John 2:10 “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
Can you hear the wonder, the joy, the excitement as the family and their guests get to drink this new best wine! Not only enjoying this “best wine,” but knowing that Jesus had turned ordinary water into truly special wine. He had turned the ordinary into the extraordinary! His first miracle that set Him on the path of revealing that He was the Son of God and, of course, to the Cross where He paid the ultimate penalty for our sin.
Wine, for the most part in biblical narrative, speaks of rejoicing, of victory, of celebration. In Genesis we read of the High Priest Melchizedek coming out to meet Abram after he has won a victory against the Kings who had attacked and taken his nephew Lot hostage, he came out to meet him bringing bread and wine. Blessing Abram and celebrating with him. (Genesis 14) Fruitful vineyards were seen as God’s blessing and wine is associated with feasting, as well as Sabbath rest and relaxation. Thus, Noah’s father Lamech prophesied in Genesis 5:29 that Noah would bring “comfort” from work and toil.
The examples are so numerous that we cannot help but recognize that in God’s eyes, the Vine and its fruit have such depth of meaning. It speaks of prosperity and is associated with joy. Here are just a few scriptures that express this sense of wine being a blessing and a gift. There are, of course, just as many scriptures that warn us of the danger and effect of drinking too much wine, but here I want us to see the picture of lush grapes, full vats and much rejoicing. Pictures of blessing and restoration. God’s wonderful favour, the result of obedience and God’s desire for men to prosper as they enjoy His rule and Kingship.
He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you.
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart.
And on that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim.
The days are coming, declares the Lord. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from the hills. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
Isaiah 55:1
Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Reading these verses, do you pick up the heart of God who provides the Vineyard and pours out an unlimited supply of good wine as it drips from the mountains? It is bought free of charge and is there for the asking; revealing an intense love of the Father for His people. When God is present and His ways are honored, the vineyards flourish and wine gladdens the heart of man. Through these truths, the Lord has prepared our hearts to grasp fully the wonderful promise of the New Life we have been given in Christ. How did I jump from wine to a new life? The beautiful, unequalled Covenant of Grace, the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31, the Covenant that was established through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is symbolized by Bread and Wine, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 9:16-17
Nobody sews a patch of unshrunk cloth onto an old coat, for the patch will pull away from the coat and the hole will be worse than ever. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins—otherwise the skins will burst, the wine is spilt and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into new skins and both are preserved.
Jesus is setting the scene to show that a new era is coming, where there will be a departure from the old religious practices and that a fresh, new, life giving, restoring and transforming way is coming. The old religious, legal interpretation and application of the law is going to be thrown away… just like you throw old wineskins away, you do not repair them. Men will be changed, born again and into these new vessels a new life will be poured. The Holy Spirit is so often spoken of as the New Wine for it is He who fills the new vessels and brings the joy, the wonder, the prosperity of spirit and the supernatural life that we are afforded in Christ. Jesus demonstrated this at the wedding in Cana as He miraculously changed ordinary water into the very best wine. A picture of the change that is possible for us as we turn back to God, leave our old life behind us and fully embrace the work of the Holy Spirit as He transforms us and restores the very image of God. Making the very best out of us!
I cannot separate wine, new wine and The Holy Spirit. Together they speak of the unspeakable joy and comfort, strength and hope that is found in the New Covenant established by Christ. All that Jesus offered is free, all we need to do is ask. Our asking and receiving are not met with a measured amount of grace but an unending, unlimited, ever-present supply as we are grafted into the Vine that feeds us with life giving sap. A metaphor that is so readily understood when we recognize how God through scripture has revealed the vine, its fruit and the delicious wine are all part of His generous gift to mankind. A gift that is understood more fully later when we receive Christ as our Lord and Saviour, recognizing He is given for the redemption and salvation of all who will receive Him… He is the gift! He is the true Vine and we are the branches, chosen by God to bear fruit. Fruit that will last. Apart from the Vine our lives will be dry and barren, lifeless and joyless but as we remain in Him who has grafted us, our lives will reveal Christ. We will know His peace and the power of His Holy Spirit who fills us as we walk with Him and yield to His purpose.
Acts 17:28
For in Him we live and move and have our being.
As Smith Wigglesworth said in "Daily Devotional", “The power of God can so dwell in us that it can burn up everything that is not spiritual and dissolve it to the perfection and holiness that Jesus has.” We can do nothing but surrender and yield to Him who works a good work in us. Rest in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to mature us…….for truly God is faithful even when we are not.
Let's Pray
Father, help us to yield and allow You to fill us with the New Wine. May we allow Your Holy Spirit to do a deep work in us that our lives are changed as we embrace this life of freedom from deadly religion and old tradition and embrace our New Life in the Spirit of Christ. Give us revelation of Your word that says “For in Christ we live and move and have our being." May we never ever stop hungering and thirsting after you.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
I want to end by quoting "New Wine" by Hillsong Worship:
In the crushing, in the pressing, You are making new wine.
In the soil, I now surrender, You are breaking new ground.
So I yield to You into Your careful hand.
When I trust You I don't need to understand.
Make me Your vessel, make me an offering.
Make me whatever You want me to be.
I came here with nothing but all You have given me.
Jesus bring new wine out of me.