Jesus Appoints the Twelve to Be With Him (Mark 3:13-19)

 

Jesus Appoints the Twelve to Be With Him (Mark 3:13-19)

How does God bestow salvation upon man? He witnesses the Gospel of salvation through people. God sought out Adam, who was hiding from His face, and gave him the Gospel of salvation (Gen 3:15). Furthermore, God called one man, Abraham, and made him the father of faith for all nations (Gen 12:1-2, Rom 4:23-25).

According to God’s will and plan established before the ages, His Son Jesus Christ took on human flesh and was incarnated on this earth (John 1:14). This was to fulfill the Word God gave through the Law and the Prophets (1 Cor 15:3-4). In Mark 3:13-19, Jesus called those he wanted and appointed twelve. This was so they might be with the Lord, that he might send them out to preach, and that they would have authority to drive out demons. Amen!

Appointing the Twelve Disciples (Mt 10:1-4; Lk 6:12-16)

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. — Mark 3:13-15

Whom did Jesus call as disciples? He called those he wanted to himself. Consequently, the disciples who were called came to Him. "Those he wants" refers to those who have received grace (Luke 1:28). Salvation is entirely by God's grace (Eph 2:8). Those who receive grace respond to that calling with faith (Luke 1:38). Abraham responded to God’s call with faith, leaving his country, his people, and his father’s household to go to the land the Lord directed (Gen 12:1-2). He was established as the father of faith.

It is impossible for a person to come to God unless they are called. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them" (John 6:44). It is not man who chooses God, but God who chooses us. How can we be sure of God’s election? It is by responding with faith to the love of God’s drawing. For example, we understand God’s Word, are moved by it, and act according to that Word.

What was the purpose of Jesus appointing the twelve? First, Jesus called and appointed them to be with Him. God is "Immanuel," which means "God with us" (Isa 7:14). Just as His name suggests, God will never abandon us (John 14:18). If God is for us, no one can oppose or defeat us (Rom 8:31).

God being with us means He protects and guides us. Jesus protected and kept the disciples who came to Him (John 17:12). He advocated for them and saved them from all harm (Mark 2:23-28). Jesus told the disciples following Him that they would receive a hundred times as much in this present age—along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life (Mark 10:30).

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." — Psalm 23:4

How do we know God is with us? We can know by seeing if we hear and obey the Lord's Word. Jesus said that the Father knows Him and He knows the Father (John 10:15). Jesus came from the Father and submitted to His will, being obedient even unto death (Phil 2:8). This is the evidence that Jesus came from the Father. Those who belong to God know God and obey His Word, but those who do not belong to God do not listen to His words (1 John 4:6).

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." — John 10:27

Additionally, Jesus wanted to send the disciples out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Preaching means delivering good news. It is sharing the Gospel of salvation. An angel delivered "good news that will cause great joy for all the people" to shepherds tending sheep at night: that a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born in the town of David (Luke 2:10-11). How is Jesus’ coming such great joy and good news? It is because Jesus saves His people from their sins (Matt 1:21).

Preaching is delivering the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, who was born as the Son of God. However, preaching does not stop at words; it is important to set an example through one’s life. Our Lord Jesus Christ showed that example. Jesus taught His disciples to love their enemies, and He Himself gave His life as a sacrificial offering on the cross for us while we were still enemies (Matt 5:44, Rom 5:10). Jesus told His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23, Matt 16:24, Mark 8:34). Jesus obeyed the Father according to His Word and bore the cross of suffering (Phil 2:5-8).

How do the disciples preach the Gospel that brings salvation? They do not preach by their own strength or ability, but by the Lord’s power and authority (Matt 10:1-15). This is the same way Jesus came to this earth and preached the Gospel of salvation. Jesus taught and performed signs and wonders through the power and authority of the Heavenly Father (John 5:19). Jesus offered His body as a living sacrifice before God, and through His Son, God revealed His glory, majesty, power, and authority through teachings, signs, and wonders.

