PREACHING FOR MAY 26, 2024:

Pastor Antonio Russo

NEW WINESKINS FOR NEW WINE

The theme that we will cover is entitled "New wineskins for new wine", a subject that will confirm us that we are in a new time and where the wineskin represents us and wine what God puts inside us and therefore the Holy Spirit.

Mark 2:22; 22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles,

And the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. A characteristic of the new wine is that, by fermenting, it produces gas, which causes the wineskin, if it is not new, to risk bursting and breaking. A wineskin is a container made from animal skin, such as goat, ox or camel, depending on the intended use. In Acts, in chapter two, about 120 people were in the high attic because, after the resurrection, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the fulfilment of the promise par excellence which fulfilled the fiftieth day, the day of Pentecost, harvest festival in Jewish culture. In those days of waiting, many were intimidated and locked in their homes because they had seen the Master killed, but later, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, they received power and began to testify of God on the streets of Jerusalem. We read that on that first day 3000 people converted. Now, let us reflect on who the promise was: it is a person, the Holy Spirit, who comes to live within us and in our lives. The disciples noticed the descent of the Holy Spirit because they were watching the flames of fire on their heads and began to speak in other languages. Another thing we should think about is the physical reaction of those who were not among the 120 witnesses, who believed they were drunk. Some people made fun of them saying that they were full of sweet wine, they thought they had drunk a lot, but it was not the spirit of natural wine, but the Holy Spirit. What others thought was drunkenness was actually the supernatural wine of the Holy Spirit coming upon them and within them. This is the new wine that Jesus mentions in the Gospel of Mark, the pouring of the Holy Spirit into our lives, when people lose control of their rationality under divine influence. Many are rigid, but the Holy Spirit desires that they begin to grant him the maximum freedom, because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Ephesians 5:18-19; 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

The apostle Paul writes that, speaking of wine, its effect is similar to that of divine wine on our life, but the inner experience that derives from it is completely different, more satisfying for our spirit. Indeed, from the effects of being filled with the Holy Spirit in our lives, we understand that there are two fundamental aspects: -to speak to oneself; -speak to others. When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, he begins to meditate on the things of God, on His promises, on His will and on the treasures of heaven, turning first to himself, as the psalmist David shows when he exhorts his soul to bless the Lord. Subsequently, what has been meditated within is shared with others, through psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, praising the Lord with the heart. Therefore, God desires that we let ourselves be completely guided by the Holy Spirit, abandoning the control of our life in His hands. We will now talk about some testimonies of men who experienced revival, one of whom was Charles Finney, a well-known New York lawyer. One day he experienced a supernatural manifestation of divine power, beginning to laugh uncontrollably, a phenomenon that also infected others, including an elder of the Church. This episode did not depend on human will but was a sign of God’s will for that generation, announcing a new time in their lives. Since that time, the pouring of the Holy Spirit has unleashed a supernatural power in many surrounding cities, leading people to repent and be compulsive of sin, who turned to God and gave their lives to Jesus. In Finney’s biography, one reads that none of the converts turned away from the faith, highlighting a profound and lasting spiritual experience. This extraordinary episode marked the beginning of a new time of spiritual renewal and the manifestation of divine power, which invites us to abandon the previous mental patterns to accept what God has in store for us. The other testimony is that of John Wesley, an English preacher of the 1700s known for his firmness, while being a puritan who avoided mysticism, during a sermon, saw people fall under the anointing of God, laughing in the spirit without control. This experience was a sign of the divine movement that was happening. This episode occurred at a critical moment for England, threatened by conflict with France; however, thanks to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the situation changed radically, leading to the transformation of circumstances. Returning to our theme, when God fills us, there is healing, deliverance and blessings in our lives, but to receive this, we must be new wineskins and this means letting ourselves be renewed by God. Even in the natural a 20 year old wineskin can be made new if kept with oil, representing the Holy Spirit, this indicates that we must always walk in His anointing. New wineskins are elastic and can withstand the fermentation of wine, while the old ones are stiff and break. A Christian with a square mentality is like an old and rigid wineskin, who belittles God, does not accept the changes He brings, does not understand the joy and freedom in the Holy Spirit and is scandalized by their manifestations. We must be open to the new that God wants to do in our lives, He wants to pour His new wine into those who are ready for change. We must be flexible, adaptable to circumstances without compromising holiness. Daniel teaches us that revelation will grow in recent times, but those who are rigid remain anchored in the past, without progressing or adapting to change. What God teaches us is not only about holiness, although he exhorts us to be holy like Him, but also includes being filled with the Holy Spirit to welcome the new in our lives, we must remember to have the mind of Christ, which is a call to unity and submission to this unity. When we desire a miracle, we must be open to the new works of God from heaven. Human logic often does not apply to faith and sometimes we must simply obey without trying to understand everything rationally, because it is faith that allows us to see God’s work.

1°Corinthians 2:9; 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

There are still many things we have not seen or heard, but God has already prepared wonders for us. Though it seems impossible in human eyes, God performs amazing miracles for those who love Him. We remember the first miracle of Jesus, when he transformed water into wine at Cana, or the miracle of the paralytic: in reality, these were signs that showed how God was doing something new, as he still wants to do today in our lives, in our marriages and in our homes. God moves through signs to show us that He is doing new things and to make us understand who He really is. Reading the book of Numbers, we find the story of Israel that, having arrived before Canaan, sends twelve princes, one for each tribe, to explore the country. The twelve spies explore the land and see the blessings that God has prepared for them: fortified cities, blessed houses and a land where milk and honey flow, bringing back a bunch of grapes, symbol of new wine and sign that God is doing something new. Therefore, we must abandon our religious mindset, align ourselves with God’s Word and will and open our hearts to His blessings, which will guide us into the promised land. As a Church, God calls us to wake up and preach the Word, offering hope to those in need; this is the time to break out of our mental patterns and allow God to work in us. Our city and our nation are open to the Gospel; we must proclaim the Kingdom of God, free people from the clutches of the devil and lead them into the Kingdom of God, but for this to happen, we need to open ourselves to God and live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.