139 - New Wine Must Be Put into New Wineskins#
139 - New Wine Must Be Put into New Wineskins
(JP Text Group - Yun Dan Feng Qing Compilation)
The topic we are sharing today is called "New Wine Must Be Put into New Wineskins," based on Matthew 9:16-17 from the New Testament.
The Bible is always the standard of our faith. What you believe is not based on what any teacher says, but whether what I say aligns with the Bible. If it aligns with the Bible and you receive it, then you will gain the power that Jesus wants to give you. I believe this will bring a lot of help to everyone today.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for giving us this time to worship and praise You together. At the beginning of the new year, You want each of us to have new wine put into new wineskins. We need to have a new mindset to view our current lives. Jesus, add Your power to us. In the past, we relied on ourselves, but now I am willing to rely on You. As the new week begins, grant me the power and wisdom to work, and I completely dedicate this time to You. Renew me through Your words, so that I may know You more deeply. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!
Hallelujah! Let us read today's scripture, Matthew 9:16-17:
No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wineskins burst, and the wine spills out, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. Amen!
The last sentence is very important: "both are preserved." Amen!
Brothers and sisters, do you know? Many people want to preserve themselves, one is life, and the other is living. The life that God gave us at the beginning is eternal life. The life that God gave to Adam was a complete life. God created everything perfectly, and that life was the best—without curses, pain, or death. It was a complete life.
How is our current life? We live in an environment with smog, and sometimes we worry about the food we eat. Such a life brings many people anxiety and problems.
But today Jesus gives us a way to preserve both our life and living. Jesus has told us the method. He wants each of us to enter the new year without living according to past mindsets. Can you understand what I mean? Perhaps you say, "Oh, last year was terrible for me; nothing went smoothly." This year, do not say such things. You might say, "My child was disobedient last year; this year will probably be worse..." Do not say such words; these are what the world says, right?
Brothers and sisters, we do not speak of ourselves according to the patterns of this world. We speak of ourselves according to Jesus' way, according to Jesus' pattern. In the Kingdom of Heaven, with Jesus, there is abundance. So this year should be a year of abundance for you. Hallelujah! Although the world says this is bad and that is bad, that is what the world says. Jesus is not like that. In the Kingdom of Heaven, the blessings of Jesus Christ are abundantly given to us every year. Many people say that this is Israel's Jubilee year, but brothers and sisters, do you know that it takes fifty years for a Jubilee year? What I want to tell you is that when Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, every year is a Jubilee! Not just 2016, but every year after that. When you accept Jesus, every year is a Jubilee. What does Jubilee represent? Do you know? Everything is in blessing!
So we should not learn from the Israelites. The Israelites were once slaves, without freedom or hope, suffering every year. But when Moses brought them out of Egypt, their lives changed. Before, they had a life without hope, but after they left Egypt, their lives were blessed by God.
When they walked in the wilderness, every day was God's provision, every year was God's provision. But how did they think? "Oh, Moses, who brought us to this cursed place? There is no food, no drink, no supermarket, no leeks, no green onions..."
But God gave them manna! Is manna better or green onions better? Is there nutrition in manna? Believe it or not, for forty years they ate manna without malnutrition, proving that God had given them the best in the world. But because their minds were not renewed, they still had the mindset of slaves, still thinking like they did in Egypt, feeling that although they were whipped every day, they had meat soup to drink. In the manna, they had everything they needed. Manna symbolizes our Lord Jesus Christ. So when you are in Christ, your life is no longer the same; your life is abundant like Jesus. Amen!
Perhaps in the past, you had many worries and problems, many things that made you anxious. But if you accept Jesus' words, you are in Jesus Christ. From now on, your life is supplied by God. What does supply mean? Do you know, brothers and sisters? It means that when you have a need, He gives it to you. When you do not have a need, God has already prepared everything for you. That is called supply. We tend to think, "Oh, now that there is a problem, I need supply." By then, it might be too late. You think of every possible way to solve the problem, but in fact, God has already supplied everything you need.
How can we receive the supply of Jesus Christ? We must change our thinking and put new wine into new wineskins. If our thinking does not change, we cannot see God's grace, and we cannot see the supply of Jesus Christ.
We read a passage of scripture that says: No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.