Jesus promised to send the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to His disciples (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Jesus could not remain with His disciples in a physical body indefinitely (John 14:19). However, Jesus did not leave them as orphans (John 14:18). Jesus promised His disciples that He would be with them always, to the very end of the age (Matt 28:20).

Just as our model, the Lord Jesus Christ, preached the Gospel of salvation with the power and authority of the Heavenly Father, His disciples also preach the Gospel of salvation to the whole world with the power and authority poured out by the Lord. For this purpose, Jesus called the disciples and gave them the authority, power, and wisdom necessary to preach the Gospel. Amen!

The Authority of the Believer and the Nature of Spirits

Jesus gave his disciples authority and power to drive out demons. The devil, Satan, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Just as he deceived the woman in the Garden of Eden, today he continues to confuse and mislead people by mixing lies with the truth through sweet-sounding words (Genesis 3:1).

Therefore, demons do not belong to God. They rebel against, reject, and oppose Him. Even after seeing God in His majesty and glory, they refused to submit and were disobedient; thus, they have been placed under eternal judgment (John 16:11).

How do we drive out demons? It is through faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith is obedience. That obedience means taking up the cross, just as the Lord Jesus Christ set the example. Submitting to God is how we resist the devil. In other words, to be disobedient is to do the work of the devil.

In the past, everyone was an enemy of God—objects of wrath who lived in disobedience (Ephesians 2:3). However, in Christ, we have been forgiven of the sin of disobedience and have become new creations who obey (2 Corinthians 5:17). Since we have received the Spirit of obedience in Christ, we no longer follow the devil but follow the Lord Jehovah God alone (Acts 5:32).

The Appointment of the Twelve

16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:16-19)

Jesus appointed twelve from among those he wanted. Most of them were fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots. They were ordinary people—young men from Jewish homes who were accustomed to keeping the Torah and the festivals. They all longingly awaited a Messiah who would liberate Israel from the hand of Rome.

Peter (“the Rock”), while fishing with his brother Andrew, left his nets and followed the Lord when He called (Mark 1:16-18). Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist; he followed the Lord and invited his brother Simon, telling him they had found the Messiah (John 1:40-41). They dreamed that Jesus of Nazareth would become the King of Israel and establish an earthly Messianic kingdom.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, earned the nickname "Sons of Thunder." Once, when the Samaritans rejected Jesus as He headed toward Jerusalem, James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy them (Luke 9:51-54). Furthermore, on the way to Jerusalem, they asked to sit one at Jesus' right hand and the other at His left in His glory (Mark 10:37).

Matthew’s occupation was that of a tax collector, a group considered public sinners. Philip, upon hearing Jesus tell a large crowd to give them something to eat, remarked that it would take more than half a year’s wages (two hundred denarii) to buy enough bread (Mark 6:37). Bartholomew is also known as Nathanael; when he came to Jesus at Philip’s invitation, the Lord said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false" (John 1:47). Thomas, also called Didymus (the twin), said he would not believe unless he saw with his own eyes, even after hearing that Jesus had appeared in His resurrected body to the other disciples while he was absent (John 20:25).

The Path of the Cross and Martyrdom

The most difficult thing for the young disciples was accepting a suffering Messiah. When Jesus spoke of how He must suffer, die, and be raised to life on the third day, Peter insisted that such a thing should never happen (Matthew 16:22). Although Jesus repeatedly taught them that He would rise again after suffering, they were filled with grief and did not understand any of it (Matthew 17:23; Luke 18:34).

Among them, Judas Iscariot ultimately betrayed Jesus and handed Him over for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus had appointed him as one of the Twelve and revealed the secrets of the kingdom of heaven before him. Through His words, signs, and wonders, Jesus showed that He was indeed the Christ of God prophesied by the Law and the Prophets. However, Judas refused to believe until the end and chose his own way (John 13:30).

But the other disciples, after the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again, accepted the suffering Christ in their hearts and followed the way of the cross that the Lord had walked. James was the first to be martyred, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, and Peter was martyred by being crucified upside down. The disciples followed the thorny path of suffering that the Lord walked, martyred while preaching the gospel. Some among them left the Gospel of Christ in writing: Matthew recorded the Gospel of Matthew, and John recorded the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and Revelation.

Looking Forward to 2026

Just as Jesus appointed the Twelve in the first century, He has called each of us today. This is so that we might be with Him, go out to preach, and have the power to drive out demons. Throughout this past year, God has protected us, guided us, and been "Immanuel" with us according to His promise. We offer thanks and praise for that grace.

As the new year 2026 approaches, we believe our Lord will lead us and bestow grace upon grace. In gratitude for the Lord's grace, we desire to follow the way He went first—the way of the cross—and participate in the remainder of His sufferings. Amen!

December 28, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Jesus Grieves at the Hardness of Hearts (Mark 3:1-12)

 

Jesus Grieves at the Hardness of Hearts (Mark 3:1-12)

Nothing is more urgent or essential for a person than salvation. God earnestly desires to save all people. In the Bible, salvation carries two meanings: being forgiven of sins and living a fulfilled life. This salvation is obtained only through faith in God’s Son. Any "salvation" that does not go through Jesus Christ is false and not the truth.

In Mark 3:1-12, Jesus commanded a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath, "Stretch out your hand." When he did, his hand was completely restored. However, Jesus was deeply distressed and angry as he looked at the faithless, hard-hearted people around Him. Crowds flocked to Him after hearing reports of Him healing many, but Jesus strictly warned the demons not to tell others who He was when they cried out, "You are the Son of God."

Healing the Man with a Shriveled Hand (Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11)

"Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath." (Mark 3:1-2)

When Jesus entered the synagogue to teach, a man with a shriveled hand was there. He had likely been attending this synagogue for a long time. His condition was a major obstacle to living a fulfilled life. As soon as Jesus arrived, the people began calculating. They were certain Jesus would heal the poor man.

The tragic part is that they viewed this as an opportunity to accuse Jesus. From their perspective, healing someone was a violation of the Sabbath. According to their Sabbath regulations, if someone was bleeding, you could stop the bleeding, but you couldn't apply ointment. You could prevent a condition from getting worse, but you were forbidden from making it better.

Ironically, they were allowed to pull an animal out of a pit on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:11). They were in error about the purpose of the Sabbath. God established the Sabbath for mankind; He blessed it and made it holy (Genesis 2:3). God blessed this day so that people could enter His rest, fellowship with Him, and enjoy peace.

To enter God’s rest, however, one must receive forgiveness for sins. One must be freed from the chains of darkness to live in the light. Through the blood of Christ, God brings back to life those who were dead under the power of sin and death. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of humanity (John 3:16). This scene reminds us of how God sent His servant Moses to His people who were groaning as slaves to Pharaoh for four hundred years.

Which is Lawful on the Sabbath: To Do Good or To Do Evil?

"Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, 'Stand up here in front of everyone.' Then Jesus asked them, 'Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?'" (Mark 3:3-4a)

Jesus told the man to stand in the middle of the room. The Lord intended to heal him. Even though He knew the malicious intent of the Jews, He did not hesitate. Jesus came to this earth to save everyone and lead them into the Father’s rest. This is the Father’s will, and Jesus obeyed even to the point of giving His life to fulfill it.

In what ways is salvation urgent for us? The man with the shriveled hand was incomplete and severely lacking. He was fundamentally hindered from fulfilling his life. This is the reality of human existence. We are exposed to disease, vulnerable to the elements, and must toil to survive (Genesis 3:19, 8:22). We walk through a "thicket of thorns" in our relationships. Young people worldwide struggle to find jobs, and the advancement of AI brings the threat of layoffs in every field.

The challenges and pressures before us seem endless. On top of all this, anxiety and restlessness visit our hearts like unwelcome guests for no apparent reason. We try to leave tomorrow in the Lord's hands, but the burden feels heavy. It is heartbreaking and makes us feel powerless to see innocent lives lost in conflicts between neighbors and nations.

