Matthew 9:16-17 

16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. 17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Good morning! I hope this message helps kick-start your day toward Jesus in a reminder of who our God is! 

In today’s passage, we see Jesus speaking in riddle-like parables, as he often does. He challenges us to think deeply about his teachings and understand the kingdom of God correctly. Here, he contrasts the new covenant established through Him with the old one they live by. He is not abolishing this old covenant but rather fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17). Through Him fulfilling it, he is teaching us a new way of doing things, and that is not through joining to the old system of righteousness based on external rule-following, it is through following him and being transformed from the inside out. Jesus did not come to mend here and there. He came to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). Both verses here show us that we must be made new to be righteous before God!

Sadly, in today’s world, many people have only tried to “patchwork” in their spiritual lives, and Jesus shows us this is not how it works. The result is lukewarm people whose scars have not been healed because they would never fully let go of what was broken to obtain what is new. We don’t get to stamp “Follower of Jesus” on our lives without letting go of our old ways. We can’t bring this new life in Christ alongside a life of sin or legalistic ways. It doesn’t work that way, and we will tear and rip apart and remain broken, just as these parables teach. We must look at our lives, see that we are broken, see that we need to make room for “new wine,” and put off the old, leave it in the past, and put on the new! Then we can stand rightly before God, unbroken and made new, and be used as God intended to serve in the body of Christ.

If there is anything in your life that is holding you back from coming to Jesus or growing closer to Him, I encourage you to let it go. Fix your eyes on Jesus and let Him renew your life as you live for Him. Don’t cling to this broken world when God has something new and better for you. Let go of whatever is holding you back and pursue Jesus.

– Tyler