Psalm 51:10-17 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

 Sometimes...God will do something new.  Sometimes...God wants us to move past the past.
​        Theology and Apologetics: When we sing songs such as "New Wine."  New Wine is talked about in the context of the "new" things that God is doing in a Believer's life.  This is appropriate in the sense that God, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, is always doing a continuing work in our lives.  In terms of what Jesus was talking about in His answer to the Pharisees and John the Baptist's disciples, Jesus is probably referring to the new covenant of grace that is going to be ushered in by His atoning work on the cross.  Tragically, the Pharisees rejected the new wine (new covenant) and in a sense, the new wine burst the old wineskin.  
       Is it possible to correctly use the new wine metaphor when considering the "new" things that the Holy Spirit is doing in and through the church today?  I think that the metaphor can be used in a generic sense, but we need to understand the context that helps define Jesus' original point.  ​

​​1 Corinthians 11:23-26. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

       There was indeed a new wineskin that the new wine was poured into.  That new wineskin is the church.  The church was created by and administrated over, through the work of the Holy Spirit.  Into this resilient work flowed a new covenant of grace.
         In speaking to Peter, Jesus said of the church (new wineskin) that even the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  Although the church has suffered persecution, wandered into heretical teaching, and been far from perfect; it has survived and continues to carry out the Great Commission.
       I believe, that when we take communion, we primarily remember two things: 1) That Jesus paid the price for our salvation.  2) That Jesus' sacrifice made the formation of the new wineskin possible.

​Matthew 9:14-17 Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

​Mark 2:18-21  ​18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “While the groom is with them, the attendants of the groom cannot fast, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the groom is taken away from them, and then they will fast, on that day. 21 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

Ephesians 6:10-20. 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

       The battle is raging all around us.  The stakes are high as souls are in the balance.  Even our children and grandchildren are caught in the crossfire.  Now is not a time for the church to be asleep, timid or apathetic!  
        The secular culture that surrounds us in America reminds me of the giant Goliath, who challenged all of Israel to fight him.  Starting with King Saul, Israel quaked in their collective boots and did nothing.  In walked a shepherd, by the name of David.  David was not a soldier.  David was not trained to fight.  David was not the solution that Israel was looking for...until he was.
         David had two things going for him.  He had faith in God.  He had Almighty God on his side.  He also had the audacity to take a stand against Goliath.  I am sure that Goliath was laughing when he saw who was taking up his challenge.  He was amused up until the moment when God took him down.
         It seems as if the Church in America is facing several giants.  Giants that are shouting out a challenge.  Many believers are afraid of speaking out or speaking up because of the possible consequences.  I have a number of suggestions as we take a stand:

1. Put on the whole armor of God.
2. Speak the truth in love.  
3. Be kind and loving in our interactions with others.
4. Do not compromise with evil.
5. Pray about everything. 
6. Boldly proclaim the Gospel Message. 

Ephesians 4:1–16 1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.  

     This passage of scripture starts with a challenge. v.1 "Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called."  This calls me to aspire to something greater than I am naturally inclined to be.  Although I am not saved by my works, there is an expectation that I will conduct myself in a manner that ultimately brings glory to the One I call "Lord."
       So, the question is this: "Where do I begin on my quest to live life in such a way as to honor Jesus and be worthy of my election?"  Is it even possible?  Let me answer the question with an indirect answer.  This scripture gives me some guidance in my quest to walk in a manner that is worthy of my calling.  Firstly, my growth is contingent on both my relationship with Christ and with His Body.
       I am walking out my calling alongside other Believers.  Those relationships serve up many opportunities to be humble, gentle, patient and loving.  By considering others in my actions I am literally walking in obedience to Christ's call to walk in unity.  Please note: Loving one another with the love of Christ, is the "sign" that we are His disciples.
       As we walk in unity, we sharpen one another spiritually, "as iron sharpens iron."  We become stronger, "a cord of three strands is not easily broken."  Verse 15 tells us that as we speak to one another in love, we are to "grow up in all aspects into Him (Christ) who is the head."  If I am to "grow up in all aspects" as a reflection of Christ, I must start by humbling myself and submit myself totally to the shaping of the master potter.  (This is spiritual formation)
       I must allow Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to convict me of sin.  I need Jesus to challenge the days where my personality wants to dictate my behavior.  I need to act like Jesus when I consider the needs of others.  I need to reflect Jesus in all aspects of my living.  All Aspects!  Where do I even start?  I start wherever I am, and I start today...

John 8:31-38. 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
​       Does the truth matter?  Do facts have any bearing on what you believe? Many approach truth as if it is something subjective.  

Matthew 7:24–29 (NASB) 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” 28 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.