Even for Abraham, who migrated to Canaan in obedience to God's promise, challenges and pressures were a daily reality. Each of us, living with the hope of the eternal Kingdom of God, will inevitably face continued trials. In this way, every person desperately needs God’s help, protection, and guidance.

At that moment, Jesus asked the people—who were watching for a chance to accuse Him—whether it was right to do evil and kill, or to do good and save life. Doing good and saving life is the true essence of "resting." Doing evil and killing leads to trouble and distress, not rest (Romans 2:9).

What is evil? What is "killing"? It is evil to reject, push away, and refuse to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son whom God sent. Doing evil does not bring life; it brings death. Rejecting God's merciful love invites His wrath (Romans 1:18). God’s wrath is often revealed by Him "giving people over" to their own evil desires (Romans 1:24, 26, 28). Therefore, there are always consequences to human evil.

We can test this easily. Just look at what happens to your heart when you hate someone or refuse to forgive. It becomes anxious, heavy, restless, tense, and wandering. There is no joy, peace, stability, or rest. This is the manifestation of God’s wrath.

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness." (Romans 1:18)

Then, what does it mean to do good? What is "saving life"? It is to believe in, receive, and obey Jesus Christ. It is to give thanks, praise, and glory for the grace of redemption that the Lord provided by loving us even unto death on the cross. Doing good is the path to saving life. God gives eternal life to those who, by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor, and immortality (Romans 2:7).

"But there will be glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Romans 2:10)

He Grieved at the Hardness of Their Hearts

But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:4b-6)

Jesus felt both anger and deep grief because they remained silent in the face of such an obvious question. Refusing to believe in and rejecting the Son of God invites His wrath. For example, God commanded Pharaoh of Egypt through Moses to let His people go, but Pharaoh stubbornly refused to listen. Consequently, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn (Exodus 7:14-12:42).

God wants everyone to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). However, if hearts remain hardened and refuse to turn back to Him, His wrath is released. Yet, God’s wrath is actually an expression of His holy love. If we do not turn to Him and instead follow our own thoughts and will, the result is ultimate destruction and eternal judgment. God displays His wrath because He is patient and does not want anyone to perish.

After looking around at the critics, Jesus commanded the man with the shriveled hand, “Stretch out your hand.” Even though it was physically impossible for the man to do so, he obeyed Jesus’ word, and his hand was restored. Jesus performed good and saved a life on the Sabbath. Instead of repenting, however, the Pharisees went and plotted with the Herodians to kill Him.

Crowds Follow Jesus

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. (Mark 3:7-10)

As Jesus went to the sea, a massive crowd from Galilee followed. People came from all over Israel, and even from Gentile regions like Tyre and Sidon, because they had heard reports of Him. The crowd was so large that Jesus had to have a boat ready to keep from being crushed.

Why did such a large crowd seek Him out? It was because He had healed so many; people suffering from various diseases were crowding in just to touch Him. The types of diseases are countless, and new ones appear every year. Sickness is like an unwelcome friend that is always nearby.

We recently experienced a pandemic that shook the entire world. Some of the most common illnesses today include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, Alzheimer’s, and depression. While some are treatable, many are not.

Illness brings pain, suffering, and depression. However, it also makes us realize our human frailty and acts as a pathway leading us to the Lord. God has the power to prevent disease (Exodus 15:26, Deuteronomy 7:15). During the wilderness wandering, He even protected the Israelites' clothes and sandals from wearing out (Deuteronomy 8:4). Figures like Enoch and Elijah were taken to heaven without seeing death, and Moses’ eyes were still strong when he died at 120.

Yet, it is no exaggeration to say that almost everyone eventually dies from disease or the complications of aging. It is appointed for man to die once (Hebrews 9:27). But for the believer, death is a new beginning—a gateway into God’s eternal life. Because Jesus died for the sins of the world, He gives eternal life to those who believe. Sickness serves to remind us of our weakness, prompting us to come before God and seek His help.