Why can't new cloth be put on old garments? Because new cloth is unshrunk. I may not be a professional, but I can say that new cloth is unshrunk. Once the new cloth is washed, it shrinks, and when it shrinks, it tears the old garment, which is why new cloth cannot be put on old garments.
Old garments have already shrunk a lot; their elasticity is gone. When new cloth is pulled, it tears even worse. So when you put new cloth on old garments, after washing, the new cloth will shrink and tear the old one.
What does the old garment refer to? It refers to our old concepts, the life we had under the law, which is always full of flaws. Our life before believing in Jesus was an old life, a life that often had problems. The reason is simple: it is a sinful life. Amen!
Why do people sin? Because they are sinners, so they keep sinning. According to the laws of the world, if you sin, you become a sinner. But God does not see it this way. God says that the reason you sin is that there is sin inside you. So what is God's method to solve this problem? How can you not sin? God takes away the sin inside you, and then you cannot sin.
Is it necessary to change this life? It is not about transforming the life; it is about changing the life. It is a replacement life. Amen! Can old garments be continuously patched with new garments? The more you patch, the worse it gets. So what should we do? Brothers and sisters, if a garment is already in such a bad state, what would you do? Throw it away! That is the solution!
Our brothers and sisters are very wise. If a garment is already in such a bad state, do not keep patching it. If you patch the old garment with new cloth, it will only get worse, just like a sinful life. Since it is a life full of flaws, God says, "I want to solve it." How does He solve it? He lets this sinful life die and then lets it come back to life as a new life. This is God's solution! Amen!
Many people understand and say, "Oh, I am trying hard to let my old self die, to nail my old self to the cross every day..." Wrong! What you are doing is equivalent to continuously patching the old garment with new cloth, and the result is that it gets worse. Amen!
The best solution is to throw away the old garment! God gives you a new garment! It does not need patching; it is a perfect life. Jesus has placed His perfect life, His complete life, inside you. From now on, there is no need for patching. Hallelujah! In the Old Testament, God did such a thing. Do you know, brothers and sisters? The Israelites in the wilderness for forty years, how did God do it? Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell. How much more so under the New Testament?
What God gives you is not material; He has placed your entire life in Jesus Christ. So when you believe in Jesus, you are not trying to transform your old life to be like Jesus; you already have the life of Jesus. This is what the Bible says: "The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
This means that your old self does not keep changing... into the new; the old has already died, and now God gives you a completely new life. Do not use the old, outdated way of thinking to think about things; that is a life full of flaws. Now you need to think with a new mindset about your current life, to see yourself through Christ. Amen! That is to say, when you encounter problems in life, you need to think about how Jesus would solve them. This is the new person in new clothes!
When a problem arises, do you think like before, "Oh, I am so worried; what should I do? I am so anxious..."? At this moment, you need to think, "How would Jesus solve this?" Then you will find peace. The reason we become anxious and angry is that we do not have the right solution. Jesus has a new life, a life full of power. He is never anxious or troubled by anything; He is always full of peace.
And today, Jesus gives you His new clothes. Remember, it is His new clothes that He gives you. What are those new clothes? The robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ! Amen! Is there any bug that can tear the robe of righteousness? Is there anything that can cut this robe? This robe is eternal! It is perfect, full of power, and full of glory!
When you accept Jesus, He says, "Throw away your old clothes; I have new ones." So Jesus has already given you His robe of righteousness. When you accept Jesus, He gives you the robe of righteousness. This is absolutely not based on your behavior, just like the prodigal son returning home. Although the prodigal son had very bad behavior and a stench, his father still put the best robe on him. You need to see in the spiritual realm that you are not wearing a robe that can tear or rot; you are wearing the robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ. You stand before God in this robe, so at any time, God sees you and is pleased with you. You should live the new year with this mindset.
When you encounter problems, do not complain about them; say, "In the name of Jesus, solve it!" I believe Jesus has the power to solve it. At that moment, you will find that your life begins to turn around, and everything will be different. Hallelujah! So the old clothes and old wineskins refer to the old life you had. The old wineskin refers to the person you were in the past, but that is already in the past. So can the new and the old be mixed together? Remember: the new and the old cannot be mixed together!
