PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 5:33-39
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins.” (Luke 5:37)
Jesus is being challenged on not being religious (prayer and fasting) enough.
But He ignores the question about ‘religion’ and talks about ‘relationship’ instead.
Jesus is ‘God-with-us’, we can be in a personal relationship with him.
The bridegroom has arrived, the climax of a traditional Jewish marriage.
All the preparation for his arrival is eclipsed and the celebration begins.
Jesus did not come to start a religion, but to restore us to fellowship with God.
Yet history shows people prefer the old wine of religion… sacred rules, rituals, traditions.
Religious practices are fine, if they are a part of our relating personally to the Lord.
But the new wineskin is my heart, and the new wine my relationship with Jesus.
Jesus wants us to know him, love him, talk with him, work with him, love for him.
All our actions become ‘religious’ in that respect; whatever we do, we do in him.
“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Colossians 3:17)
My restored life is the new wineskin, made strong to carry and share Jesus with others!
Am I celebrating Jesus more and more in my life, and sharing his grace with others?
PRAYER
Lord, strengthen my bond with you and with God, so that my whole life is a new wineskin. May my religion decline, and my relationship with you increase!
“No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” The Jesus way is the new way. Knowing who Jesus is and following his example and the guiding of his gift to me, the holy spirit – I am renewed, changed. The old ways got to go and the Jesus way has to be able to flourish. Instead of living by a ‘policy manual’ or a ‘rule book’ – I learn to be driven by a heart that is centered on Jesus – he writes ‘his laws/his ways’ on my heart by his spirit. I don’t focus on the rules but I live by the inner rules guided by the HS. Trying to follow older rules means I am likely to burst through them – when they would restrict me from responding to an opportunity to help someone – like Jesus healing on the sabbath.
Thank you Lord from freeing us from traditionalism – from doing practices for the sake of the practice rather than for the body. Help us be as revolutionary today as your son was 2000 years ago and revitalize our church instead of saying “the old [way] is better”.
Do I have a closed mind? Do I refuse to learn new things? Through His Spirit we can make best use of the old with the new. We/I cannot be rigid not letting the Spirit do His work. I need to continue to grow in His Word and apply that Word to my living for Jesus. Serving Him is the joy of the Lord God Who is my strength and song.
Come Holy Spirit Fall Afresh On Me
Fill Me With Your Power Satisfy My Need
My Need
Only You Can Make Me Whole
Give Me Strength To Make Me Grow
Come Holy Spirit Fall Afresh On Me