The Costs of Living: The Most Expensive Wine
It’s not uncommon these days to hear complaints about how expensive life is. In the midst of rising costs of inflation and never-ending budget cuts, we want to take some time to consider how the Bible approaches the costs of living. Looking through the lens of Jesus’ own ministry over these next few weeks, we hope to learn practical lessons for how to approach the challenges of vocation and discipleship in a costly world.
Scripture: Luke 5:33-38
In ancient times, a standard method of making wine would be to use wineskins. This method included pouring the grape juice into a bag made of animal hide so that it can be sealed to ferment. This fermentation process would then cause the wineskin to expand until the wine was ready to be poured out and shared. In essence, what was once just a simple grape juice has been transformed into something else entirely. In this way, these wineskins can be considered something like vessels of transformation. In all probability, it’s possible that there were many wineskins left lying around at the party Jesus was at. Considering the wealth of Levi and the nature of his friend groups, it’s not hard to imagine what made these religious leaders nervous as they watched this party unfold. And so with raised eyebrows, these onlookers sought to challenge Jesus. They asked him why aren’t you and your disciples doing the things disciples are supposed to do? Why aren’t you praying and fasting? Perhaps many of us have wondered the same about our own faith. Maybe it’s that critical voice inside you that tells you you’re not a good Christian because you’re not doing enough of the right things. If that’s you, Jesus is here to tell you that he’s with you. He’s the bridegroom that is present with you not to shame you or to belittle you but to celebrate with you the change that is happening within you and will continue to happen until you are ready to be shared. But the problem we face today is that many of us find ourselves to be old wineskins. We’ve already been stretched and are incapable of being stretched any further. We are stuck in our old ways and are comfortable with what is familiar. Therefore, when the Spirit begins its work in us what results isn’t a beautiful aroma of wine but a mess that is unable to be enjoyed by anyone. We are inflexible in what God wants to do through us because our definitions of discipleship are too rigid and strict. Our lives are neatly categorized from Monday to Sunday and we keep the areas associated with church separate from the areas of everyday life. In other words, we are a better reflection of John’s disciples (verse 33) than Jesus’s. And if that is the case, then the challenge Jesus gives is that if we want to see the living God work in our lives, we must become new wineskins altogether. This is because the old system of keeping things compartmentalized is incompatible with the new system that requires us to join the party. The old system is keeping the religious people out while the savior is at work amongst the worldly. The new system is a wine to be shared in celebration with the ungodly. Why? Because this new wine was costly. It’s the kind of wine you hope to dine your guests with at a wedding. In truth, this new wine is the new covenant that was purchased on the Cross to join God with his people; the Bridegroom with his Bride. And once he is with his people, it should be no surprise to us that like a husband who misses his wife, he isn’t distracted by her condition but is simply overjoyed that he is with her once again. Therefore, when we consider where God is calling us, let us remember the celebration that we are called to take part in. Not only that but let us be transformed in such a way that makes us flexible enough to be continually shared with the people God is calling us to be with.
Study Questions:
In what ways is the wine-making process described in our passage similar to the process of discipleship?
When you consider your definition of discipleship, does it better reflect John’s disciples or Jesus’s?
Do you have a personal experience where you felt like an old wineskin? How did you manage to overcome that resistance to embrace something new and transformative? In what ways do we compartmentalize and categorize our faith?
In the blog post, the idea of Jesus celebrating with a diverse group challenges traditional norms. How can we apply this concept in our own lives? Are there ways we can break down barriers and embrace a more inclusive and open-minded approach to celebrating life?
What does it mean to you that this celebration of God being with his people came at a great cost?