Jesus Rebukes Evil Spirits

11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. (Mark 3:11-12)

As seen in the book of Job, there exists in the spiritual realm Satan, the father of lies and a murderer. These are called "impure spirits" because they rebelled against God and seek someone to devour. Jesus did not accept their testimony; He rebuked them. Even though they spoke the truth that He is the Son of God, He rejected their words because they did not have faith. Jesus rebukes a faithless generation.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

However, God pours out eternal life upon those who believe in the Son He sent. Therefore, God commands us not to harden our hearts when we hear His voice. When we respond, He gives us a new spirit and a new heart, removing our heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh.

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:15, Psalm 95:7)

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

Amen!

December 21, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Only New Wine Is Poured Into New Wineskins (Mark 2:18-28)

 

Only New Wine Is Poured Into New Wineskins (Mark 2:18-28)

What is the mark that identifies a Christian? Is it attending Sunday worship, giving offerings, evangelism, and/or Bible study? These are true to some extent, but they are not the whole picture. A good example is the scribes of the Pharisees. Not only were they proficient in the Torah, but they also had extraordinary zeal for practicing it. They strictly followed and observed fasting, prayer, giving, and celebrating the feasts. Yet, when the time came, they refused and rejected the Son whom the LORD God had sent. In the Old Testament era, the priests and scribes also rejected, beat, imprisoned, and killed the prophets God had sent.

This fact clearly shows that while they maintained the appearance of following God's Law, in reality, they did not believe in the Lord God. Not believing in the Son of God is the same as not believing in God the Father who sent Him. Therefore, the true mark of a Christian does not depend on external things but on following the Lord by faith.

In Mark 2:18-28, Jesus teaches what the true mark of Christ is. First, it is believing in and following Jesus Christ, the Son sent by God. Second, it is showing compassion to our neighbors, based on God's merciful grace.

The Question About Fasting (Matthew 9:14-17; Luke 5:33-39)

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (Mark 2:18)

God gave regulations concerning fasting through Moses. God commanded them to deny (afflict, ESV) themselves on the Day of Atonement. This day was for commemorating and internalizing God's forgiveness of sins, because forgiveness of sins is obtained through the sacrifice of an animal. Sin is so severe that it demands a sacrifice. The animal sacrifice foreshadows the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, on this day, they were to fast to deeply internalize God's sacrificial love.

This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or a foreigner residing among you. (Leviticus 16:29)

But how did the Pharisees come to fast twice a week? This was to display their piety and zeal for God. They started fasting with good intentions and motives. Fasting is meant to deeply internalize God's merciful grace. The problem is that fasting was used as a means to show one's piety to others.

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16-18)

Through the prophet Isaiah, God spoke about the kind of fasting He accepts. The people complained about why God did not notice them when they fasted (Isaiah 58:3). They fasted while engaging in quarreling, strife, and striking with the fist (Isaiah 58:4). The fasting that God accepts and delights in is genuinely internalizing God's merciful grace and loving and forgiving one's neighbor.

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:6-9a)

No Fasting While the Bridegroom Is Present

19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. 21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:19-22)

Jesus used the case of a wedding feast, saying that it is unlawful to fast while the bridegroom is present with the guests. It is natural to eat and drink joyfully with the bridegroom. The bridegroom refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to save people from sin. A wedding feast is prepared to share joy and delight with the bridegroom. Jesus came into this world to save lives that were trapped under the power of sin and death. He frees us from the chains of sin and allows us to inherit the glory of the kingdom of heaven. Eating and drinking with joy at the wedding feast with the bridegroom foreshadows the future marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven.

However, Jesus said the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away, and on that day they will fast. This speaks of Jesus' death on the cross. They will fast because Christ Jesus, who came as the Savior, died on the cross for the sins of this world. The sin of this world is so heavy and serious that it required the sacrifice of Christ. What we ought to mourn is committing sin (Psalm 38:18).

