“Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:17)

****When we think of the “bottle” as us and wine which can symbolize Jesus blood that was shed for us, this takes on a meaning that makes sense. We, our “old bottle”, must become “new bottle” in order to hold the “new wine” (Jesus). If we choose to hold on to the old bottle and try to put in the new wine, the bottle breaks and the new wine spills out (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Who was Jesus speaking to in the first verse listed, Matthew 9:17?

**Jesus was speaking to His disciples. When we choose to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, there will be a change in us. He fills us up with Him. He gives us the Holy Spirit (John14:25-26) to help us navigate this fallen world, and we become as Jesus said, “not of this world” (John 17:16). In other words, we also, become His disciples.

What is the new wine of Jesus?

**Accepting Jesus means we accept His word. After all, Jesus is the Word—He is the gospel message (John 1:1-3, 14 and Revelation 19:11-14). Jesus had so much to say to us about how we should live in Him and follow Him. Our actions should show just Whom we follow. Have you ever met someone who says they are a Christian, but they let anger, bitterness, and/or hatred control their lives? I have. It was very difficult for me to be around these types of people because I would find myself letting their emotion color mine. We can love and pray for them, but we should not let their ways become ours.

Proverbs 22: 24-25 states, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.”

**Anger can keep you separated from God. Why? Because anger can harden a person’s heart so they cannot hear the Holy Spirit or may even ignore the His guidance. They may even fool themselves saying they have a right to the anger they feel and will not let it go. When we choose to hold on to anger it can lead to resentment and like a festering wound, it will not close. The heart is so filled with that other stuff that that Jesus has a hard time penetrating it—hence the hardened heart. We need to reach out to Jesus who can help us let it go. Paul says this:

Philippians 3:13-14 – “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

**Another emotion that can keep us separated from God is fear. Fear can be so debilitating that we do not think to go to the only One who can help us through it. That is what I mean about separation. This is one of the best weapons in Satan’s arsenal against us (see the sermon on “Fear” and “Overcoming Fear”) Fear can make you do things you never thought you would or it can make you not do the things you should. Have you ever thought about that in those terms? Think about the things that were happening in the world a few years ago. What about today? Does fear play a role? There are many instances in the Bible that tell us not to fear.

Matthew 14:26-27 – “But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Mark 16: 19 – “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus is the righteous right hand. He is the only One who can save us because He died for us. He is our righteousness (Romans 4:22-25).

1 Corinthians 1:30 – “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

2 Corinthians 5:21- “For He (the Father) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

What is in our old bottle that we try to put in new wine?

**Self is in our old bottle. What do I mean by that? Think about it in the terms of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:7-21). The first four are how we are supposed to love God and the last six are how we love others. Without love for our God and others we are not following God’s will for us.

1 Corinthians 13:21 – “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing.”

Matthew 22: 37-40 – “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

**Now, when we think about loving God with everything we have, then we choose to go on our own path away from God’s protection—that is on us. He will still call to out you, but it is up to us to listen and do the word of God:

James 1:22-24 –“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

**And if you love God with all that you are He gives you the gift of love through the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

What do we see when we look in the mirror (see sermon “Mirror, Mirror”)?

How do we get this new wine?
We need to seek Jesus. It is the only way.

Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness (see Isaiah 61:10 and 1 Corinthians 1:30); and all these things shall be added to you.”

Matthew 11:28-30 –“Come unto Me, all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden light.”

2 Timothy 2: 15 –“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

**We are not alone in this – we pray for the Holy Spirit to help us because spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14-15).

John 15:26 – “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me:”

What is in our new bottle with new wine?

Phil 4:7-8, 13 – “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Galatians 5:22-23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of the very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

**As we discuss the next verses, remember that we do not have to stay in our old bottle of sin unless that is what we choose. Many times when rely on self, we can inadvertently allow Satan access to us and believe me he has had a lot of time to perfect his craft. I think of it as culling the herd or in this case flock. When we are Jesus’, we are His sheep (John 10:27-28). And Satan is waiting for any of us to move out of the protection of the Shepherd so he can pounce. Additionally, as we read these next verses, keep in mind that there will be a time that God will back off and leave a person where they are if repentance never happens.

Hebrews 10:26-27 – “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Ephesians 4:30 – “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Revelation 7:3 –talks about the sealing of His people, “Saying hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

And how do we get this seal?

**Through the Holy Spirit and that is why we do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit away from us. He is a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ so that we may believe in Jesus, and also have the faith of Jesus. We cannot make it through these last days without Them.

**Remember, that wherever your heart is, that is whom you will serve (Matthew 6:21). The battle begins in our mind, that is why Jesus said that we must love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27). When we allow other things, worldly things, in our minds it can lead to sin (see James 1:15). The good news is we do not have to stay there. Jesus saves to the uttermost all who come to Him (Hebrews 7:25 and John 6: 37-38). He suffered and died on the cross for us on the hope we would choose Him. That is love!!! Sadly, there are those who will not heed His call. It is in these cases that the Lord cannot do anything, because He will never force us to choose Him.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 states, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters (also see Colossians 3:5), nor adulterers (Exodus 20:14), nor effeminate (see Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (1Tim:1-9-11), Nor thieves (Exodus 20:15), nor covetous (Exodus 20:17), nor drunkards (Proverbs 20:1), nor revilers (Ephesians 4:29), nor extortioners (Ezekiel 22:21), shall inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Romans 1:24-32 – “ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use to that which is against nature: And likewise the men leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust one toward another: men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do things which are not convenient (fit; appropriate; proper);”

**And why do you think “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge?” Is it because the Holy Spirit will convict them of the sin they have so willingly followed (John 16:7-9)? And “…men loved darkness more than the light…” (John 3:19).

Romans 1:29 – “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate (strife), deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

Ephesians 5:3-6 – “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Matthew 6:24 –“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Romans 8:24-27 – “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

**This is good news because there is hope for us. There is hope in Jesus. He says follow Him and He will help us. Cast all cares on Him and he will change us (Ephesians 4:22-24) and He will continue to help us (Philippians 1:6-7). We can be overcomers (John 16:33) through His guiding hand. We just need to repent and come to Him to let Him do the work in us.

Revelation 21:7-8 –“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Romans 12:2 –“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

**But some will say it is too hard. Like Lot’s wife whose heart was in the world, we, too, have a difficult time letting go. However, Jesus has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Which means he will strengthen us to withstand anything that comes our way (John 16:33).

**These following verses are about how we are before we come to Jesus. We are all broken begging for we know not what. Sometimes we do not even know what we are missing in life—that we have emptiness inside. Keeping in mind the temple represents Jesus in every way (see Jesus our Priest), then, the Beautiful Temple takes on a new and deeper meaning for this gentleman and us.

Acts 3:2-8 –“And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

John 10:9 –“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Hebrews 12:13-14 –“And make straight the paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but it rather be healed. Follow peace with all, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Isa 34:16-17 – “Search from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them. He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line (see Matthew 22:1-13).

Isaiah 35:3-5 – “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 – “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Isaiah 35:10 – “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

**Jesus is calling for you to come home with Him (John 14:1-3). He is preparing a place for you and me. Won’t you answer His call?