New wine for new wineskins

New wine for new wineskins

Scripture:

Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:14-17

Observation:

In this passage, Matthew records for us the incident of John the Baptist’s disciples coming to the Lord and asking him why his disciples do not fast. The Lord replies by picturing Himself as the bridegroom and His disciples as His guests. Logically, it would not be an appropriate time to fast. However, the Lord further reveals to them how He will be taken away from His disciples, and it is in that time of mourning when they will really fast because of their sorrow.

Our Lord then goes on to speak of sewing and wineskins. On sewing, he remarks how when there is a tear, no one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away, making the tear worst. On wineskins, He remarks how pouring new wine into old wineskins will only cause the skins to burst, ruining it, while the wine runs out. What was Jesus trying to say?

In fact, Jesus was likening the teachings and traditions of the Pharisees brought down along the ages as the old garment and the old wineskins. Garments are often illustrated in Scripture as the acts of a person. In Isaiah, our righteous acts are akin to filthy rags. Under the old covenant, righteousness was obtained by strict observance of the Torah and man failed because they were unable in their own strength to overcome their sinful nature. However, that’s why through Jesus, God brought in the prophesied New Covenant, that we might be made righteous through faith in God through Jesus Christ, not by works, so that no one can boast. If we try to mix works with salvation, it is like putting in new wine into old wineskins ruining both.

Basically, Jesus was telling the disciples of John that it was time to put away their old ways of thinking and instead follow Him and His teachings – to embrace the new, and do away with the old.

Application:

Remember that Jesus is the bridegroom of the church, who consists of us, the body of Believers regardless of denominations, and we are invited to the wedding. He has gone back to Heaven for now and is at the right hand of the Father, but our Lord is coming back again soon, when He will make all things new!

Meditate on the old cloth and the old wineskins. Are there old traditions or ways of thinking that we are still adhering to that is holding us back? Ask the Lord for a new heart, and a new perspective that we may grow by leaps and bounds in Him. Remember and be thankful that our salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and there is nothing we can or have to do to add to it. Having said that, we need to know too that true faith in Him will lead to desire to follow Jesus and His teachings, and as we seek Him, He will teach us and give us the grace to obey and serve Him in loving God and loving others.

Prayer:

We praise You, Lord Jesus, that You are the Bridegroom and You are coming again soon for Your bride, the Church! We thank You, Lord that we are invited to the great Wedding in Heaven. We look forward to that wondrous day O Lord. Keep us safe and secure in You always, O Lord till that faithful day comes. Give us a new heart we pray, O Lord, that seeks You and Your Holy Spirit, who gives us all truth and leads us to follow and obey You. Let the old in us pass away, but let the new man in us dwell from strength to strength. Praise You, O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.