NEW WINE, NEW WINESKINS

New Wine, New Wineskins – Luke 5:33-39

How has Jesus’ “new wine” burst some of your “old wineskins?”

Bible Reading

Luke 5:33-39

33  Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

34  And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35  “But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

36  Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old.

37  “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined.

38  “But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

39  “And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.'”

(NKJ)

Food for Thought

1.   In what areas of your life are you most resistant of change?

2.   What is one memorable wedding celebration you can recall and why?

Bible Study

3.   With what other groups were Jesus’ disciples compared and by whom? (5:33)

4.   What were Jesus’ disciples failing to do, according to those questioning Jesus? (5:33)

5.   How did Jesus identify himself in his answer to the Pharisees? (5:34)

6.   What did Jesus say would cause his disciples to fast? (5:34)

7.   What was the point of Jesus’ illustration about new and old garments? (5:36)

8.   What happens when a patch meant for an old garment is taken from a new garment? (5:36)

9.  Which did Jesus say was better, the old or the new? (5:36-39)

10. What was the point of Jesus’ illustration about new and old wineskins? (5:37)

11. What happens when new wine is poured into old wineskins? (5:37-38)

12. Why don’t people want new wine after drinking old wine? (5:39)

Kingdom Dynamics

13. What does fasting signify?

14. Why do we pray?

15. In what way is the believer the bride of Christ?

16. In what way can it be said that you are a “friend of God?”

17. What are some of the most common religious habits that people compare?

18. What kinds of dangers are created when people compare their religious habits and customs with those of others?

19. In what way does following Christ require us to replace old habits with new ones?

20. Why do we resist the changes God asks of us?

21. How can a person decide when differences between groups are unimportant and when they are crucial?

22. What is more important in a believer his form of godliness or the power thereof?

23. Generally, how receptive are you to “new wine?”

24. How has Jesus’ “new wine” burst some of your “old wineskins?”

Practical Christianity

25. How can you show respect for the way other Christians honour God?

26. What can you do this week to become more open to changing as God directs?