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:24)

Also, a new piece of cloth cannot be mixed with an old garment, and new wine and old wineskins are incompatible. What is the new here? It is believing in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ coming to this earth as the Son of God is something new. Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners is a new teaching. Jesus having the authority to forgive people's sins is something new. God making Abraham into a great nation and making his name great is something new.

Then, what is the old? The old is the stubborn heart that does not believe in God. It is rejecting and opposing the Son of God, Jesus Christ, by prioritizing tradition or custom. Calling Jesus' exercise of the authority to forgive sins blasphemy is unbelief and is the old way. Refusing to sit and fellowship with sinners is the old way.

The grace of God we experience is new every day. We enjoy God's grace and love only through faith. New wine is poured into new wineskins. The mark of a Christian is faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It is believing the word of God's promise against all hope, just like Abraham. It is the faith of holding onto the words, "Follow me," like the tax collector Levi, and walking the path of the cross and suffering that the Lord walked first. The true mark of a Christian is the faith that walks daily with the Lord and holds onto the hope of the kingdom of heaven.

So, how do we put new wine into new wineskins? We turn from our stubborn hearts and repent daily. When we read and meditate on the Word of God, we respond to God's leading love, which gives us understanding. By faith, we choose forgiveness and love, and we hate and keep far away from hatred and complaints. In situations involving conflicting interests, we always choose to yield and take the loss. This is the way of Christ's cross and the path into the glory of the resurrection.

We look at the suffering and pain we receive on this earth as God's refining love and endure patiently. We believe that God, who began the work of salvation, will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). We daily hold onto the hope of the coming glory of the kingdom of heaven (Romans 8:18). We believe that the God who gave the promise will lead, protect, and guard us until He fulfills that promise (Jude 1:24-25). We never stop opening, reading, meditating on, and praying over God's Word every day (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).

The Disciples Pick Grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 6:1-5)

23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look! Why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” (Mark 2:23-24)

On the Sabbath, the disciples were passing through the grainfields and began to pick heads of grain. The Pharisees noticed this and accused them of breaking the Sabbath. They considered the disciples to be threshing, which was forbidden under the Sabbath law. Of course, the disciples were hungry and picked the grain to eat (Matthew 12:1). It is more plausible that the Pharisees were monitoring them rather than just discovering it by chance.

The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath

25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for the priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:25-28)

First, the Law of Moses commanded people not to fully harvest their fields, nor to pick up the gleanings, but to leave them for the poor (Leviticus 19:9-10; 22:23; 24:19-22). This is the spirit of the Law: sharing in a society where the rich and the poor coexist (2 Corinthians 8:15; Exodus 16:18).

However, the Pharisees failed to consider God's compassionate heart. The disciples were hungry and picked the grain to eat. It is understandable that young men would pick grain when they were hungry. But because the Pharisees hated and opposed Jesus Christ, they sought to find fault with Him in everything, accuse Him, and ultimately kill Him.

Jesus reminded them of when David, being chased by Saul, ate the consecrated bread in the house of God. The Law stated that only priests were allowed to eat this bread. However, God did not punish David; rather, He showed him compassion because David and his companions were hungry and had nothing else to eat.

The Sabbath was made by God for man (Genesis 2:3). Conversely, man was not made for the Sabbath. God rested because He had completed everything according to His will and plan. Then, God invited man into His rest and blessed him to enjoy His rest.

Rest is absolutely not about doing nothing and simply being idle. Doing nothing is not rest; rather, it is pressure and stress. Entering into God's rest means entrusting everything to the Lord. It means casting away impatience, worry, and anxiety, and resting in complete peace.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord of all creation, and He is the Lord of the Sabbath. Everything came into being through Him, and nothing exists that was not made by Him. The Lord established and made the Sabbath holy. Therefore, we must enter into rest. The way to enter God's rest is to hear the Lord's voice, come to Him by faith, and enjoy fellowship with Him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Amen!

December 14, 2025

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Scripture quotes are from the NIV.