Today, we continue in our theme of Immanuel—God with us in the new.

Throughout Jesus’s teaching, He referred to the new, often in opposition to the old or a replacement for the old. Today, we will look at some of those places in His teaching. When we need to think new, act new, and believe new, we need to go to Scripture to remind us this is exactly where new is found.

(Mark 2:21-22 NLT)

“Who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”

The bottom line? You don’t use old things to make anything new. If old is used, the old remains. Even if someone tells you, “I have a new antique piece at my house,” that simply means it is new to them. Just changing owners never makes anything new. This principle is true in every aspect of our lives.

(Luke 22:19-20 NLT)

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

Jesus used the bread and wine as symbols, metaphors, for how He was about to create a New Covenant to satisfy the Old Covenant. From the resurrection, we have been able to live in the new.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35 NLT)

The Ten Commandments still exist, but Jesus provided a new motive, a new path, a new way to live and love. Rules could be replaced with relationship, what God wanted for us all along.

What is one old pattern, an old attitude, an old habit that you could offer to God this Christmas and allow His gift of the new to bring something far better into your life?

Let’s pray together: “Lord, I surrender, I hand over, my old to You. Show me, help me, to accept and receive your new as the replacement in my life. Thank You that because of the new wine, the  new covenant, and the new commandment, that is possible for me and available to me. As above, so below.”