, BUT He didn't condemn them. The Scribes and the Pharisees weren't condemned by Jesus either. They should have been condemned by Jesus just as much as she should have been condemned, but that wasn't the scribes and Pharisee's plan. They didn't care about this lady one iota. What they wanted was Jesus. They want His head on the proverbial platter like John the Baptist's head. This was nothing but a fake case, a trap if you will that they brought to Jesus. They knew the law. If they were really interested in justice, they would have brought both parties involved, but they weren't interested in justice. They were interested in destroying Jesus. The One who made them look bad because He was Righteous. What they wanted was to catch Him in one of their traps. The only problem was they didn't realize who they were trying to trap. This was not some ordinarily person. This was Jesus Christ, The Word, Emmanuel, God in the flesh. These guys were in way over their heads and didn't even know it.
They were just as guilty as she was and maybe more so. They were trying to destroy an innocent man's life through fraudulent means. They thought they were so smart. They thought they had Jesus trapped in a corner with their "…what then do You say?" Can you see the look on their faces? They are so proud of themselves. They have brought this woman to Jesus and then slammed the Word of God in His face ("Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women;). They believe they have Jesus between a rock and a hard place. The text says they persisted in asking Him what He would do. They didn't ask once they "persisted" in asking Him what should be done to this woman? All the while they knew it was a trap so they could have some evidence to really accuse Him. So when He answers them. They are shocked, dumbfounded and stuck in their tracks. I can hear them now saying over and over again "What did He say?". They don't know how to answer Him. They slowly start walking away one by one from the oldest one on down until no one was remaining except Jesus and the woman.
When in reality if we were like Jesus we wouldn't want anyone condemned. We would want people to be saved from an eternity in Hell. This past year I witnessed a lot of people wanting former President Donald Trump condemned. I understand the worldly people wanting him condemned but what really bewildered me was listening to the rhetoric from Christians wanting him to be condemned. The people that brought him to trial weren't interested in justice any more than the Scribes and Pharisees were. They had an agenda but it didn't work. 75 million Americans saw through the hypocrisy and voted for Donald Trump. As a Christian I hope you will not get caught up in condemning people. We are to be like Jesus. We are to tell people "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." When you think about it shouldn't we be condemned because we have all sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God? I know this for sure. Gary A. Serago should be condemned because he has sinned and has fallen short of God's glory on more than one occasion. So if you have never sinned then go ahead and condemn everyone, throw all the stones you want, BUT if you want to be like Jesus who truly never did sin you won't be condemning anyone. Think About These: No one should judge another person by what that person's enemies say about him. We usually judge things, not as they are, but as we are. Be sure to judge yourself before you judge others. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Two Interesting Facts About Jesus' Birth Place
Luke 2:15 -16 - When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." NASU I send this Pump Up out every year at this time for all my new subscribers. I have made some updates to it this year. May you have a very Merry Christmas.
What some may not know is the meaning of Bethlehem. It means "house of bread." Jesus was the Bread of Life or the Bread of God that came from the "house of bread" to give spiritual life to the world. John 6:33 - "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." John 6:35 - Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:41 - So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” John 6:48 - "I am the bread of life." John 6:51 - "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus was and is the Bread of Life. If you are spiritually hungry Jesus is the One who can take away all of your hunger pains. If you have been wondering "What is my purpose?" Then look to Jesus for your answers.
The sheep were offered on the altar were special as they were sheep without a blemish. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said this about Him. John 1:29 - The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John saw Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and this Lamb was born in Bethlehem where a lot of other lambs were born and would sacrifice their blood. But only the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, could totally atone for the sins of mankind. I hope and pray you have allowed the blood of Jesus to wash away your sins.
