Part 25: Old and New Cloth (Luke 5:36)

And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. (Luke 5:36 NASB)

We skipped this verse when we started the wine series, so I'm going back to catch it's lesson, too. 

The new holds great attraction for us, doesn't it? Madison Avenue has done a wonderful job of training us to desire "new".  As I was reading this verse today, I realized that we have, to a frightening degree, lost the value of the old in our culture. 

I have a pair of wing-back chairs that were my mother's. She was so proud of those chairs when she bought them, but when she moved to my house they went into a storage building and deteriorated badly. I recently pulled them out, bought new fabric, and hired someone to recover them. I realize that I could shop around and buy new chairs for what I am going to spend, but (at least for me) the old has intrinsic value. 

Jesus taught the value of the old, as well. In this parable that precedes the parable about the old and new wine, Jesus clarified before he ever started with the wine story that, to him, OLD has value. He described an old, but perfectly serviceable garment that had a tear in it requiring a patch. The patch could be made with new (unshrunk) fabric or with old fabric. We might want to use new fabric, but in the first washing, the new fabric would shrink and both the new fabric and the old garment would be ruined. It would be a waste of time and resources. 

The way to repair a hole in an old garment is to use old fabric (already shrunken). The old fabric can go through the wash and remain intact. No tears. It restores the serviceability of the garment. 

Remember that this preceded the wine teaching. Jesus clarified before He ever began that there is value in the old, including the old wine. New wine mixed with old would ruin the old wine, but new wine, given time to mature, can be added and bring enhancement to the old. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17 NASB). He wasn't starting something new. He was expanding and completing the old. 

We, and our loved ones, have spent much of our lives in a consumer society that values the new. It influences our spending habits and the way we think about value in general. It is one of the reasons that we look for "new" rather than embrace the faith of our family. 

Pray today that our loved ones (as well as we ourselves) will recognize the value and the beauty of  this "old" faith and embrace it without reservation. Pray that our fascination with "new" will end and be replaced with a desire for truth and righteousness. 

Old Wine Personified

This morning, as I was writing about old wine, there was one person visible in my mind's eye. Mrs. Frances Nash. She was the mother of a childhood friend, an active member of the church I attended as a child, and the nicest high school cafeteria worker I ever met. (When I became a mother myself, I realized she was likely there to keep an eye on her growing boys, but we had no idea at the time.) After her husband retired, they made their home in a Tupelo retirement community and, once again, attended the same church as I. 

Mrs. Nash always smiled. Lots of people smile with their mouths, but Mrs. Nash smiled with her heart. When her husband retired from his position as a college professor, she smiled happily at the change. When they downsized to a retirement cottage, she smiled and thanked God for their tiny home. As their health faded, she smiled and rejoiced in whatever God allowed, while tenderly caring for those around her. 

She clipped newspaper articles and mailed them with lovely notes to my son. When I complemented a cake she'd baked, she mailed me a hand-written copy of the recipe, along with a lovely note. When hard times came my way, there was a lovely note that assured me of her love and prayers. Those little notes flowed from her heart of love and touched me at a deep level. I have saved every one. 

There has never been a person who received as joyfully or gave as freely as Mrs. Nash. My son and I went caroling at their retirement cottage most years. We always planned to bless her and Dr. Nash, but we were the ones who received the greatest blessing. I can see her now, smiling that giant smile, holding her hands over her heart at she listened, clapping when we finished singing, and hurrying to get a gift she had for Ryan "just in case we came by". 

These are the words I wrote this morning: "Old wine is a word picture of the mature Christian, who should be so free of the sediment of immaturity that he has developed the goodness and kindness of God Himself." As I wrote those words, I thought to myself, old wine is a word picture of Mrs. Nash. She moved again a few days ago, this time to her heavenly home. At the visitation tonight, I very nearly told her son, "Your mother was old wine to me." I didn't, because I wasn't sure he would understand. 

Old wine. What a perfect picture of a dear woman who was not only filled with the Spirit of God but left the lingering fragrance of Christ everywhere she went!  

Part 24: Old Wine (luke 5:39)

And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'" (Luke 5:39 NASB)

The Greek word translated here as "good enough" is chrēstos. Vine's Expository Dictionary defines it as "useful" or "fit for use". When it is used in reference to God, it refers to His goodness and kindness. Old wine is a word picture of the mature Christian, who should be so free of the sediment of immaturity that he has developed the goodness and kindness of God Himself. Maturity should bring the character of God to our lives and it should be evident to those around us. Our harsh, rough edges should have been smoothed off in the process of transformation. 

What is the character of God? When God passed by in front of Moses, he proclaimed His attributes. 

"God passed in front of him and called out, “God, God, a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient—so much love, so deeply true—loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, he doesn’t ignore sin...” (Exodus 34:4-7 MSG)

NASB describes Him as "compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin..."  Those are the characteristics that should mark the life of a mature Christian. It's the way people should describe us! There is no room for harshness, bitterness, or unforgiveness, is there? Those unpleasant characteristics should have been removed during God's work of transformation. 

