New Wine
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins. (Mark 2:22)
Mk. 2:13-22; Neh. 10:39; Ps. 51:10; Mt. 23:1-7; Lk. 18:9-14; II Cor. 5:17
What Is God Saying?
Wineskins were goatskins stitched together at the edges, and with time they would stiffen and lose the ability to stretch. The new faith proclaimed and shown by Jesus would be like new wine in old skins. It wouldn't work! It will just come apart at the seams.
Pharisees, who were the experts on religion in Jesus' day, noticed that common people were eagerly listening to Jesus' words of love and freedom. He was lifting their thoughts above the rigid rules of religious correctness. Since these burdensome laws (Mt. 23:1-7) were their stock in trade, the Pharisees felt threatened. So everything Jesus said and did was under their close and constant scrutiny. They tried to destroy the credibility of this new Teacher who was stealing their sheep.
When Matthew, the tax collector, was converted he wanted some of his friends to meet Jesus in the happy setting of a meal. See, said the Pharisees, if He were for real He would be fasting as we do and not living it up with sinners. Christians can have a good time when it honors the Lord. Certainly, they can enjoy sharing the presence of Jesus (Mk. 2:17), but this new joy and power cannot be contained in old wineskins, such as rigid laws.
How Does This Apply To Us?
It is important for those who have found new freedom in Christ to have hearts and minds that can stretch and hold and then give out the new. All of us can find our hearts becoming stiff and rigid. Perhaps it is even the pride of religion, the fondness of being superior to others in moral correctness. The Pharisee who thanked God that he was not like other men (Lk 18:9-4) is a prime example of an old wineskin which could never hold the new wine of love forgiveness and humility. If we are new creatures in Christ we will be able to take in, hold, and then give out to others the joy and peace that the indwelling Christ gives.
Pray With Me
Lord of life, Source of joy, Ground of all hope, the giving of Yourself to me is as new wine. The promise that I am redeemed floods my heart with invigorating warmth. The assurance that I am loved tells me that I am important and that I mean something. As You are the Lord of all creation, be to me the Lord of the new creation. I pray this, holding to Your promise, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’
Let my body, often impulsive and undisciplined, become a fresh skin for new wine. Let my mind with its stubborn pride and nagging doubts become a fresh skin for new wine. Let my heart with its unsurrendered pockets of resistance become a fresh skin for new wine. Only Your recreating touch can do it, Lord. Nothing is too hard for You.
Christ in me, the Hope of glory, You who are within as new wine, do Your work upon me that in body, mind, and heart I may become a fresh skin that can hold and share the new wine of Your presence and Your joy.
Through Jesus Christ, Lord of all creation. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
The new wine of the Gospel should flavor all our prayers as good wine flavors food. Let the joy of the Lord be our strength in prayer. Let His love fill our hearts with the desire to share that love. The same is true of His peace. As it brings calmness and confidence to us in prayer, like new wine in new skins, let it bring help and strength to others who may be battling heavy seas.
