The saying we heard growing up, “To know the book, read it, don’t just get an impression from the cover” still carries a lot of truth.
The life of an individual might appear so interesting, exciting even glamourios. Everything appears so right on target by observation. But between the pages of their life, one discovers a reality of hidden flaws. The exterior designed to shield, to cover the reality of the hearts weaknesses and struggle to survive, without been found out, exposed for who they really are.
John 2.22 Jesus making a statement. “should you go ahead and pour new wine into a old wineskin, the power of the new wine with burst the old wineskin and you will loose both the wine and the wineskin. You put new wine into a new wineskin.” This statement he made to a group of Pharisees. Who at the time were conducting a time of fasting. Doing one of their religious practice’s. But they had taken notice that Jesus and his followers were not adhering to the regulated fasting requirement.
So this reply about new wine and old wineskin was to illustrate that he, Jesus had brought something new, something different, a relationship with God, that is free and not restricted by religious practices that was satisfying to the flesh, but had no spiritual worth. In another situation recorded in Matthew’s writings in chapter 23 from verse 27 Jesus says the following, “you Pharisees, hypocrites!
You are like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness” Jesus knew the heart of those He was speaking to.
In the world we find ourselves in, fighting to carve out a living for our family, struggling with burdens placed on us by others who don’t really have our best interest at heart, but are hiding an agenda, for their personal benefit. In all of this Jesus still remains true to His statement, NEW WINE DEMANDS A NEW WINESKIN.
No matter who we are, maybe we have the outward appearance such as a Pharisee, using today’s language, arrogant, spiritual pridefulness or just an individual who is caught up in religious practices, false Biblical teachings and practices, we are in bondage. There is no lasting life and peace. This is the picture or illustration Jesus is speaking about. We still have the old wineskin mentality.
We need to renew our thinking through the reading and coming to the truth of God’s Word.
Roman’s 12.2 “do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will”
As we develop in the ways of God, we are encouraged to deal with our old wineskin and prepare ourself, to receive the new wine, the fullness of every available to us, in our relationship with Jesus.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Ephesians 5.17-20