The Life and Ministry of Jesus
Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ” Luke 5:36–39
The natural man likes his old ways. He likes his old wine—that is, his old religion. The important thing is to recognize that our Lord brought something new to mankind—the gospel. He did not come into the world to do any patching of the old garment. He did not come to patch up the Law. He came to pay the penalty of sin by dying on the cross.
But He did more than that. He arose from the dead so that He could place upon us His robe of righteousness. He gives us the new wine of the gospel. The new wine of the gospel must be placed in the new wineskin of grace, not into the old one of law. He came to give us something new. He came to save us by faith in Him. 1
Personal Encouragement
What is the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus Christ? How would you best describe your relationship with God to an unbelieving friend?
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18
New wineskins are not a culturally cool, new youth movement, it is humility before Jesus.
A Prayer
Lord, thank You for filling me with the fullness of Your grace.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Luke) (electronic ed., Vol. 37). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
