January 18, 2016

When my wife and I travel to see family, we have five cats at home that need to be looked after. Cats are not like dogs who need to be walked so they can relieve themselves – but they do have food that needs to be renewed and litter boxes that need to be emptied. Usually a kind neighbor will take on this responsibility for us, since we reciprocate when they leave their two cats at home. But as a gift for their kindness, we usually bring home a bottle of wine from a local winery. And sometimes, I will buy a bottle of local wine for myself. Several weeks ago, I came upon one of those bottles of wine from a local winery in the Unity, Maine area. I opened that wine unscrewing the cap with some anticipation – and when I tasted it, it was like a small mouthful of vinegar. Either the wine is just really bad, or it had spoiled while sitting in the bottle for so long. You see, not every new wine gets better with age – some spoil right in the bottle – because they have become “old” in the bottle. As humans, we have developed the ability to create new things – and many are not always beneficial – like all new wine is not worthy of awards. And today’s wine is not like that of ancient times. It was often consumed because the water was unfit to drink – so wine was a safe alternative.

The Bible has numerous references to “new wine”. New wine is symbolic of a sumptuous feast since wine was often used in celebrations. It is no surprise then that Jesus’ first miracle was to turn water into wine. There could be no better first miracle for Jesus to do then create “new wine” as he announces that something new is happening in the course of human history. You see, Christianity is not just about old ways, following old traditions, or following a bunch of rules that have nothing to do with the salvation of humanity. G-d wants us to enjoy life with the best of things, but the best is not as the world would rate them. While some may prefer old wine – “new wine” is symbolic of G-d continuing to provide us with, not necessarily what we want, but definitely with what we need. And the only way to know what G-d provides is to immerse yourself in G-d’s Word – and learn how much G-d loves us and cares for us.
When man does something new, it does not always turn out for the best. But when G-d does something new, we can expect mysterious, but amazing things.

Pastor Dave