Highlighted New Testament Bible

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse:17, The Bridegroom, the patch, and the wine.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The question of fasting) Part 3.  

Christ continues his conversation with the disciples of John.  He tells them further about the need for new wine skins verses using old wine skins.  Christ says,  "Nor do people pour new wine into old wine-skins, else the skins burst, the wine is spilt, and the skins are ruined."   In this statement he is telling the disciples of John that a new approach was needed with his disciples.  Christ indicates that the disciples of John were not used as his disciples because of the new wine of life that is being poured into his disciples. 

Christ is telling the disciples of John that the new wine that is being poured into his disciples will not be spilt.  The new wine of life that they are being given cannot be put into old wine skins.  The new wine of life will be lost if it is poured into old wine skins and both the wine skins and the new wine of life will be lost.  Christ is setting a new precedent with these words.  He is demonstrating to the disciples of John  that he has something new to give.  He has something different to present.  He has something that he does not want to be wasted or lost.  Therefore, it is necessary that new disciples are used.  It is necessary for new ideas to come forth.  It is necessary to recruit new people to carry the new wine of life so that it is not lost or spilt.

The disciples of John wanted to know why the disciples of Christ were different.  They wanted to know why they did not follow the norm that was given to them.  They thought that the disciples of Christ should follow the way that was given to them.  They should follow the principles and practices that they were given.   They thought that the disciples of Christ should not receive special treatment.  They and the Pharisees questioned Christ about the different path that his disciples were taking.  They were indignant to the special treatment that the disciples of Christ were given. 

Christ calls us today.  He calls new wine skins today.  He looks for new faces, new people, new vessels to carry the new wine of life.  He does not want to waste the message.  He does not want to ruin the old wine skins.  He does not want to spill the new message of life.  There are the old wine skins that have been used to put the old wine into.  There are the old wine skins that carried the message before.  There is the new wine that needs to be put into new vessels.  There is the new message that Christ seeks to spread.  He wants to give the new message of life by putting it in new vessels.  Are you ready to have the new wine of life poured into you?  Are you ready to become a new wine skin for Christ?  Or do you continue to receive the message of life into old wine skins where the new wine of life bursts the wine skins and the message is lost?