December 31: NEW HEARTS AND NEW WINE

Now Saul was consenting to [Stephen’s] death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Acts 8:1 (compare to 1:8)

The public stoning of Stephen emboldened the unconverted Jews. Their unwillingness to receive the new wine revealed them as stiff old wineskins (see Matthew 9:17). As they held fast to their corrupted beliefs, they viewed with murderous contempt the followers of Jesus, whose teachings were to them criminal and deserving of death. Jesus said of His teachings:

“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.” John 16:1-3

The church which was at Jerusalem was made up of believing Jews. These had chosen to place their faith and trust in Jesus. They had a legitimate claim upon the promise voiced to Ezekiel: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

These new hearts were supple and able to contain the new doctrines without bursting. They readily received the teachings of Jesus, recognizing the sparkling purity and power of His words. The precepts of God are actually not new at all. They are older than the old wine. The old wine metaphor represents the teachings of God in a corrupted form. Jesus came to bring about CPR (cleansing, purification, and reformation). The metaphor of “new wine” (what we call grape juice) represents the doctrines as they were originally intended. Fresh, pure, uncorrupted.

No one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.” Luke 5:39

How loving and patient the Lord is! He declared ahead of time the seventy sevens (490 years): twelve generations, plus ten years—a Biblical “generation” being 40 years, and twelve being the number for leadership, with ten included to signify testing—for His chosen messengers to overcome their corrupted understanding of His word along with their fascination with idols; and to be reconciled to Him (see Daniel 9:24). Stephen’s martyrdom vividly marked the close of the 490 years determined for Israel as a nation. At that time the pure Gospel message went rapidly in all directions. Our opening text reveals the great persecution that accompanies the spread of the true and uncorrupted Gospel. It will happen again, beloved!

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip… Acts 8:4-6a