Please don't forget many years ago the Bread of Life, Jesus, and the Lamb of God, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem. This all happened so that we could be fed spiritually and our sins could be atoned for by the Blood of the Lamb, which is Jesus. What greater gift could anyone receive? Truly, Jesus is the Gift that keeps on giving. Think About These: Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and receive without forgetting. The Christmas season is only as meaningful as we make it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 1:4-5 - In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. NASB
The people in this world who will accept Jesus as the Light of the world will receive spiritual Light. Jesus will also give them spiritual Life. John 8:12 - Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 12:36 - "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light." It is Christmas time and for many this is known as a time to give gifts. I would like to encourage all of my readers if you have not given yourself the gift of Life through Jesus Christ the Light of the world now is the time. (Contact me and I will be happy to share how you can accept the gift of eternal life from Jesus the Light of the world.) If you already have given yourself the gift of Life then by all means please share this gift with others and as you share remember this one thing.
One of the saddest things I have experienced in my life time is sharing the gospel with people and they would not allow the Light to shine into their life. I can remember equating this event to the lyrics of a song sung by the rock band known as the Eagles. The song was entitled "Already Gone" the lyrics are as follows: "Just remember this my girl when you look up in the sky You can see the stars and still not see the light, that's right." I have told numerous people about Jesus the Light but they were not able to comprehend what I was saying. In other words, I was not able to lead them out of the darkness and into the Light. They could see the stars but they couldn't see the Light, Jesus Christ the One who made the stars.
Also, it is my prayer that anyone you shine the Light on will be led out of the darkness and truly see the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. Think About These: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Lk 2:7 - And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Gk - kataluma). NASU
Mk 14:14 - and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is My guest room (Gk - kataluma) in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"' NASB
I have included the above two passages of scripture that use the same Greek word "kataluma". In the Luke passage it is interpreted "inn" and in the Mark passage it is interpreted "guest room". I believe the best translation would be "guest room" and if I am correct then there wasn't any "heartless innkeeper". So how did we get so far off the track? Kenneth E. Bailey in his book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, says, "an anonymous Christian wrote an expanded account of the birth of Jesus … and is called The Protoevangelium of James. This book is said to have been written 200 years after the birth of Jesus and is filled with imaginative details surrounding His birth. Much of the incorrect theology of the birth of Jesus and surrounding events has come from this non-canonical work.
In Luke 2:4 - Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,… All Joseph had to do was tell people of his lineage and that he was a descendant of King David and he and Mary would have been immediately welcomed into any person's home in Bethlehem, the city of King David. King David was and is a hero of theirs and to be able to say that one of his relatives is staying in your house would be considered a great honor. Another point is Joseph had been in Bethlehem days before Jesus was born. It didn't happen like the Christmas story when they arrive at night, find no room at the inn and immediately Mary gives birth to Jesus in a barn aka stable. Luke 2:6 says, "While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth". Who is the "they"? The "they" is Joseph and Mary. Where is "there"? The "there" in the above passage is Bethlehem. The culture that could be found in those days would be screaming "stay with us, stay with us". Joseph is a descendant of King David and Mary is pregnant. They would be welcomed in any home because of their ancestors and I believe they were. Houses in this day had a "guest room". The house they went to had a "guest room" and it was taken by someone but that doesn't mean they couldn't stay in the house. Mr. Bailey's book goes on to draw a layout of what a typical first century house would have looked like and how it wasn't uncommon for a house to have a place for their animals stay in as well (pg.29).
It wasn't uncommon for a house to be built so that at one end the livestock could be brought in and kept safe at night from theft or attacks from other wild animals. In the daylight they would be untied and taken outside.
Also, remember that Jesus' birth record we have been discussing is also recorded by Luke. The same man would use the same word if he were referencing a similar place. The Good Samaritan story found in Luke 10:34 - "…and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn,…" (Gk - pandocheion) and took care of him. The Good Samaritan brought the victim to an "inn" but Luke uses a different Greek word for this "inn". He uses the Greek word - "pandocheion". He doesn't use the Greek word "kataluma" that he used in referencing Jesus' birth place, but he uses "pandocheion" for a lodging place. My point is if there were no rooms in the lodging place "pandocheion" with the heartless innkeeper for Jesus to be born in then why didn't Luke use that word?
I am hoping you will see this Pump Up as a tool that says you are never too old to learn something new. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV I hope you will continue to "study" God's Word and "rightly divide the word of truth". Think About These: Truth is not always popular, but it is always right. To hear truth and not accept it doesn't nullify it. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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