Date of message: 24 August 2003
Issue
108
Subject: New Wine In Old Wineskins
Shalom, Boker-tov (good morning),
One day as Jesus was having dinner at the home of Matthew (one of the
tax-collectors), the disciples of John the Baptist came to Him and asked
Him the reason why they had to fast and His disciples did not. In fact
from the gospel accounts, we read that His disciples seem to be having
one feast after another.
And Jesus responded to their question by stating that the friends of the
bridegroom do not fast when the groom was around as there would have been
many provisions of food and wine to enjoy. In a typical Jewish wedding
feast, the feasting would begin with the arrival of the groom and there
would not be any reason why someone would want to mourn at a wedding feast.
Jesus was teaching them that He was the Bridegroom that Israel was expecting,
the Promised Messiah. (Matthew 9: 14 - 15)
He went further to teach them (and His own disciples) that He has come
to bring about a new covenant. No longer will they live under the old
covenant but that their lives would have been transformed after His death
(Matthew 9:15). Their lifestyles would have to change. He went further
to illustrate this by giving them two comparisons - a piece of new cloth
being sewn onto an old garment and new wine being kept in old wineskins.
The piece of new cloth would not have been stretched and therefore when
it is being washed, it would probably shrink and as a result, the old
garment would tear since the material would have been seasoned and worn
out.
Likewise, in Bible times, wine was not kept in glass bottles but in goatskins
sewn together around the edges to form water-tight bags. The new wine
would expand as it fermented, stretching the wineskin. After the wine
had aged, the stretched skin would burst if more new wine was poured into
it. New wine, therefore, was always put into new wineskins.
Wine in the Bible would always speak of joy as it brings out the lighter
side of a person. Wine also speaks of intoxicating experiences and would
also refer to the new experience with the Holy Spirit. Just as new wine
cannot be placed into old wineskins, likewise a new Believer, after he
had received the Holy Spirit into his life, cannot carry on living life
in the old manner. New wine had flowed into his life and unless his life
is transformed, there will be many tears and the wine would burst forth.
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we are a new creation
the moment we are in Christ; the old self has passed away and all things
have become new. Paul, in Galatians 3: 21 - 25 argued the transition from
the law to grace: -
21. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if
there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness
would have been by the law.
22. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for
the faith which would afterward be revealed.
24. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might
be justified by faith.
25. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
He argued that by keeping the law we can never be made righteous as righteousness
can only come from faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Without
faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11: 6).
Therefore, since we are no longer under the law which was our tutor in
the past to point us to the Savior, we come now in faith to God's throne.
The Law was given to set us the standard that God demanded of mankind
so that, knowing our short-comings, we will then turn to Him. Now that
we are no longer under the regime of the law but under grace, let our
lives be filled with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are no longer
required to do all those things demanded of us under the law because Jesus
paid the penalty for us on the cross. Everything that had been demanded
out of obedience to the law had all been accomplished by Jesus when He
died for us on the cross.
Now if you have not believed in Jesus yourself, then I would urge you
to take that first step of faith and invite Jesus into your heart. He
is faithful and He will definitely come and live in you. Choose Life and
put your faith in our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus and He will make us
sons and daughters in His Family, special positions reserved only for
those whom He loves dearly (John 1:12).
Time is running short before the End is here. Look around you at the events
happening all over the world. Every situation points to just one simple
fact - very soon our Lord Jesus is coming back to take the Church (all
believers in Jesus) back with Him to heaven and after that things will
get worse and there will be hardship all around. If you think the going
is tough right now, you have not seen the worst yet.
One day, after all the Christians have been taken home to be with the
Lord, and should you perchance be reading this article, be assured that
Jesus loves you so much that He already demonstrated His love for you
on the cross and there will be no condemnation for you once you put your
faith in Him and you will have eternal life (Romans 8:1). The Lord cannot
lie. For Him, whatever He speaks will come to pass.
Pray this simple prayer and invite Jesus into your heart and immediately
you will experience His peace coming your way.
Our heavenly Father, thank you that You loved us so much that You sent
Your only Beloved Son Jesus into this world to die for all our sins so
that we can enjoy all Your blessings. Thank you that we who received Jesus
into our hearts will not be condemned but we received Your eternal life.
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into my heart and making my heart Your
home. Thank you that I am now a child of God the Father and as Your child,
I can start enjoying all Your blessings for my life. Thank you that I
am now eternally forgiven of all my sin, greatly blessed among all men,
highly favored children of God, deeply loved by the Father and completely
protected in the Lord and in the most precious name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua
Ha' Mashiah, I pray Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer for the first time, welcome to the Family
of the Father (and it is a very large universal family). It is important
that you are not alone facing your personal challenges but that you can
obtain good help wherever you are. Why not take the time to find your
own local Christian family (local church) and worship the Father together?
You will be greatly encouraged when you meet together to worship the Father,
for fellowship and for the study of the Word of Christ.
Start receiving the blessings of the Father as you walk with Him in faith.
It is your inheritance in Christ and He wants you to start enjoying these
blessings right now. You do not need to wait until you reach heaven and
there is more from where they come from.
The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all
your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace.
Numbers 6: 24 -26
Have a blessed week ahead, Shavrou-tov
Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee
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