Radical Wine

Dear God: Thank you for Jesus and the hope of salvation. Thank you for the cross and what it means for me today. Bless me as I seek to know you better. Fill me with your Spirit.

As I have been reading from Luke’s narrative, I’ve been impressed with how revolutionary Jesus was. The religious “police,” who were really the church authorities of his day, badgered him wherever he went. Jesus was continually breaking their rules and expectations. They cited him for being too lax; too open-minded, and too gracious toward “evil people.”

New Wine, Old Wine

On one occasion Jesus responded by saying, “New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”1 In other words, many could not stomach his new interpretation of Scripture because their hearts were old and encrusted with bigotry and human reasoning.

The only ones who can appreciate what Jesus says are those who have allowed God to give them an extreme makeover, starting with the heart. They no longer view themselves or God with “old” eyes.

Today, please give me this kind of experience. Help me drink in the radical “wine” of Jesus’ words till I am drunk with his power and joy! Then, use me to bless others.

In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Rich DuBose writes from Northern California.

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1. Luke 5:38-39 (NLT)

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