Just to be clear, this does not eliminate tough love in difficult circumstances, accountability, or the need for reparation when wronged. God has been tough with me on more than one occasion. He has not, however, been mean-spirited or unkind in his discipline, and He has always been gracious to a broken and contrite spirit. 

Are the attributes of God evident in our lives? Would those who know us best describe us as merciful, compassionate, endlessly patient, slow to anger, forgiving, and loyal? 

Pray today that God would complete the process of transformation in us and in our loved ones, removing harshness, bitterness, and unforgiveness and replacing them with those attributes that would make us most like Him. May we, and those around us, recognize the evidence of maturity and praise God for the work He has done. 

Maggie the Wonder Dog is Confounded by Tragedy (part 3)

Being a wonder dog is full of exciting events. This morning was especially exciting because mama took the THING away when she went to work.  I had the whole day in my kitchen all to myself! I was hoping that she was taking it away for good, but no such luck. She took it to see Dr. Black for a check up and she was carrying that THING when she got home! Boo!

My mama keeps telling me this is my new 'dopted sister but it looks like a guinea pig to me. Why would I want a guinea pig for a sister? And it chases me! And poohs in the floor sometimes. My mama does not like that! I do not see how this is going to work at all. Poohing in the floor is not for us. Wonder Dogs do not pooh in the floor. We go outside!

Here's some good news, though. My mama is still my mama and she still loves me! I am so happy. She gave me two treats just like always when she had her supper! We have snuggled on her bed, just like always. Mama doesn't let poohing guinea pigs on her bed, so I had her all to myself! Fun! And belly rubs! I got belly rubs! After all those belly rubs, I can't stay mad at mama. She is too nice!

Well, if anyone wants a poohing guinea pig, come get it. Please!! Help a Wonder Dog! 

My mama said I should give a lesson and not just whine about my supposed new 'dopted sister (Which my mama says is not supposed but is for sure, but I am not convinced!) 

Here's what you need to know: My mama still loves me even when I am not nice and am mad at her because I don't like this supposed sister business. My mama says that is how God is. He calls it unconditional love. That means He loves us no matter what! That's really good! I have never seen God, but if He loves us like my mama loves me, He's really nice. You should get to know Him. 

Here's the Wonder Dog Lesson of the day:

Guinea Pigs do not make good sisters. (My mama said not to write that but I am leaving it!)

Don't stay mad. 

Be nice to God. He loves you a lot. 

The end. By Maggie the Wonder Dog. 

Maggie the Wonder Dog is Confounded by Tragedy (part2)

Being a Wonder Dog has been hard again today. That brown furry THING is still at my house. It is in MY kitchen. You might not believe this, but the THING actually got on my bed and snuggled in like it was it's bed and not mine. It has been snuggling with my mama! My mama said, "Come on Maggie. Snuggle with us!" Ha! I want to snuggle with my mama, not with my mama AND the THING! 

Last night, when bedtime came, my mama said, "Come on, Maggie. Let's go upstairs and get ready for bed." I hurried up the stairs. There are no furry things up there. Yet. She put my pajamas on for me and helped me up to her bed. I always sleep on the end of her bed. That way, if I wake up in the night and need to snuggle, she is right there. I love sleeping with my mama! Last night, though, I kept thinking about the THING and I couldn't stay. I had to just sleep on the chair all by myself. I was so alone. 

My mama came and sat in the chair with me. Mamas are really nice, aren't they? Even when you are mad at them. She said, "Sweet Maggie, I still love you. You would like Mamie if you got to know her. She is really nice." I couldn't say a thing. I don't want to get to know her. I want my mama to myself. 

Today, my mama said, "Come on Maggie. Ride with me to the barn to take the feed." At last! I hopped in the truck and the next thing I knew, she had put the THING on the seat next to me! I had to stand on the very edge of the window and keep looking out to keep from seeing it! Do you know how hard it is to stand on the edge of the truck window? It's terrible. 

I have not known what to do, but I know I do not want any more of those brown furry things coming in our house. I have been standing guard at the upstairs window. No more have come, but a Wonder Dog can't be too careful. I still don't know how my mama let this one in!

My mama came and sat by me at the window. She said, "Now Maggie, I know this feels like the worst thing in the world, but it's really not. There are lots worse things than having an apprentice wonder puppy!" She said she had some hard things in her life before, and she always thought it was the worst thing that could possibly happen, but it really wasn't. That was because she didn't get an apprentice wonder puppy. 

She told me, "Maggie, you can choose to make this better if you will. I have already asked Jesus to help you. He always answers prayers, so He is trying to help you, but you are going to have to take His help!" She told me that being angry and pouty is unbecoming for a young lady and for Wonder Dogs, and that Jesus doesn't like it either. 

She said sometimes people don't like what comes their way, but that the Bible said those trials (that's what people call them) are really gifts from God. She said they feel like getting slashed to pieces but, if we let them, all the stuff inside us that isn't like Jesus will leak out those slashes. After it's all over, we will be more like Jesus than we were before. My mama is really big on being like Jesus. She even thinks Wonder Dogs should act like Jesus. Sometimes I have to reminder her that I may be a Wonder Dog, but I am still just a dog. 

