It's not the wine, it's the vine!

"Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and BOTH ARE PRESERVED." Matthew 9:17

Pastor Chuck's footnotes tell us, "If you put new wine in an old brittle wineskin, as the wine ferments and the gases form and expand, the old hardened leather will burst. In the history of the church new movements are constantly being raised. Why? Because the old ways get hard and brittle. As the church tends to develop it locks into traditions. So when God wants to do a new work, our traditions and bylaws prevent it from expanding. It's tragic when we can get so structured and so traditional that there is no room for the movement of the Spirit."

Many people resist change.  Our pastor moves on to heaven and a precious new pastor continues the work of the Holy Spirit. Old wine and new wine are both wine. The key truth to remember here, is not so much the wine but the vine. Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  John 15:1-5

God of Grace, mighty in power, mover and maker of mountains, we come to You asking You to form our prayer. Cause us to give the Holy Spirit great room and sway in all our being. We seek to serve in the new work of the Spirit. We ask that You would allow us not to block or quench the ways of the Holy Spirit. Would You wash us into the flow of Your new work this day?  Refresh our breath as we share the gospel. Allow us to see the sent ones and hear their hearts. May our spirits see glimpses of the spirits inside others, whether they are saved, about to decide for You or have never heard of You.
Help us encourage the discouraged and be sensitive to the broken and bleeding hearts. Muzzle us while developing our hearing. Help us count our words and to pray before we say them. May we speak Your word. May many become saved this day, because of the new work ongoing and going on before us. For it is not by might, nor by power, but by His Holy Spirit. In the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.