What did Jesus say earlier? If you put new cloth on old garments, the old garment cannot bear the strength of the new cloth. Amen! Your past life is a life full of sin. How can Jesus put His life into your sinful life? It cannot be done. When God wants to place His glory on you, He must create a completely new life for you. Hallelujah! This point is extremely important!
Brothers and sisters, the new and the old cannot be combined because the old self cannot accept God's words. Why do we say when we accept Jesus, "Lord Jesus, I believe that the old me has died and has been crucified with You"? Why do we say this? It is to tell you that the one who is alive now is not the old one; it is a completely new life. The old self cannot accept the life of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
Those who have not accepted Jesus Christ are all in Adam, living the old life, so they cannot bear the blessings of God's life. Let me tell you, last week, two brothers and sisters came to give testimony. After we prayed, their illnesses were immediately healed. If you tell an unbeliever, "We have two people in our church, and we prayed for them, and Jesus healed them..." Do they believe? No, they absolutely do not believe.
"They are joking. If that were the case, why do we need hospitals? Just open a hospital..."
Do you know why God is unwilling to give that blessing to them? It is because they cannot accept it. Their old life cannot achieve the new cloth unless it dies. Yes, my mind cannot comprehend God's matters, but I am willing to accept You, Lord. When you accept Him, God throws away the old life and puts on the new clothes for you, and then you can understand. Amen!
Why do many people always say, "What does your God look like? If you let me see your God, I will believe in Him"? How can you see the new clothes if you are wearing old clothes? Take off the old, and God will put on the new for you, and then you will see Him. Amen! That is to say, when you believe in Jesus, you see Jesus. If you say, "I will believe when I see," you will never see. Unless you believe, you will be able to see Him. Thank the Lord!
So the old life is willing to listen to good words, willing to listen to words that align with its own, even if they are lies. People are willing to listen as long as it sounds good; that is the old life. We look at a passage in Luke 5, which is exactly the same as our scripture today, discussing the issues of new clothes, old clothes, old wineskins, and new wine.
In Luke 5:39, it says: No one, after drinking old wine, desires new; for he says, 'The old is good.'
Let me ask you a question: Do you think new wine is better or old wine? Think about it. Even if you have never drunk it, you have heard your friends say it. Do you think old wine is better? Please raise your hand. Please put it down. Most people think old wine is better. That’s right; we hear the theory that old wine is fragrant. Many people take out wine and say, "Do you know? This is wine brewed by Napoleon; it is very expensive." Why is it expensive? Because it has been around for a long time. Is that wine necessarily fragrant? Is that wine necessarily good? But in Jesus Christ, this does not apply.
In John 2, what was Jesus' first miracle? Turning water into wine, right? If you are getting married, would you use old wine or new wine? When you get married, you will definitely bring out good wine. The Bible records that at the end, the master of the feast tasted the wine that Jesus had turned from water. The master of the feast said, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now." Was Jesus' wine short on time? It was very short. How short? By the time the water was filled, Jesus said, "Take it out and give it to them." In an instant, good wine was produced.
In our eyes, that is new wine, but it is good wine, the best wine. What is Napoleon's wine compared to it? With one word from Jesus, wine that has been brewed for thousands of years is produced. Do you believe it? This is what people say. Jesus said: No one drinks old wine and desires new; he says the old is good. Only Jesus' wine is new, and it is also the best wine.
I just said that we have many concepts that need to be updated. We always think that the longer something is kept, the better it is. Jesus does not use this principle; He can compress time instantly, allowing you to drink the best wine, and it is also new wine. So what kind of blessings does God give you? Do you know?
Every time it is new, but every time it is the best. Hallelujah! This is the blessing of Jesus! If you accept Jesus, you have accepted the blessing of Jesus. Amen! Many concepts need to be updated in Jesus. What is new wine? It is unfermented wine or grape juice that has not fully fermented. This is the wine that Jesus refers to in this passage.
New wine symbolizes the gospel and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So new wine is in the process of fermentation, symbolizing the expansion of the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen! When you accept new wine, you have the power of the Holy Spirit inside you. This power does not diminish over time; rather, it grows stronger over time. This is new wine.
But old wine does not have this power; it has already finished fermenting.
Here it mentions old wineskins. In Jesus' time, there was no technology like today. Their old wineskins were generally made of sheepskin. After taking a whole sheep, they would hollow it out and tie the feet to make a sheepskin bag. New sheepskin bags are different from old ones. New sheepskin bags are elastic and very flexible, but old wineskins are hard and stiff.
