Wineskins
May 8th, 2022 | Wineskins Part 1
May 8, 2022 • Pastor Ken Cline
Old wineskins grow tough and brittle with age. To be useful, a wineskin must be able to expand as the wine matures. This parable reminds us that while theology doesn’t change, times and methods of ministry do change and we must be willing to change with them. Churches who refuse to stretch and remain useful will soon become brittle and break down. In the United States, 6,000-10,000 churches close every year. There are several reasons for this including population shifts. But often churches wither and die because they refuse to adapt to serve the younger generations. Instead of fighting the spiritual war they are in, they begin to fight with other Christians. Jesus was criticized for His teaching a new way of practicing faith and communing with the Father. Many resisted His call to set aside the Law for a new covenant. They didn’t understand He was the fulfilment of the Law and relationship with Him was all anyone needed to enter into fellowship with the Father. Instead of animal sacrifices, Jesus calls us all to sacrifice ourselves and our old ways on the altar of His love for us so that we might love others. Jesus was creative in the way he taught and ministered. He loves to do new things and bring forth new life. We must follow His example and think of new and creative ways to minister to others so that they too can experience the love of God.
May 15, 2022 | Wineskins Part 2
May 15, 2022 • Pastor Ken Cline
The Pharisees believed in fasting based on Old Testament scriptures. They questioned why Jesus wasn’t following this tradition. Jesus in fact did fast (40 days in the desert - when his ministry began). But at this point in his ministry he was not fasting because he was present with his disciples. He explained it this way, “Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?” (vs. 34) He said there would be a time for fasting again after he would leave. Jesus uses the wineskin parable(vs. 36-39) to teach he was bringing something new and not just adding onto old teaching. In Bible times, wine was put inside a bag made from goat or sheep skin. New wine would produce gas and new wineskins could stretch to accommodate. Old wineskins were inflexible and would crack or burst if new wine was inside. The meaning for us is that Jesus is bringing something new into our lives. When Jesus comes into our lives and lives with us, we shouldn’t just be adding onto our old way of living. We should constantly be growing spiritually.