By Shirley Rosemarie Evans
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”
Mark 2:22 NLT
Recently, there was such excitement in a local convenience store. The store sells the usual mix of items, including alcohol. About a month ago, the store took delivery of a new wine. This wine caused quite a stir; it came in various fruit flavours and was stronger than most regular wines, and it seemed that the customers just could not get enough of it. I watched as customers would ask others if they had tried the wine and go on to say how good it was. If delivery came in on Wednesday afternoon by Friday, there would be none left, such was the demand; I noticed that this exciting new wine was placed on the shelf below another wine, also sold in a number of flavours and packaged in brightly coloured bottles that looked quite attractive. I asked the owner why these other wines were not selling. He responded that these were wines that had come out a couple of years earlier and, in their day, had been popular, with customers buying them by the case. But now, the old had made way for the new.
In Jesus’ time, wineskins were containers made from animal skins. When wine was made, it was stored in the skin. The wine would ferment and expand, putting pressure on the wineskin. New wineskins were flexible and able to stretch, while old wineskins were already stretched to their limit and had no elasticity. If new wine were poured into old wineskins, they would burst under pressure, losing both the wine and the wineskin.
Jesus came bringing the new wine.
The metaphor of new wine and old wineskins was a powerful message about the arrival of a new kingdom and life in that kingdom, with wineskins representing the condition of our hearts:
- The new wine was about the arrival of the King. Centuries before the life of Jesus, Israel asked the judge Samuel for a king like the other nations. Samuel’s response was simple. They had a king. God was their king (1 Samuel 8). Israel pushed; God allowed it. Earthly kings were corrupt, but this new King and Kingdom was not of this earth, and He was not just the king of the Jews but the King of the entire world, whoever would believe in Him.
- New wine represented a new covenant relationship. It was no longer about human effort that could never do right; rather, this was now about placing faith in Jesus, accepting the finished work of the cross, and believing that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is able to change the very nature of our hearts, offering new life and the power over sin.
- This new wine could not be contained in old wineskins of legalism that had run its day and been fulfilled with the coming of the Messiah; no, it required new wineskins—a renewed heart accepting Jesus and coming into a covenant relationship with Him.
- New wineskins are hearts excited by the gospel message, running to share the news with others of just how good this wine is.
Ask: Why would Jesus choose to use wine and wineskins to describe the newness of the message of His Kingdom?
Seek: Are you excited about this wine that is forever new? When was the last time you shared the good news of the Kingdom with someone?
Knock: If you have not yet tasted this new wine but would like to do so, say this simple prayer.
Dear God, I know that I have sinned, and my sin has separated me from you, and I cannot make it right by my own efforts. I recognise that I need you. I believe Jesus is the son of God who died for my sins. Please forgive me and come into my heart. I long to taste this new wine and be part of your kingdom. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen
For those who have tasted the new wine, write down the names of family members or close friends who need it. Pray for God to lead you by His Spirit to share it.
