Have you ever walked into a church and felt that, while things seemed busy and well-organized, something was missing? It’s like the Spirit of God is present, but there’s a sense that He’s being held back. It’s almost as if the structure, the way things are set up, isn’t allowing the fullness of His presence to flow freely.
Jesus once spoke about wineskins and wine—a simple yet powerful analogy that points us to a profound truth. In those days, wine was stored in animal skins, but fresh wine needed a new wineskin, one that was flexible and could expand as the wine fermented. An old wineskin couldn’t handle new wine; it would burst and lose everything. The same goes for the church. God’s Spirit is always moving, always fresh, always pouring out new wine. The question is, do we have the right wineskin to contain it?
Today, I want to take a look at the wineskin of God’s Kingdom—the structure and the heart of the church that aligns with the flow of the Spirit. Are we ready for a fresh move of God, or are we clinging to old ways, old methods, that can't handle the new thing God wants to do?
I. The Necessity of a New Wineskin
In Matthew 9:16-17, Jesus tells us, "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." New wine calls for a new wineskin. Jesus is warning us here—new movements of God’s Spirit can’t be forced into rigid, old frameworks. They require a fresh, flexible container that can stretch with the Spirit’s movement.
Imagine trying to put a new vision, a fresh outpouring of God's Spirit, into old, outdated traditions. It just doesn’t work. You can’t contain a vibrant move of God in structures that were designed for a different season. But how often do we try to make the Spirit conform to our preferences, our routines, our way of doing things? We get comfortable, don’t we? We get used to the way things are. But God is always calling us forward, calling us higher, calling us to a new place.
Church, we need to ask ourselves—are there places in our lives, in our churches, where we are using old wineskins to try and contain new wine? Are we holding back God’s Spirit because we are afraid of change, afraid of the unknown?
II. Characteristics of the Kingdom Wineskin
What does a Kingdom wineskin look like? Let’s take a moment to break this down.
First, it’s flexible. The early church was a perfect example of this kind of flexibility. In the beginning, they were a small Jewish community in Jerusalem, but soon the Spirit of God pushed them out. They moved from Jerusalem to Samaria, to Antioch, and eventually to the ends of the known world. They didn’t cling to old traditions for the sake of comfort—they moved with the Spirit.
And it’s not just about flexibility; it’s about being organic. Paul describes the church as a body in 1 Corinthians 12. It’s not a rigid, mechanical organization—it’s a living, breathing organism, a family, a body where every part has a role to play. A healthy church is a place where growth happens naturally, where gifts are nurtured, and where the Spirit flows freely. The wineskin needs to be big enough to allow God’s Spirit to move through every member, not just the leadership.
It’s also about diversity in unity. The early church was a beautiful mess of different cultures, backgrounds, and social classes. Jews and Gentiles worshiped together, the rich and poor shared meals, and men and women prayed side by side. The Kingdom wineskin accommodates diversity, not by enforcing uniformity but by celebrating the unique ways God works in each of us. This kind of unity in diversity is what makes the church a powerful witness to the world.
III. The Purpose of the Wineskin
The wineskin is not about the structure for its own sake. It’s about holding the wine—the new life and power of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 4:11-13, Paul tells us that Christ gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip His people for works of service. The wineskin is there to build up the Body of Christ so that we can all reach unity in the faith and maturity in Christ.
This means that everything we do in the church—every program, every ministry, every tradition—should have one goal: to facilitate the move of the Holy Spirit. If a program doesn’t do that, if a tradition holds back the Spirit, it’s time to let it go. We can’t be focused on maintaining structures for the sake of tradition. Our wineskin should be functional, not just beautiful. It should serve a purpose—holding the wine, not showcasing itself.
The church’s mission is to bring the life of Christ to a thirsty world, to equip believers to live out their callings, and to see the Kingdom of God grow. The wineskin exists to nurture, sustain, and release that new wine. It’s not about making the church comfortable—it’s about making the church effective.
IV. Building and Maintaining a New Wineskin
So how do we build this new wineskin? Acts 2:42-47 gives us a glimpse of the early church and how they created an environment where God could move freely.
First, they had an apostolic foundation. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the Word of God. They were committed to sound doctrine, and they had a culture of sending out and planting churches. That apostolic foundation is about building something that lasts, something that can multiply.
Next, they had prophetic alignment. They were sensitive to God’s direction. They listened for His voice and were willing to change course when He called. Prophetic alignment means we are always asking, "God, what are You saying now? What is Your direction for this season?" It’s about having the humility to say, “I don’t have all the answers, but I’m listening.”
Third, they prioritized relational accountability. They didn’t operate in isolation. They worked together, supporting and holding each other accountable. They built relationships of trust, not hierarchies of control. When there were disagreements or disputes, they gathered together to seek God’s will. Accountability wasn’t about enforcing rules; it was about maintaining healthy relationships that reflected the heart of Christ.
Finally, they embraced spiritual flexibility. They understood that while the message of the Gospel never changes, the methods can and should. They were willing to adjust their strategies based on the Spirit’s leading. They didn’t put God in a box; they followed Him wherever He led.
V. The Challenge of the New Wineskin
But let’s be honest—embracing a new wineskin isn’t easy. In Luke 5:36-39, Jesus says that no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, “The old is better.” We get comfortable with the old because it’s familiar. We know how it works. It’s predictable, and we don’t like stepping into the unknown.
But God’s call is never to comfort; it’s to growth. It’s to maturity. It’s to faith. And faith always involves stepping out into something new, something fresh, something that stretches us beyond our current limits. A new wineskin requires us to let go of what we know, to trust God’s leading, and to be willing to look foolish in the world’s eyes.
The cost can be high. It may mean letting go of cherished traditions, changing how we do things, and facing criticism from those who prefer the old ways. But the reward is a church that is alive, a church that is vibrant, a church that is making an impact in the world for Christ.
Conclusion
So, what about you? What about us? Are we ready to be that new wineskin? Are we prepared to let go of the past, to embrace the new thing that God is doing? This isn’t about throwing out the old for the sake of being trendy—it’s about being prepared to contain the fullness of what God wants to pour out.
Take some time this week to reflect and pray. Ask God to show you the areas in your life, in your church, that might need to change. Ask Him to help you see the wineskin of your heart—are you flexible, are you ready, are you open to the new thing He wants to do?
Let’s be a church that’s not just busy, but a church that’s bursting with life, filled with new wine, ready to overflow into a world that is thirsty for God’s presence.
Let’s be the new wineskin. Amen.