Tonight, I'm reminding myself that I am just a dog. I don't know if I want to be a wonder dog anymore. It's awful hard. I'm not sure I want to act like Jesus, either. If it's hard for people to do, it's worse for Wonder Dogs! 

I don't want to make friends with the THING.  Even if it's the right thing. 

I don't want to do right. 

Have you ever felt like that? 

To be continued...

Part 23: Back to the wineskin (Luke 5:37-39)

This entire series of lessons started as a way to understand these verses:

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough. '" (Luke 5:37-39 NASB)

The new wineskin is made of animal hide  with an animal bladder lining.  When the new wine (not yet fermented) is poured into the wineskin, the fermentation process gives off carbon dioxide gas and causes the bladder (and thus the hide) to expand. Only a new skin has the flexibility to expand as the gas is produced. An old skin is stiff and lacks "give".  The advantage to the old skin is that it is strong. It's less fragile and less likely to sustain damage from routine use. 

The new wine contains tannin, which will help to condition, or tan, the hides. Don't miss this point. New wine doesn't stay new. New wineskins don't stay new. In fact, new wine in a new wineskin allows the new wine to become transformed to old, and allows the new wineskin to become transformed to an old wineskin. New wine is limited to new wineskins. Old wine is at home in either an old wineskin or a new wineskin. No special concession is needed. 

This transformation is vital because new wine is not delicious. Old wine, however, has had time to develop a rich aroma and flavor. It is much more desirable than new wine. Jesus was not saying anything negative about old wine or old wineskins. 

Look at this chapter in its entirety. Simon the fisherman was transformed to Simon the disciple. The paralytic was transformed to a walking testimony of the healing power of Christ. Matthew was transformed from a money-obsessed tax collector to Matthew the Evangelist, introducing all his friends to Jesus. Even in the discussion about fasting, Jesus said His non-fasting disciples would be transformed to fasting disciples. 

The wine example was a word-picture everyone could understand. It was part of the vernacular. Fermentation was the only way available to preserve the fruit juice. There were no canning jars, refrigeration, or freezers. Their options were fermentation or wastage. Of course, fermentation was preferable, and that was the method used for preservation. 

Jesus was saying that, just as grapes are transformed by a very clear process that moves from grapes to must to new wine to old wine, disciples are transformed by a process, too. New disciples must experience the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives to cleanse and grow them into mature disciples. They cannot instantly fit the discipline and study of a mature disciple. An old wineskin would be confining. Being a mature disciple, however, is infinitely better than being a new one. Mature disciples can fit into any situation or challenge Christ presents them. They are at home in flexible new wineskin conditions or more structured (possibly confining or difficult) old wineskins, and they fill either with the aroma of Christ in such a way that the situation becomes infinitely more desirable. 

The only way to become a mature disciple is to begin as a new disciple, but no one should stay "new".  Maturity is the desirable state. Like the wine, that moves from being a grape on the vine all the way to vintage, well-aged and matured wine, our desire should be to move from the "baby Christian" stage to fully mature believer in a steady process. 

Where are you in your journey of transformation from new wine to old? What needs to be done to move you closer to maturity?

As we pray today, ask God to move us and our loved ones toward greater maturity. Pray that the process does not stop until we (and they) are as fully developed in our faith as our Lord planned and that the bouquet of Christ is recognizable to all we meet.

  

Part 22: Time in the Barrel (Luke 5:38)

But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. (Luke 5:38 NASB)

First fermentation, first racking, second fermentation, second racking. It's a long process and takes weeks. At the end of second racking, the wine is still not ready to drink. Some wine (particularly red wines) need further maturation. The wine cannot stay in the fermentation vat to be matured. It must be transferred again, this time to oak barrels where it will be allowed to remain until bottling. The maturing process requires that the wine sit. The winemaker is not obviously working on the wine. Everything appears quiet in this section of the winery. 

It may be quiet, but something vital is happening. Enfolded in the confines of the oak, the wine is nestled safely inside, where it gradually begins to acquire a change in flavor due to the oak itself. Its flavor deepens and expands. The wine is richer, has a deeper bouquet and taste due to its time in the barrel. At the end of its stay there, often as much as twenty years, the value of the wine has been greatly increased by the time of quiet. 

That principle is true for achieving maturity as believers, as well. It is in the quiet times, spent nestled in the loving arms of our Father, that we grow, and develop depth and richness of spirit. It is where He develops us and we begin to take on the flavor of our Lord. What a beautiful gift to be so infused by the presence of God that those around us can sense the aroma and taste the flavor of Christ! 

How strong is the aroma of Christ in you? Do you need more quiet "barrel time" with our Lord? 

Pray today that we will invest enough time with our Lord that the evidence of it is obvious to those around us, especially those we love. Pray, too, that the depth achieved will be so attractive that our loved ones will want it for themselves.