Verse 17 says: No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wineskins burst, and the wine spills out, and the wineskins are ruined.
Let me share with you why new wine cannot be put into old wineskins. Because new wine ferments and expands continuously, expansion represents vitality. If you put something with vitality into an old wineskin, the old wineskin has become hard and lost its vitality; it no longer has the capacity to expand. When you put new wine in, it will expand and burst the wineskin, causing the wine to spill out and the wineskin to be ruined.
So what is this talking about? Why did Jesus use old wineskins to illustrate this? Because old wineskins symbolize the Jews who rigidly adhered to the law. We need to look at a passage in Galatians 3:9-11:
So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.' Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for 'The righteous shall live by faith.'
Actually, before we read this passage, something happened. What kind of thing? The issue of fasting. Many people ask, "Teacher, how should we view fasting under grace?" Actually, Jesus has already given us the answer; it is just that many people have not read it. We look at today's passage, verse 14:
Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, 'Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?' And Jesus said to them, 'Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.'
Do you understand this passage? Actually, before Jesus spoke about the issue of new clothes, old clothes, new wine, and old wineskins, there was a question that arose. They were confused and said, "Jesus, why do Your disciples not fast?" Today many people ask me, "Teacher, should we fast?" I say, "Look at whether Jesus' disciples fasted." Did they? No! But Jesus said something afterward: When the bridegroom is with the guests, what does that refer to? When Jesus is with the disciples, do they need to fast? That is a joyful time! Amen!
Brothers and sisters, it is like attending a wedding banquet. The host says, "Come quickly; the food and wine are ready." You say, "I am fasting." Then why are you there? Brothers and sisters, can you understand what I mean? When Jesus is with them, He wants to supply and give them the best. They say, "Lord, thank You for giving me so much grace." Why fast at the moment of receiving?
But there was a time when the disciples fasted. When was that? When Jesus died and left them. At that time, they needed to fast, feeling sorrowful, "Lord, when will You come?" Is that when they began to fast? Because the bridegroom had left them, that was when they started fasting.
After the Book of Acts, fasting is no longer mentioned. Do you know why? Because Jesus said He will be with us forever! You do not need to fast; ask the Lord to be with you because He is already with you. Under the New Testament, can we fast? Of course, we can! But it is different from the Old Testament because John’s disciples came to see Jesus. John was under the law, and they taught you to fast and wait for the coming of the Messiah. Now that the Messiah has come, Jesus' disciples do not fast, while John’s disciples do.
One is in old wineskins, and the other is in new wineskins. Those in old wineskins cannot contain Jesus. Do you know why? If you put Him in, "bang," it bursts. So at this time, they came to ask Jesus. If you can understand what I am saying now, you will know. But in the end, what did Jesus give as an answer? He said: People always drink old wine and do not desire new; they say the old is good. Jesus said this is your mindset.
Why do you think this new wine is so strange? My disciples do not fast because I am with them. Isn’t it hoped that this group of John's disciples can change their thinking? You can fast, but do not ask, "Lord, I fast; bless me." Do not ask the Lord to come quickly because you are fasting... Today, you do not need to do it this way. Brothers and sisters, you can fast. I say it again, you can fast, but fasting under the New Testament is different from fasting under the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, when they encountered difficulties and had no way out, they would say, "Lord, save me quickly; we need to fast." During Esther's time, all the people fasted so that God could save them.
Today, is it that you fast that God will save you? God has always been saving you; He has never left you. Some say, "Can we fast?" Yes! But the purpose of fasting is no longer to say, "Lord, I fast; accomplish something for me." Even if you do not fast, God can accomplish that thing for you.
Why fast today? Because people are too busy. Some people do not even have time on Sundays. If we fast, we save time from eating. We save time from looking at the world and spend time with Jesus, enjoying His presence. This is the purpose of fasting under the New Testament. Amen!
So we must put new wine into new wineskins. We are a group of people who overcome by faith. Is striving to fast an action or faith? It is an action. I want to move God's heart through some means, and this way is very bad. Many people say, "Teacher, I have prayed; why hasn’t God healed my illness? Is it because I did not fast?" I say, "Did you fast?" Later, they say, "I fasted, but God did not heal me."
