Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins--and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins."
Do you find it odd how religious people judge each other with veiled 'questions'? Even today Christians judge each other concerning the ways that they live out their faith. Much of my life I spent inwardly judging those who did not worship like I did. There was an air of superiority in my views of others who were not as gifted or informed as I was. Such is the bitter fruit evidenced when we embrace a legalistic perspective that leaves little room for grace.
Interesting how Jesus seems to make a break from the religious law when he speaks of new cloth and new wine. I believe that he is telling us that he did not come to clarify and improve the legalistic religious order of his day with spiritual patches. My thinking is that he is teaching us that he came to begin something new and revolutionary. This idea of new wineskins is a hard concept to embrace because of the heart change that is required.
Help me to let go of the old wineskins Lord. Help me to embrace you in change.
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I appreciate your comment on this scripture. The old Proverb also tells us that 'you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.' Likewise, you can't put a band-aid on a gushing wound. I once told my son-in-law, who wants to reform education in America, that he needs to start with a wrecking-ball! My point is that at some point in time you have to start all over again fresh: as you pointed out in your blog. This is why Christ came at what the Scripture calls " the fullness of time." In other words, the law and the prophets had gone as far as it could go: it was time for the New Covenant. I am convinced that the Church has come full circle as well and is at the same place, spiritually, that Israel was when Christ came in His Incarnation. Thus, it is time for something new and revolutionary, as you said. So I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, I have written a vision to the American Church titled: New Wine Is Hard To Swallow," so your post was encouraging to me. My name is Del York, Bob, and I live in Overland Park, Ks. and I will be watching your blog with great interest. The LORD Bless you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Del. I agree with your take on the church. My thinking is that the ministries we cal "para-church" are in fact "the church" and the religious folks who meet on Sundays are, generally speaking, the "para-church". I have lived all around Overland Park (Olathe, Lenexa and Leawood) and now live in a loft in the River Market.
DeleteNot sure where River Market is, Bob, because I just moved here. I live near 135th and Pflumm, right on the boader of OP and Olathe. Perhaps in the future we can meet for coffee because I have no friends here. Anyhow your comments about embracing change were absolutely "spot on." I believe GREAT change is on the way for God's People in America. Change so great that it will prevent many from even considering embracing it. Therefore I agree with your prayer that you might be able to let go of the old wineskins and embrace Jesus' new wineskins, Amen.
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy meeting for coffee Del. Email me at kansasbob@gmail.com and we can set something up.
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