Prepare Fresh Wineskins with the Welcoming Heart of Jesus
Scripture Passage: Matthew 9:14-17 (NASB)
14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the groom cannot mourn as long as the groom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. 17 Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
SUMMARY
The disciples of John the Baptist questioned why, they along with the Pharisees, fast but Jesus’ disciples didn’t. Jesus explained that while the groom is with them, it’s not a time to mourn, until He’s taken away, then they will fast.
Jesus also gave the parable about not patching unshrunk cloth on an old garment which will worsen the tear. He also told them that the new wine needs to be poured into the new wineskin so both are preserved. Doing it any other way would burst the wineskin and the wine also is lost.
REFLECTION
These verses were very difficult to understand for me personally. I knew there were deeper meaning to what I had read, but it was still nebulous. As I looked at some sources to help me understand what Jesus was referring to, it became more lucid and powerful. How can the bride (church) mourn when the groom (Jesus, the Messiah) is among them? God’s kingdom and salvation has come to humanity to save sinners. So in contrast this was a time of great celebration and joy. But now we fast and we await the return of Jesus, as we eagerly wait for His coming for the great union and the wedding feast.
The patching of unshrunk cloth to an old garment, I think speaks the same lesson as the new wine being poured to a new wineskin, rather the old wineskin. The religious leaders in those days were rigid in heart and set in their traditions and laws. They thought salvation came from segregation and hence kept away from any dealings with the sinners (old wineskin). But Jesus came and did not condemn the law (but fulfilled the law perfectly) but He condemned their structure, traditions and their hardness of heart. Jesus admonished them to replace this old wineskin with the new wineskin- soft, pliable heart that is receptive to the message of the gospel that He came to seek the lost. Becoming a follower of Jesus means a new way of life, transformation from the inside out and not from rituals and religious activities.
APPLICATION
For the longest time, I thought that I was called to serve the needs of the body of Christ by serving those already in the church. That is not to say that it’s not needed, it definitely is essential and always will be. I just didn’t make room for my heart to understand the heart of Jesus. He seeks out the lost, the weak, sinners and the needy. Because He mingled with them, the religious leaders assumed He was one of them and not from God. My distorted preconceived notions of particular people, sect, religion and orientations-ones that didn’t fit my time or worthiness were the ones Jesus cared for and came to save. I’ve been completely wrong and deceived. My first application would be for me to have a “welcoming heart” as we’ve been learning from our sermon series. Helping those who can not return that favor, and reflecting the love of Jesus for the salvation of souls. I met a new comer named Jen couple of weeks back. I will reach out to her when I see her next time and follow up with her. She explained she didn’t know anyone, and I have the opportunity to reach her with the love of Christ. I need to come out of my bubble and clicks and seek out and reach out. My daughters have friends that don’t meet my expectations and I would think they were not good enough to be my daughters’ friends. They all bear God’s image and need to be respected and loved. Whenever I visit my daughters, I will invite them to dine with us and get to know them before judging them and allow God’s love to shine somehow through me.
PRAYER
Father in Heaven, thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to fulfill the law and bring salvation through the cross. Jesus, thank You for Your full obedience to the Father and causing Your blood to be shed and rising from the dead to give us eternal hope. Holy Spirit, we thank You for the power to believe and to make a confession of faith. Lord, forgive me for filling my heart with legalism, instead, fill me with the righteousness that comes from knowing Jesus, who is our righteousness. I’ve done nothing to deserve this great gift, please help me Lord to be guided by compassion and humility to love patiently and consistently toward my family, church and those who need to hear the gospel. Help me to love the broken, the weak and the hurting like You do.
In Jesus Name, amen.
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