I once heard a teaching that if you pray for something and God does not listen, it is because you did not try hard enough. So you need to fast and pray. If three days are not enough, then fast for seven days. If seven days are not enough, fast for fifteen days. If fifteen days do not work, fast for forty days. Is this relying on actions or faith? If it falls into this, isn’t it going back to old wineskins? God cannot put blessings in old wineskins; if He puts them in, "bang," they burst. It is not that God is unwilling to give you; it is that you cannot receive it. You need to change the old wineskin.
In the past, it was relying on the law. It says: For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse. If you fall under a curse, how can you see the blessing? "No one is justified before God by the law; it is evident." So today, to accomplish anything for you, it is all by your faith! Amen! By your faith, God gives it to you.
Some say, "Why do I still not receive?" Change your old wineskin first. If you do not change it, you cannot bear the blessings that Jesus Christ gives you. Do you understand what I mean? If you always hold onto your past thoughts, how can you accept God's grace? Many people say, "Oh, my pastor said this; I cannot accept what you are saying now." Well, then just believe your pastor. "Oh, tradition says this; then believe tradition..." Why does our church say to see what the Bible says? Is this the truth? The Bible is the standard, brothers and sisters. If we always hold onto past thoughts, you cannot see God.
When John the Baptist came, he said: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; you should repent. Jesus also said: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand; you should repent and believe in the gospel. The original text expresses that because the eternal kingdom is about to come, you need to let go of your concepts to see the coming of that kingdom. The original text is very clear. If you do not let go of your original concepts, you cannot see that the Kingdom of God has already come. Jesus has come; He is the Son of God. But the Pharisees could not see that He was the Son of God. They said, "How can you look like the Son of God?" Because their concepts had not been updated, the old wineskin of the law was hard and stiff. Amen!
Old wineskins absolutely cannot hold new wine; if they do, it will be your loss. You will not only lose the wine but also the wineskin. Amen! That is to say, if you live under the New Testament grace today, and you want to obey the law every day, asking God to bless you, you are living under a curse. Not only will you not receive God's blessing, but you will also face many accusations and condemnations upon you. So do not mix the new and the old together; this is very troublesome and will ultimately lead you to lose everything.
We, under the New Testament, cannot return to the Old Testament and rely on the law; otherwise, you will not receive Abraham's blessing. Jesus has clearly forgiven all your sins, but if you condemn yourself every day, you deny everything Jesus Christ has done on the cross, and you will lose the blessing. The wine will spill, and the wineskin will burst. The Jews would not be foolish enough to do such a thing as putting new wine into old wineskins. What is the consequence? Our brothers and sisters are wise; you are wise. Amen!
So you are now living as a new person in Jesus Christ! Amen! Do not try to do this; it will make you very painful. This is why many people cannot accept grace because the mindset of the law is still inside them. These two laws are constantly battling, causing them great pain, because both things are inside them, and they will lose both. I am not denying that everyone should obey the law or abolish the law. If you want to obey the law, go ahead, but remember, "You must obey all things written in the Book of the Law." If you do, you will fall under a curse. I absolutely do not stop you from obeying the law; you must obey it thoroughly. Do not just obey one; obey all of it. For your entire life, do not violate one. If you can do that, go ahead. Welcome to obey the law.
There is only one person who has done it, Jesus Christ. That’s right. If you say, "I have the same ability as Jesus," well, go ahead and try. If you cannot do it, you will fall under a curse, and the wineskin will burst, and you will not receive the wine. Do not walk this path; this path does not work. There is another very important and the only viable path, which is to put new wine into new wineskins.
If you disagree and insist on mixing the two, brothers and sisters, it is equivalent to saying that today you absolutely cannot mix grace and law. If you mix grace and law, grace will lose its sweetness, and at the same time, the law will lose its authority. The result of mixing can only bring confusion.
This is why many people struggle internally. They desperately want to receive God's blessings while feeling unworthy. When they are sick, they say, "Lord, heal me," but on the other hand, they say, "Lord, I am unworthy..." Isn’t this painful? It is indeed very painful. On one hand, they see other brothers and sisters receiving such great blessings from God, saying, "Lord, I want that too," while on the other hand, they say, "I cannot." This is the result of pain. Mixed teachings can only bring confusion. So you either listen to pure law teachings, or you listen to pure grace teachings in the style of Jesus. Mixing the two means you will receive neither, which is a pity.
