The New Year

“Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

- Matthew 9:17

            This verse for as long as I can remember has been one of the most confusing sayings of Jesus. I never quite understood what the point of it was and would skip wrestling with it because it was too obscure. Over the past couple weeks I have been thinking and working through it and finally I am beginning to see a little bit of light at the end of the path.

            Today, as we are preparing for New Years (Eve), we look upon this past year and think about all the good and the bad which have occurred. Usually, the bad seems to outweigh and outshine the good. And although we as people seem to be forever stuck on the bad, I believe that in this passage, Jesus is saying, “It’s time to move on! It’s time to change things around! Let’s be joyful!”

            Just before this verse, Jesus makes a very big claim of himself being the bridegroom which in reality means that he is equating himself to God. Now, Jesus is telling the people that the Old and New do not mix and that there is a new structure and new way of doing things. His death and resurrection provides us with new life and a new order which forces us to look and act differently with the world. God’s incarnation began something great which would change the world forever as we know it.

            As we enter into this New Year, let us reflect upon the good work of Christ one more time. Perhaps we have done this too often and it has become boring or meaningless but I assure you that if you begin to see the glorious nature of what he did on that cross, we cannot be the same. This past year may have been the best or the worst year we have ever experienced… but hey, WE MADE IT! Now that we have an opportunity to start fresh, may we begin with a new outlook on life through what Christ has done. Although we may be poor, sick and out on our luck, may we remember that Christ has shifted the powers of this world and has given us something to look forward to, something to be joyous about. Let’s be joyful this year, regardless of what comes at us because we have been given much.