We need something new in order to impact our rapidly changing world! Jesus spoke about “new wine”—what is it?
People often refer to “new wine” to mean the new things of God—revival, renewal, a new move of God, etc. They compare it to “old wine,” treated as outdated ways and old religion. Traditionally, preachers call for new wine, like a fresh breath of heaven.
There is no shortage of new wine! Jesus and his teachers were and are today full of the new wine. So what’s the problem? In Matthew 9:17, Jesus teaches that new wine must be put into new wineskins. We need somewhere to put the new wine!
Today, the old-time religion that plagues the church tells us “God loves us as we are,” “We can make it another day,” and “You just need more self-esteem.” Those messages are worn-out religion that are powerless and does not work. They will not revive the dead or heal the hurting. These old wineskins are not able hold the new wine. They’ll burst! If we satisfy ourselves with old wineskins and old religion, we waste everything new that God offers us.
The lack of new wineskins was a problem in Jesus’ day just as much as it is in the present! Jesus spoke about new wine in response to John the Baptist’s disciples, who wanted to know why Jesus’ disciples did not fast like they did. Why did Jesus’ disciples not follow religious tradition—the old way? Because Jesus came with the new wine—NEW, resurrection LIFE! The old religion (of the Pharisees) would no longer work.
Jesus’ Kingdom is advancing, transforming us into new creations, and making old things new. We need new wine to minister to the new, ever-changing world we’re living in. Let’s start preaching about the power of Jesus; we need to know how to be victorious and defeat the devil. Let’s passionately worship God together. If we leave the old behind and allow ourselves to be the new wineskins, then Jesus will fill us to overflowing with His new wine.
14 Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
15 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.
16 “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.
17 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.”
Questions:
What is the new wine?
How are you, your church, and the world impacted when there is a lack of new wineskins—when there is no place to put Jesus’ new wine?
Where and how do we get the new wineskins?
PRAY for God to refurbish you/your church/your pastor/the church from old to new wineskins.
2:38You think old-time religion is a bunch of old-timers. It’s a bunch of young folks just doing what they’ve learned, and it’s just religion.
6:17We’re not going to have trouble getting new wine. We’re going to have trouble finding new wineskins.
7:05They’d refurbish the [wineskin]. Jesus takes a person and works them and refurbishes. You can make someone into a new wineskin, but it’s got to be done.
7:49Who’s ready to receive [new wine] and be filled with new wine and then walk it out and keep walking it out? We’ve got people that sort of want it and might walk it out for a little while.
9:35Now we need to become new.
11:28We’re going to have to have some new wine if we’re going to minister to the new world and new ideas that are happening now. There’s going to be pushback.
12:15Let’s start preaching Jesus: the power of Jesus, the victory of Jesus, and how to defeat the devil—not just how to live with the devil.