If you are under grace, you can enjoy the complete love of Jesus, the complete grace, and the complete supply. This is what our church has always been talking about because you know that everything is done by Jesus. I am just a receiver. So no matter how much I receive, I will thank Jesus because it is all His doing, not mine. At any time, a person under grace is humble because everything is done by Jesus.
If you want to rely on your actions, you are under the law, trying hard to obey all the laws. At that time, you say, "Lord, You should bless me because I have obeyed all the laws." God will give it to you if you can do it. So you choose either side, but do not mix the two together. Mixing them can only bring you confusion.
Jesus came to establish the New Covenant, but He did not supplement the Old Covenant. Do you understand what I mean? Jesus did not come to supplement the Old Covenant; He replaced the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. Amen! The book of Hebrews tells us very clearly that God saw the flaws of the Old Covenant, so He established the New Covenant. The New Covenant is the Old Covenant, and the Old Covenant is gradually fading away. Amen! It is quickly passing away.
Jesus did not come to say, "I found that the law is not thorough enough; I will give you a little more law." This is the Jewish mindset. Do you know what the Jews want us to do? On one hand, they want to keep the Ten Commandments, and on the other hand, they want to add Jesus to keep. This will lead to death. This is the main content discussed in Galatians. If you want to hear about this, search online for "Teacher Ren's Galatians series." This will give you a clear understanding. Absolutely do not mix the two; you will gain nothing.
I want brothers and sisters to live under the New Covenant. Amen! Believe, and God will give you everything. Hallelujah! The law has a characteristic: the law can reveal all your sins, just like old wineskins, hard and stiff, but it cannot give you the power to overcome sin. This is the flaw of the law. The law is holy and righteous, that is correct, not a bit wrong. It cannot make you holy.
The law is like an old garment, just like old wineskins. Jesus said it cannot be put into my new covenant and the Holy Spirit. What should we do? It must be replaced. So Jesus replaced the old wineskins with new wineskins and the old clothes with new clothes. He gives you all new things.
So Jesus has given you His robe of righteousness, which is new. It is not about saying, "Okay, I will transform you well so that you become more like God." That is wrong. It is about placing His life inside you. You are already of the same nature as God. Amen! The Holy Spirit inside us is the same as the Holy Spirit of Jesus. When you believe in Jesus, He places this power inside you, so we have the same authority as Jesus! That is what this means!
Otherwise, you say, as the Bible says at the beginning, in Genesis, God said, "Let us make man in our image and likeness." Then He created Adam. Finally, He breathed into him, and Adam was like God. It does not mean that God looks like Adam, with a nose and eyes; it is not that. It refers to the spirit, attributes, and power inside. Amen!
If you know that your new person, new wineskin is like this, like Jesus, you will have the power to overcome in your life! Hallelujah! The grace of Jesus Christ has come, not to maintain the old covenant, which has already broken and become a stiff old wineskin. Jesus has come to give you new clothes and new wineskins. He wants you to put new wine into new wineskins. This new wine is the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, a life that can bring joy and is full of power because He has already conquered death!
You say, who can defeat the resurrected life of Jesus? Can the devil? In the past, He carried flesh, and the devil tried every means to crucify Jesus. After Jesus resurrected, can you crucify Him again? He has already possessed abilities that humans cannot have, such as instantly traveling to Hainan, instantly going to the Northeast, instantly reaching the moon. I can go wherever I think of; this is the result that the world desires. Jesus already has it. So when you face such a God, who can defeat Him? No matter how powerful your atomic bomb is, can you destroy Him? It is of no use in front of Him. This is the life of Jesus.
The important thing is that the life of Jesus is also in you. What you lack is just the change of this body; everything else is the same. Do you understand? Brothers and sisters, what you lack now is the ability to pass through this wall; everything else is the same as what Jesus did. Amen! Jesus laid hands on the sick, and the sick were healed. We have done such things too. What is the difference? Because this new wine is the resurrected life of Jesus! It has already been placed inside you.
