New Wine for Any Who Are Thirsty...

You have probably heard in a sermon or a Bible study that there is a big difference between religion and Christianity.  If you have, that is correct. 

 

However, many of you might be thinking, “I thought Christianity was a religion.”  In a sociological sense, yes, it is, but in another regard, Christianity is not a religion in any way, shape, form or fashion.

 

Consider these differences.  Religion is all about works.  Christianity is all about grace.

 

Religion is about what man can do in seeking out God.  Christianity is about what Jesus has done on man’s behalf.

 

Religion is external. Christianity is internal.

 

Religion offers zero security and or peace of mind because it is all about man’s performance.  Christianity offers 100% security of the believer in the work of Jesus.

 

Religion is about dead men.  Christianity is about a living God.

 

Today’s text is contrasting Christianity with Judaism. 

 

 

I.                  A Cynical Interrogation, 2:18

18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 

 

John’s disciples and the Pharisees and their disciples were fasting.  The only required fast according to OT was on the Day of Atonement.  See Leviticus 16:24.

 

Leviticus 16:24, 24 And he shall wash his body with water in a holy place, put on his garments, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.

 

However, the Pharisees had created their own tradition of voluntary fasting twice a week, Monday and Thursday.  This was supposed to be an indicator of their increased spiritual maturity. 

 

On the other hand, as evidenced by Jesus and his disciples feasting at Matthew’s house, His disciples did not fast, and the cynics asked Jesus why not.  The implication was that Jesus’ disciples were less spiritual and less godly because they didn’t fast.

 

 

II.               A Sincere Explanation, 2:19-20

19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.

 

In verses 19-20, Jesus answered the cynics with an honest, a sincere explanation about fasting.

 

At a wedding ceremony, the friends don’t fast when the bridegroom is present.  Why not?  The wedding ceremony was a time of joy and celebration not sorrow.  It was not a time for the friends to be sorrowful with the bridegroom still present.

 

However, there would come a time when the bridegroom was forcefully taken away.  This is a prophecy of Jesus fulfilled when He was arrested and persecuted and crucified.

 

In case it isn’t clear, Jesus is the bridegroom.  If Jesus is the bridegroom, and the church is the bride, and we are awaiting His return, the natural disposition of every Christian should be joy!

 

If you say, “Yes, that’s me,” make sure to tell you face because some of you have the natural disposition of being weaned on a dill pickle. 

 

 

III.           A Sewing and Skins Illustration, 2:21-22

21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

 

Today’s text ends with two parables.  The first is about sewing, and the second is about skins or wineskins. 

 

In verse 21, you don’t sew a new, unshrunk patch on an old piece of clothing.  Why not?  The new patch has not been washed and has not shrunk.  If it is sewn to an old patch, when it is washed, it will shrink pulling away at the seem resulting in a worse tear.

 

In verse 22, you don’t put new wine into old wineskins.  Goats were skinned and tanned and used to store wine.  When new wine or juice ferments, it expands.  Old wineskins are stretched out and become brittle.  If you put new wine into old wineskins, when the new wine ferments and expands, the old wineskin will burst.  The wine and wineskins will be lost.  Only put new wine into new wineskins.

 

 

Conclusion

What in the world does all of this mean for us?  How does this text contrast Christianity and Judaism? 

 

In these parables, the unshrunk or new cloth is Jesus.  The old garment is Judaism. 

 

Jesus is the new wine, and Christianity is the new wineskins.  Judaism is the old wineskins.   

 

Here’s the point of today’s text.  Jesus didn’t come to reform or remake or improve Judaism. 

 

He came to make peace with God and eternal life possible for those who receive Him as Lord and Savior.  He wasn’t reorganizing a religion.  He was beginning or originating Christianity. 

 

Turn to one last text.  See 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

 

2 Corinthians 5:17, 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

In Christ, you are a new creature.  The old things are gone.  Old words should be gone.  Old thoughts should be gone.  Old habits should be gone.  Old relationships should be gone. 

 

All things have become new.  We should have new words and new thoughts and new habits and new friends, and our prevailing demeanor and countenance should be joy and not sorrow.

 

If you haven’t drunk the new wine of Christ, I invite you to do so today.

 

Jerry and Ashley Miller are great examples of joy and not sorrow.