For years I’ve wondered why some people grab hold of the Gospel and grow like a week, while others seem to grow for a while, then level off, and never go forward from there.  And while studying in Luke a couple nights ago, the LORD showed me the answer.  Turn with me to Luke chapter 5, verses 36-39. I believe He showed me why.

36  And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

 37  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

 38  But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

 39  No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

The answer in this parable is “new wine” and “new wineskins”.  Far too many are trying to put “new wine” in the “old wineskins”, because they’re COMFORTABLE with the old wineskins.  People resist change, we all know that, and I’ve preached on that plenty of times.  But obviously, without Jesus, we are ALL on the road to hell (which nobody preaches about today it seems).  Nobody wants to go to hell, but they don’t want to change what they’re doing.   They’re creatures of habit, and it shows.  They’ll come and listen, but they come in with their old wine in their old wineskins, and leave the same way.  Why?  As Jesus said in verse 39,

No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

            Everywhere I preach, there are those who are claiming to be “born again”, but really, they’re still in their old wineskins, still drinking the old wine, because that’s what they’re used to and they’re comfortable.  Some I’d call ‘pillars of the church” because they’re the most stoney hearted people I’ve ever met. They’re steeped in “traditions of men” and religion, and THINK because they come to church each week that they’re born again.

Now before going any further, I must point out that Jesus told Nicodemus, who was a leader of the Jews, this in John 3:1-12,

 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

 2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

 3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

 4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

 5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 

 8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

 9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

 10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

 11  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

 12  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

            The Apostle Paul addressed it so perfectly in 2 Corinthians 5:17,

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

            That is NOT a new creation in an old wineskin.  ALL THE OLD MAN HAS TO DIE, IN ORDER TO BE A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST JESUS!  The old wine must be poured out, and the old wineskin discarded.  You see, too many are trying to be new creatures while drinking the old wine from the old wineskin.  And of course, they LIKE the old wine better, so they’re resistant to giving up the old wine for the new.  So you see these same people in church year after year, never growing in the LORD, thinking everything is ok with the LORD, when in truth, they’re in a heap of trouble.  Jesus said in Revelation 3:13-22,

13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 

 15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

 16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

 17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

 18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

 19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

 20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

 22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

            Those who never grow in the LORD think everything is ok, when it isn’t.  They THINK they’re “born again”, yet they’re lukewarm, neither hot nor cold.  The time for that is OVER!  The LORD is soon to return, and we don’t want to be in the “lukewarm” row at church when He comes!  I’m not pointing fingers here, I’m just proclaiming the Word of the LORD, and letting it fall where it may.  If YOU aren’t closer to the LORD today than you were yesterday, then YOU’RE BACKSLIDDEN!      YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO SLIDE AWAY!  YOUR SOUL IS AT STAKE!   If you need to repent, then stop right now and do it!  Don’t let the blood of Jesus be wasted upon a prideful soul!  Grow in the LORD today and KEEP growing until He comes!