The new wineskin is a new person; God has already created it for you. You are already a new person. Hallelujah! Now tell the person next to you, "You are a new person! A new creation!" Amen! Not the old one; the power of the new person is too great. So you should often meditate that I am a new person. This new person is created by Jesus! The new person also contains something, the Holy Spirit! The resurrected life of Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Hallelujah!
The life of this new wine is indeed very powerful. Think about it. On the day of Pentecost, more than 120 disciples were praying there. While they were praying, the Holy Spirit suddenly came in like a flame and rested on each of them. Those 120 people became a different group of people. In the past, they were timid, afraid every day that soldiers would come and arrest them, worried about this and that. But at that moment, it was different because they were already new wineskins; they just lacked new wine. At that moment of Pentecost, new wine came and filled their new wineskins.
From that moment on, the new wine began to ferment, and the power expanded continuously. Those people became remarkable. They stood up and came down from the upper room, saying, "Brothers, I tell you, Jesus Christ has risen!" When those people heard this, they said, "What should we do?" Now who started to fear? Those who were not afraid began to fear. The fearful ones were no longer afraid. Amen!
If you feel that there are many fears in your life that make you anxious and you do not know what to do, accept Jesus! He wants to make you a new wineskin and put the Holy Spirit inside you. At that time, you will be fearless every day. If you often have insomnia at night, when new wine is put into new wineskins, you say, "In the name of Jesus, I command insomnia to go away." Is this where you should be? Isn’t it? The Holy Spirit lives inside you; why are you staying there? Go out! That night, you will sleep more comfortably than anyone else.
You need to realize that you are now a new person, filled with new wine. This is not just our testimony. Look at the day of Pentecost. When the disciples came down from the upper room, they began to perform many miracles. People nearby laughed at them, saying, "These people are just filled with new wine." You are absolutely right; they are filled with new wine. But that new wine is not the new wine brewed in the world; it is the power of the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah!
This happens often in our church. Many people will speak in tongues. Do you know? Speaking in tongues is just one manifestation of being filled with the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah! Once you have this power, you can use this ability at any time in your life. Amen! So new cloth also refers to our outer life. Is clothing worn on the outside? New wine is the life inside us. The important thing is that if the inner life does not change, the outer behavior cannot change.
The disciples were not afraid because they were filled with the Holy Spirit inside, and then their outer behavior changed. At that time, the disciples went out and preached the gospel. They laid hands on the sick, and the sick were healed. Amen! They rescued many who were oppressed by the devil because their inner life was changed. So I wish for our church brothers and sisters that your inner life be filled with new wine first. Hallelujah! Those who accept Jesus, let the Holy Spirit fill you! Your outer life will be different.
Clothing is expressed on the outside, but the fermentation of this wine is on the inside. This is our theme for this year! Rest, root down, and build up the inner life, and the outside will be unstoppable. Hallelujah! This year, through the words of Jesus Christ, we will know Him more deeply. First, recognize that you are a new wineskin, wearing new clothes, and then let new wine fill you. Amen!
The book of Romans tells us that we cannot be justified by the law. Galatians tells us not to rely on the law to be sanctified. All of this must rely on the renewal of the Holy Spirit! Amen! The Holy Spirit is in you; He will renew your life. After the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, their lives changed instantly. Their behavior changed instantly. It is that simple.
A person filled with the Holy Spirit will live a life that glorifies Jesus Christ. So Jesus said: But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. Which two? One is the life inside you, and the other is your outer behavior. Hallelujah! When you are filled with God, your outer behavior will be a life that glorifies God! So you see a person who says, "I also receive grace; I also believe in Jesus," but when they go out on the street, they argue and fight with others. What does that indicate? It indicates that you are now a new wineskin, but what is inside may be old wine or vinegar. Just kidding... Why? Because they are envious of everything; they are filled with vinegar.
But if they pour out the old things inside and let the Holy Spirit fill them with new wine, rest assured, their lives will change immediately. Hallelujah! This is the power of the Holy Spirit! Change is not the result of your effort; it is because you are filled with that life inside you, and you change. So the change mentioned in the Bible is not about our efforts to quit smoking, to rest, or to avoid this or that. The more you try, the worse it gets; that is under the law.
