Let Go of Old Wineskin
This wineskin is made of animal skin. That’s why it is called wineskin. It is about $200. This one is pretty ugly. But they are the same.
Jesus gave us an important message using a parable of wineskin. Let’s read Luke 5:37 – 38. “No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. Instead, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.”
You should not put new wine into old wineskins. Why? When grape juice is fermenting, its volume expands. But the old wineskin is rigid and brittle. The wine will burst the wineskin.
Therefore, you should use a new wineskin for new wine, which is fresh and flexible.
Now, what is the new wine? New wine is the gospel of Jesus. It is dynamic, flexible, and full of freedom. Then, what is the old wineskin? Old wineskin is a system of religion regulated by rules. It is rigid, not tolerating, and full of duties. Therefore, we cannot contain the gospel in a system of religion.
Let me explain. As a minor, you are under your parent’s rule, like a curfew. When you are about to be late, you should get your mom’s permission. That is how you are bound to the rules. When you are grown up, you still have rules, let’s say, your bedtime is 10 o’clock. One day, in your company, there is an important meeting at 9:00 pm. If you say, ‘my bedtime is 10 pm, I need to go home.’ Well done! You kept your bedtime but not the job.
We have rules to help our spiritual growth. Coming to church, reading Bible, and more. This morning in your home, when you were busy to get ready, did you get angry to your family? When you are too focused on keeping the rules, you will be nervous, miss the guidance of the Holy Spirit at a certain moment, and end up hating your family. In a system of religion, they focus on keeping the rules, no room for grace, only judgment and self-righteousness.
We should Let go of old wineskin to experience the gospel
Here are some questions that you can check if you have old wineskin.
è If you think you are a good Christian because you have good church attendance and bringing the tithe, you are of old wineskin. I don’t know if there are good Christians and bad Christians. But if you want to say a good Christian, you are to stay close to Jesus from your heart, not only by keeping the rules.
è If you treat Sunday service as one of the weekly chores, you are of old wineskin.
It is like a kid who wants to play games after homework is done.
I am not saying rules are useless. We should not be satisfied with keeping the rules. We need to move on. Cleansing of our hearts and fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Unless you let go of the old wineskin, eventually, you will reject Jesus.
If you focus on keeping regulations, not on Jesus, you will be able to keep the rules eventually. And then you will say, “I am good enough.”
- Verse 39 says, “No one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’”
- When you are satisfied with your religious life, if someone says you need a Savior, you will hate that person. Pharisees and Jewish leaders thought they were doing good. Jesus proclaimed forgiveness of sins. They crucified Jesus.
What should we do?
We need to seek Jesus with all our hearts.
Keeping the rules is not the goal. Our goal is to seek Jesus and to be with Him. Rules are helping us to achieve this goal. Don’t switch the priority.
Do you come to church as an obligation? Keep coming. But, seek to love God. Because what matters is your love for God. He wants you to come to God with a joyful heart.
Don’t be satisfied with your religious life, old wine. Let go of old wineskin. Try new wine, the life led by the Spirit, filled with joy and freedom. New wine is a way better than old wine that you can enjoy through religious life.