Luke 5:37-39 “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.'”

This is a very famous parable, prompting a book I read in seminary: The Problem of Wineskins. The book is about church structure and organization, particularly in light of the Charismatic Movement that was still new in those days. However, what struck me in reading this just now is the last statement, that those who are used to the old don’t want the new. We are indeed very prone to get set in our ways. The problem with that is that Christ in His glory says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5) Also, as Paul famously pointed out, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) I have known churches that weren’t comfortable with lots of new converts, because they disturbed the set order of things! Traditions and the like aren’t necessarily bad, but we must be very careful we don’t refuse what God is giving us or doing in us and around us, just because it’s unfamiliar. At the same time, some people want to throw out everything “old” and start over, and that almost always destroys much that is good. There are hymns that are largely forgotten in many churches today that convey deep, valuable, spiritual truth, for example. However, we need to remember that just singing those hymns doesn’t mean we’re living in that truth. It really is a balancing act, and one for which we must have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, or we’re guaranteed to get it wrong. Many Psalms encourage us to sing new songs to the Lord, and that is certainly a good thing. However, not all songs are equal, and focusing always on the latest or most popular is seldom a good idea. We need to let God continuously renew our minds, (Romans 12:2) so that we will be able to perceive and follow what He is doing and not be led astray.

Recently this has been driven home to me by a dear friend joining this church. He certainly loves the Lord, but he is very used to a particular denominational format and ways of “doing church,” and he struggles at times with how we are different from that. I must not shut him out, because sometimes his ideas have real validity, but I must also not allow him to force this church into the forms he is used to. I have had to realize that in 40 years this church has developed various traditions, or you could just call them habits. That Cathy and I are used to them doesn’t automatically make them good, but it doesn’t make them bad, either. We all need to be submitted and obedient to the Lord, allowing Him to show us what we are to be doing, and when and how to do it, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this clear Word, particularly as we are preparing for the 40^th anniversary of this church. On the one hand that seems like a long time, but it’s just a moment in eternity. Help us have both the flexibility and the firmness You desire, standing strong in Christ to destroy the devil’s works (1 John 3:8) and bring many into Your kingdom, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!