Now what is God saying to you? It is like looking in a mirror. In front of God, keep looking, keep looking, and you will find that the more you look, the more you reflect God's glory! This is what the Bible says! Amen! It is about continuously looking in the mirror. So who is the person you are looking at? Jesus! Keep holding up the image of Jesus and saying, "This is me; this is me!" You will find that you are becoming more and more like Him. If you hold up a monkey and say, "This is me; this is me," your behavior will become more and more like a monkey.
It is really like this, brothers and sisters. The Bible tells us that we reflect like in a mirror, glory upon glory! God has already glorified you. The more you hold Jesus to reflect on yourself, the more God says you will be glory upon glory.
So let new wine be put into your new wineskin. Those who accept Jesus, you are already a new wineskin. What is lacking? Let this new wine fill you. Amen! God loves us so much that He tells us this: Do not return to the law; live under grace. This power is great. Amen.
Look at a passage in Romans 7:6: "But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code." Have you died? Your old self has died. Now you are a new person. Amen! The old wineskin has been thrown away; now you are a new wineskin. "That we serve the Lord in the new way of the Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit." So today we serve the Lord according to the Holy Spirit! Not according to the old way of the written code. The old way of the written code refers to the law. You do as the law says. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit will fill you; He will lead you to work. Amen!
I believe many of us have indeed had such experiences. When you pray, you are suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. God says, "You prayed for him in the past, and you said, 'Lord, I will not go.'" You find that you cannot help but go and pray for that person. This is the new way of the Spirit! Amen! You find that unconsciously, you think of a person, and you start to pray for him. This is the new way of the Spirit! Amen!
It is the Holy Spirit guiding you to live a new life, not your effort, "Lord, I want to pray for someone..." "I will not pray for him; that guy is not good to me." It is absolutely not like that. When the Holy Spirit guides you, it is when that person is not good to you, and you say, "Lord, I want to pray for him." You wonder, "Why should I pray for him?" You say, "Just pray for him." That is the new way of the Spirit! Hallelujah!
We are not living under the rigid law. Brothers and sisters, remember: The law is engraved on stone tablets; it is cold and cannot bend. The law cannot bend. If you violate it, it is death; it must be death. This is the characteristic of the law. So you absolutely cannot establish any feelings with the two tablets of the law. The closer you get to the law, the faster you die. But Jesus is different. Jesus is new wine. New wine put into your new wineskin is alive. The law can only bring death and condemnation. But Jesus is different; Jesus brings forgiveness! Jesus brings life. On the day the law was given, three thousand people died. On the day the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, three thousand people repented and believed in Jesus.
One brings death, and the other brings life. So we are willing to live under life! This is what Jesus gives you. You cannot establish feelings with the two tablets of the law, but you can establish feelings with Jesus. Jesus is not rigid; Jesus is gentle and warm. Amen! He is meek. If you are very hard, what should you do? Stay with the gentle one, and you will naturally become gentle. You say, "Lord, I have a bad temper." No problem; Jesus has gentleness. Stay with Jesus more, and you will become gentle. Isn’t that easy?
So look at Jesus more, and you will become more and more gentle, more and more like Jesus, and more and more of Jesus' stature. Hallelujah! It is that simple! Put new wine into new wineskins.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we are especially grateful to You! In the new year, we know the new grace You have prepared! The new wine You have given us is also the best. You have placed the best blessings inside because when I believe in You and accept You, I have already been made a new person by You. Now I have a new spirit, the Holy Spirit living inside me. He will renew my life. When I am filled with the Holy Spirit, my life is in constant renewal.
Today, through Your words, You have allowed my life to be renewed. I know that the old life has died. I do not live in an old wineskin; I do not wear old clothes. When I accepted Jesus, You gave me Your robe of righteousness. I know that receiving God's blessings is entirely because of what Jesus Christ did for me on the cross. The more I receive, the more I will thank You. The more I give thanks to You, because everything is received, I thank You for this!
Thank You for loving me so much, for accepting me like this, and for renewing me every day. Hallelujah! Bless our brothers and sisters! Let their thoughts and intentions begin to be renewed from here. We are not old wineskins; we are new, completely new! Jesus is in me!
He will lead my life this week. Everything about me is different. Wherever I go, there will be blessings! Because Jesus is the source of blessings! I am a channel of blessings; the ground I stand on is the ground of grace! Thank You, Jesus, for loving me! In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray! Amen!