New Wine

A friend suggested I listen to a sermon today from Luke 5:27-39. I have read this passage many times, but one phrase struck me. I don't recall seeing it, or at least understanding, as I did today.

And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'

"The old is good"? Really? I am not a wine drinker, but I know the old should taste better than the new. And the listeners of this statement were wine drinkers so they knew that this was true.

It struck me though that Christ would make a statement that he knew would be accepted as truth, and yet... in context, it should not be so. The new gospel he was preaching was WAY better than the old. However those to whom he spoke enjoyed their old ways TOO much. Their laws and traditions kept the people in line. Their rules made them superior/elite/pious. However, they couldn't rely on themselves any longer. Their perfect righteousness wasn't good enough.

This new wine could only be stored in new wineskins. The new truth could only be accepted by new believers, by babes, by those with child-like faith.

Just now had a thought. In John 2, Jesus turned the water to wine and the master of the feast thought it was the best wine of the evening. Hmmm... Jesus makes new wine taste better than old wine.

If we'll let him, I'm pretty sure he take old wineskins and make them new as well.