Weddings & Wineskins
Matthew 9:14-17
1) What is “something new,” (a thing, a procedure, a way of accomplishing something) that was unheard of in the
past?
Flying, flying cars, telephones, space travel, space travel Elon Musk, insulated cups Yeti.
World changing, not good? Internet, the rise of China, a Pandemic, cancel culture – restriction of free speech.
Good things? The Internet, The Chosen – the largest crowd funded show ever.
Good and bad: The Internet – “going viral” – the ability to reach the entire world from your phone.
2) In what areas of your life are you set in your ways? How long have you been this way?
I like to read at night (Dian) and sleep in in the mornings (my Mother) read one hour at night-you can read a lot!
Where (who) did you get this from? Family trait, friend, spouse, teacher coach.
Beliefs? I’m tired of learning Changed beliefs? I want to be a lifelong learner. Angry God vs God as good Father
3) Have you been a part of a family, an organization, a group that had unwritten rules? Explain
Deer camp, Downton Abbey, Church – denominations (Hales at Bogg Springs)
Setting – Judaism for centuries – plus added rules, celebrations, do’s and dont’s, unwritten rules (like last week, don’t
have dinner with tax collectors and sinners!)
ENTER JESUS
Focus – Jesus is explaining to a group who he is and what he’s up to. (We will do some application, too .)
14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and
the Pharisees do?” 15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But
someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 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.”
What does Jesus mean when he says he’s a bridegroom? – and – what does Jesus mean when he says old can’t fit with
new? > Begs the question > what’s new?
Did that sound to you like Jesus did a good job of explaining to the group who he is and what he’s up to? No
Eastern world – stories that illicit questions & the hunt for the answers – questions are welcome Western world – facts –
don’t question things. I always say Jesus is “talking in code” but he may have just been communicating the normal way a
Eastern teacher would communicate.
A Sincere Question from a Sincere Group
4) V14 Who asked Jesus why he didn’t fast? And who was this group aligning themselves with?
Disciples of John the Baptist aligned with the Pharisees.
Was this a bad alignment? Pharisees were the “church people” of that time, so not really. This was a difficult time for
people to figure out what was going on, WHO IS JESUS? He’s not doing things like a Messiah
Jesus often “got after” religious people. Was Jesus angry with the disciples of John the Baptist in his response? No, Jesus
knew their hearts. They were brave enough to follow John so he knew they were truly seeking.
A Wedding Story
5) V15 Part 1 Jesus compares himself to a groom, and by the way John the Baptist had compared himself to who in
the wedding? Hint, read John 3:28-29 The best man. So, he had used this picture, too.
John 3:28-29 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one
who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the
bridegroom’s voice.
A Jewish wedding was a time of special festivity. The unique feature of it was that the couple who were married did not
go away for a honeymoon, they stayed at home for the honeymoon. For a week after the wedding open house was kept;
the bride and groom were treated as, and even addressed as, king and queen. So their closest friends were there and were
called the children of the bedchamber. So a wedding was a wonderful time of joy in the lives of poor and simple people.
A rejoicing, a festivity, a party, a time of plenty that might come only once in a lifetime.
Jesus was saying, “I have come to bring joy to your life.”
TABLE QUESTION: Has Jesus brought joy to your life? If so, how? (Be honest if you are still trying to figure this out.)
Peace, direction, purpose.
Can anyone be specific?
V15 Part B But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
QUESTION: What did he mean? He knew his mission to come and die.
SUM UP: Last week Jesus said he was a DOCTOR bringing healing. This week he said he is the Groom inviting
people to the wedding celebration – he’s saying he can bring us JOY.
“BESIDES” – JESUS HAS MORE TO SAY V16-17
QUESTION: Does this seem unrelated? Yes Is he “switching gears?” Yes, sort of.
QUESTION: Why, at this time to these guys, might he have added the comments about new not fitting into something
that is old?
My opinion as already stated, they were open and seeking, trying hard to figure things out.
QUESTION:
New believer, are you seeking to learn how to follow Jesus?
Long time believer, are you constantly seeking, continuing to learn, how to follow Jesus?
QUESTION: How, specifically? Listen, read, ask questions, do things.
Both groups, are you brave enough to ask questions? To question things, not to stir up something, but to dig
deeper?
6) We are not told here, but what was Jesus talking about, the new not fitting/not able to be “contained” within the
old?
Christianity – the Messiah had come. And, the church, the gathering of his people was coming. For ALL people.
Judaism had done its part. It was being replaced. The Old Testament was still important, but things were changing.
CHANGE – IT CAN BE HARD
CHANGE FOR THE JEWS: Jesus could not patch and pour His new “kingdom” into old Judaism. The Greek word for
old > old and worn out by use.
– Judaism had become inflexible due to the accumulation of centuries of non-biblical traditions. Jesus was
bringing a new kingdom that did not fit the preconceptions of most of the Jews of the day.
– (And Jesus challenged the Jewish leader’s power – follow the money.)
– Jesus brought a new covenant, following Him brought new ways to minister (not the temple worship and
sacrifices – rather real sacrifice.)
– Lots of change to their “kingdom.”
– It’s like the Garage Church vs most churches in down – very different (Our family thinks we are crazy and ya’ll
are dangerous!)
CHANGE: SUBSITUTE JADAISM FOR YOUR KINGDOM
Inflexible – Accumulation – Traditions – Preconceptions – Power & Control
IN YOUR KINGDOM (The space you control – physically & in your head)
What are you inflexible about that opposes Jesus, that points you in the wrong direction?
What have you accumulated in your kingdom that makes it hard to just follow Jesus?
How are you stuck in your ways (practically traditions) that hinders you from moving toward Jesus?
What preconceptions do you have in your kingdom that you need to question?
What power/control do have within your kingdom that that you need to give up so you can follow Jesus?
IS IT WORTH IT? Jesus says he offers HEALING FOR THE SICK and JOY LIKE AT BIG WEEK LONG PARTY!