Focus: Bursting The Bottles

Text: Lk.5:37-38

"And no man putteth NEW WINE INTO OLD BOTTLES; else THE NEW WINE WILL BURST THE BOTTLES, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved."

Jesus is announcing of the arrival of the new and living way. The "bottles" referred to in the text are skins which after a long time of being in use became stiff, hard and dry - incapable of being stretched. It is worn out by use as it loses softness or elasticity. It then lacks the capacity and elasticity to accommodate or contain the new wine.

Jesus is saying in effect that it is senseless holding on to the old when the new has come. The new wine of Christ and of the Spirit is here. Our traditions and methodologies must give way for the different operations and unique manifestations of the Spirit. The Spirit cannot tolerate our mental rigidity and religious inflexibility. There is urgent need for us to adjust to the new arrival and paradigm of the Spirit. We cannot afford to let our way of doing things hinder the move of the Spirit. The Spirit is variegated in His movements, operations and manifestations. The ways of the Spirit are beyond what our human mind can fathom. The Spirit is ready to stretch and take us into dimensions and directions yet unknown to us.

The Spirit takes us on spiritual excursions and exposes us to fresh encounters with heavenly realities. He is our tour Guide, who leads us in the way of truth. Luke tells us, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk.24:27). The Spirit of truth helps us to behold wondrous things from the word of God.

This spiritual tourism is well captured by Billy Sunday. He says, "Twenty-nine years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my Guide, I entered at the portico of Genesis, walked down the corridor of the Old Testament art-galleries, where pictures of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob, and Daniel hang on the wall.

"I passed into the music room of the Psalms where the Spirit sweeps the keyboard of nature until it seems that every reed and pipe in God's great organ responds to the harp of David the sweet singer of Israel.

"I entered the chamber of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher is heard, and into the conservatory of Sharon and the Lily of the valley where sweet spices filled and perfumed my life.

"I entered the business office of Proverbs and on into the observatory of the prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes pointing to far off events, concentrating on the Bright and Morning Star which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation and redemption.

"I entered the audience room of the King of kings, catching a vision written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Thence into the correspondence room with Paul, Peter, James, and John writing their epistles.

"I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where tower the glittering peaks, where sits the King of kings, upon His throne of glory with the healing of the nations in His hand, and I cried: "All hail the power of Jesus' name! Let the angels prostrate fall. Bring forth the royal diadem - And crown Him Lord of all."

The Spirit initiates us into the mysteries of God. The Bible says, "And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was" (Ex.20:21). Paul says that he who speaks in the tongue of the Spirit "speaketh mysteries" (1Cor.14:2).

Canon John Taylor said so wisely, "The Church must lay down its norms for doctrine and practice, but we should be as ready as the Weather Forecaster to admit that however reliable our calculation, most of the time we cannot command the wind. And when the Spirit disobeys our canons we should avoid the absurd sin of rigidity." Let us open our minds and spirits to see the greater things of God. We need the new wine of the Spirit, and this is the moment for it. Angel Gabriel says of John, "For he shall be GREAT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and HE SHALL BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, even from his mother's womb" (Lk.1:15). John's wine is the Spirit, and he was full of Him. He drank the Spirit to the full.

You cannot be great in the sight of God without being filled with the Holy Spirit. Put away your biases, prejudices, preferences, denominational mindsets, and welcome the adventure of the Holy Spirit. It's time to burst the bottles of religion and the belief system that hinder the free flow of the new wine of the Spirit. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter