21No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.I read it over and over and could not get it. So I prayed about it... and nothing. Then I went back to my desk to look it up on my computer and I got distracted and starting working. However, I feel that the Holy Spirit stopped me in the middle of my "working and doing ministry" (haha) and had me look up the meaning and meditate on it. So I did. And here is what I read in Matthew Henry's Commentary:
That these were early days with them, and they were not so able for the severe exercises of religion as hereafter they would be. The Pharisees had long accustomed themselves to such austerities; and John Baptist himself came neither eating nor drinking. His disciples from the first inured themselves to hardships, and thus found it easier to bear strict and frequent fasting, but it was not so with Christ’s disciples; their Master came eating and drinking, and had not bred them up to the difficult services of religion as yet, for it was all in good time. To put them upon such frequent fasting at first, would be a discouragement to them, and perhaps drive them off from following Christ; it would be of as ill consequence as putting new wine into old casks, or sewing new cloth to that which is worn thin and threadbare, v. 21, 22. Note, God graciously considers the frame of young Christians, that are weak and tender, and so must we; nor must we expect more than the work of the day in its day, and that day according to the strength, because it is not in our hands to give strength according to the day. Many contract an antipathy to some kind of food, otherwise good, by being surfeited with it when they are young; so, many entertain prejudices against the exercises of devotion by being burthened with them, and made to serve with an offering, at their setting out. Weak Christians must take heed of over-tasking themselves, and of making the yoke of Christ otherwise than as it is, easy, and sweet, and pleasant.
It really struck me! I am doing my first volunteer training sessions with my first volunteers and when I tend to prepare a study tend to over prepare at which point I need to scale things back. It has been going well so far and I don't feel that I have over-burdened them, but this is such a great reminder that I need to remember that these people, while they are not baby Christians, need to not be over burdened by the homework that I give to them, by the task that I have them do, or by anything that I put on them that Christ has not asked me to put on them.
Then I think of my guys (my Young Life middle school guys). And I think about how they are not yet in Christ, but when they are (AND THEY WILL BE!!!), I must remember to gently help them grow with the patience that Christ had for his disciples. I will be with them for years as Christ was with His disciples and I need to make sure that I am not putting new wine in old wineskins not that I am patching something old instead of waiting for it to be new!
LORD I pray that You be the leader through me. That nothing of me remains in them as it is useless. I pray for the leaders that you placed in ministry with me. That you keep them united in all that they do for you and by you. And I pray for my guys. And I rejoice in knowing that You have great plans for them! And that You will bring them into Your Kingdom when you decide to!!
To find out more about our Young Life Area go to www.NWChicagoYL.org
