All the synoptic gospels include the teaching about new wineskins. Found in Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-39 it comes to us in the context of asking about fasting, a refocusing on God’s roles in our lives.
37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 38 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.
New wine cannot be put back into old wineskins. The Lord is bringing about new wine for us by way of ministry beginnings, community outreach, and members stepping up to serve our community of faith. But with new wine comes the challenge of embracing that we must be made new too. We cannot keep doing the same things expecting a different outcome. What would it mean to try something new, to serve in a different way, to get off the bench, to embrace the possibility of hope, and to reflect on where in our lives we must be made new? In this month of Easter, our high and holy day of celebration, we must be foolish enough to believe that Jesus is resurrecting us. He is giving us new life now. Like the spring flowers blooming as winter is wearing off and allergies wish to keep us from enjoying their bounty. May we be rooted in the excitement and hope of Easter. May we grow where we are planted. May we embrace new wine knowing that it needs new wineskins. May we allow the Holy Spirit to prune, shape, create in us, and aid us as we unfold our petals. Why would it be in all 3 gospel accounts if it was not asking us to consider the need for new wineskins? All things are being made new… even us.
Working on blooming,
Pastor Joy