New Wine Into New Wineskins | AS BOLD AS LIONS DEVOTIONAL | March 6, 2023

New Wine Into New Wineskins | AS BOLD AS LIONS DEVOTIONAL | March 6, 2023

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins. Mark 2:22

Jesus often used illustrations in the gospels and for us those teachings can require a bit of context to understand the deeper meaning He is after. When talking to His audience (which included both disciples and Pharisees), He mentions the idea of putting wine into wineskins. In the fermentation process, the gas and air created with a new batch of wine meant that new wineskins (i.e. new containers) should be used. Old wineskins would not be able to withstand the new pressure created and would literally burst open; ruining the process entirely. Jesus brings this illustration into the discussion of new covenant versus old covenant teachings. To accept Jesus would mean accepting the “new” that had come.

This idea stretched many in Jesus’ day and still stretches many today. For some, the desire is to live under the law and to hold to legalistic standards. The law can point us to holiness. The law can show us how to live. But apart from Christ, the old ways are not enough. Christ is the fulfillment of all that had come before. It is the new wine of Christ that must come in and be poured into hearts open and ready to take it in. We must examine the condition of our hearts and be challenged to not revert to old ways when Christ is calling us to a deeper level of faith and trust in Him.

Question for today: Are there any old ways that I am holding onto that keep me from seeing Christ clearly?

Pray: Jesus keep my heart fresh and always willing to receive Your truth.

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