New Wine for The New Year

Matthew 9:16–17 NKJV

16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

One of John’s disciples has asked Jesus about fasting

His reply explains that there is a time for fasting, and other rituals

And a time not

He then goes on with these examples, which communicate so much more about the Christian Life

Old Wineskins are not for New Wine

Wineskins - bottles, were made of leather

this would stretch and expand as the wine fermented

putting pressure on the wineskins

new leather would be able to accommodate the wine - so that both were good

Old Wineskins still had value

they could be used for water, juice, or other things that would not ferment.

They cold last a long time

But if they were used again for new wine, they would burst

then both the wine, and the wineskins were wasted

The Gospel, the New life in Christ is the New wine

The New Life Cannot be Contained in Old Rituals

The Christian Life cannot be contained on the sacrifice and rituals of the levitical priesthood

When Christians try to live as Christians and get caught up in legalism and ritual, it is like putting the new wine in old bottles

The joy and freedom we have in Christ puts pressure on the legalistic ways, and works based salvation

the person is miserable -

they do not fulfill the salvation by works, and they do not enjoy the abundant life in the spirit

both are wasted

Galatians 5:1 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

The New Life Cannot Be contained in Old Lifestyle

Many people become Christians, and then try to live the same way they did before

Part of Salvation is repentance

The Wine represents the new Spirit that is in you

they Skin is your life, the body that you live in

This new Spirit is from God, and is Holy -

Colossians 3:9–10 NKJV

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

So many Christians, or at least so called - become comfortable in their church “clubs”, and resort back to the same way of living

using their freedom as a cloak for sin,. instead of an escape from its judgement

People who do this are miserable in their Christianity

The Spirit puts pressure on the flesh, so that there is no joy or fun in the old ways

and the guilt of sin, and its judgement puts pressure on the Spirit, so there is no joy in salvation

eventually comes the breakdown, and both are wasted

This is an easy trap to fall into:

When salvation is new, there is great joy, freedom, and life

Eventually, troubles come, like weeds in the garden

these are true to all people - we still live in a broken world

pressure of life, fears, temptations, doubts, hardships

How will you respond

Many people turn back to the old wine - or the old ways to cope with these “pressures”

they make many excuses

finding ways to “justify” their actions

But, they are miserable, under pressure, and the wine “spirit” is wasted on them, and so is their efforts at change

People running a race all run - but one wins the prize

Paul tells us to run like we want to obtain! Finish your course

The New Life Cannot Be Contained in Old Attitudes

A good many Christians come to Christ and have no problems with past sinful lifestyles

either they have overcome those temptations, or perhaps they were living wholesome lifestyles before - although apart from Christ

Yet, so many of these folks, immediately turn back to their old “attitudes” whenever they are “tried” or tempted

What do you do when people disappoint you? Offend you? Disagree with you? Hurt your feelings? Etc.?

Matthew 5:43–46 NKJV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

The Old “skin” loves the people who love me, and hates my enemy

the New skin loves my enemy also

this is easy to preach - harder to do

When someone curses you, do you run and get some old wine for your skin?

So many pseudo Christians miss it here -

They have become Christians - so called

they don’t curse anymore

they don’t drink, smoke or use drugs

they don’t cheat on their spouses, or fornicate

they even show up in church and give

But, after a short time of joy in their Christian walk, they fill the new bottle of life in Christ, witht he old wine of bad attitudes,

of rudeness, hatred, unforgiveness, and selfishness

this leads to a miserable Christian life - decieved by self serving, and never knowingt he fullness of joy that is in the new skin

Its a New Year, Lets dump the old wineskins

New years is a good time for evaluation

Both individually and corporately

as we enter 2022, lets review ourselves - according to 2 Cor. 13:5

Be certain that this new Spirit - New Life, He has given us, is still in the New Lifestyle He intended for it!

Let’s look like Him, and walk like Him