He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, 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 they say, ‘The old is better.’ ”

What do we do when we purchase new clothing? Most people get rid of the old clothing. We recently replaced our floors and had to move our downstairs into the garage. My wife, Cherish, decided to sort through my T-shirts and get rid of the old ones, because apparently, I had way too many and there were some that, though I still liked them, needed to go.

Jesus is using this parable to explain to the Pharisees and teachers of the law that there are two systems at work with the Jews in regards to righteousness. They had just asked him why his disciples do not fast, and earlier why he would associate with sinners like a tax collector and his friends. Now he explains to them why in a parable. The new wineskins and the new clothing represent the new way to relationship with God and a new way to become righteous. This new way is through Jesus Christ and it is by faith. The old wine and the old clothing represent their current system of gaining righteousness based on the law PLUS the leaders myriad of rules they had developed over time. These rules were “petty”. Let’s take for example measuring out a 10th of your spices so you could tithe (give 10%) to the church. While these rules may have had technical accuracy, they lacked a heart-level commitment to live out the purpose for the law. Why do we give to the church? To give back to God some of what he gave for us and to allow the church to operate and help those in need. A 10th of one’s spices is not material in this effort. But sacrificially giving of our time, talent, and treasure is.

So, getting back to the parable, if you try and mix the rule-based living of: 1) works and 2) comparing to others to gain righteousness, with the grace-based righteousness granted by Jesus to those who believe, both will be ruined. In Revelation, the Apostle John records a vision. In chapter 3 he sees Jesus, God’s Son, in all of his grandeur, and this is part of Jesus’ warning to the church in Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” ‭(Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬-‭17‬)

We would do well to remember that Jesus is not looking for us to make a concession in part to follow him and his ways. He is looking for complete repentance of the sin in our lives and full surrender to his authority. He must be on the throne on all parts of our lives!

Lord, thank you for this vivid analogy of the wine skins bursting or the garments tearing in relation to our commitment and all-out surrender to you. You take no delight in lukewarm followers. Help me to continue to surrender to you each day and live for you and you alone, Jesus!