The Parable of New Wine in Old Bottles

A Sermon by Edna Lister

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. – Matthew 9:17.

No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. – Mark 2:21-22.

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. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. – Luke 5:37-39.

Healing by Faith

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated November 15, 1970. Scribes: Elizabeth Barnes, Ruth Johnson, Irene White, Ross and Virginia Whitehead. Scriptures: Matthew 9:17-25 and Luke 5:37-39.

Jesus planned his ministry and trained his disciples to teach God the Father, the reality of the first Begotten Son, and the brotherhood of man. He did not mention God as the Mother because the Power it released could and would be misused against him and his work.

The Mother is hidden overall, but revealed in a few places. For example, in the story of the wedding at Cana, Mary stepped forward to launch Jesus on his ministry. At Calvary, Jesus commanded Mary to regard John as her son, and John to care for his mother.

Every miracle includes a law and a lesson you must learn. Every miracle is a lesson for everyone who reads the Bible. The eighth and ninth chapters of the Gospel of Matthew are filled with miracles.

When [Jesus] was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, "Lord, save us: we perish." And he saith unto them, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" – Matthew 8:23-27.

When the storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, the terrified disciples awakened Jesus, who asked, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" If you fearfully pray for Light, but do not rebuke the little self's fear, you do nothing to eliminate the fear. A martyr-type whines, "Why doesn't the Light work when I pray?" Some are so afraid of using force that they do nothing but knock softly at God's door and in a small voice ask for His Power and Light to do the work.

This is good, but you must command that Light shall move through and rebuke darkness, especially that of the self. To be strong, you must rebuke the little self that weakens your ability to release the Power of God by using the creative Word. Speak in a strong voice, in the name of Jesus the Christ. Say to the self, "In the name of Jesus the Christ, you are finished here." This is not the use of force, but a strong vibration of the Power of God that can command self to submit to soul.

Then call down the Light to encircle the room until the walls fairly radiate Light. Light fills every level according to its degree and kind. When you pass to the other side, after incarnating, you go to the level you have earned. Some people who say, "I've always lived in the Light," wonder why they are not higher over there. Do not be so foolish as to live in just 60-watt illumination, saying, "I have enough Light. I can get along."

Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea, which became calm, and the disciples marveled at this. You, too, can lift storms when you speak the Word. Jesus said, "Peace! Be still," and the waters were still. You cannot be soft or fail to speak the Word, "Let there be Light" to clear up life's storms and create calm.

No man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. – Luke 5:37-39.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. – Matthew 9:17.

No one can put new wine in old bottles, or they will explode. So it is with brain cells, for every cellular vibration will stand the strain of new life added for just so long, then it weakens as it reaches the limit of its endurance and fails from fatigue. You cannot put new wisdom into old brain cells, or you shatter them with atrophy, resulting in senility.

You must enliven the brain cells you built into your body before earth life. You must open and develop them to make room for new wisdom. Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind – Romans 12:2. First, you renew your existing brain cells and develop new ones by study and contemplation. To do so, you must cleanse the old emotions and psychological trash to make way for new wisdom.

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. – Matthew 9:18-19.

Jairus, a wealthy man who was a local synagogue official, implored Jesus to bring his daughter back to life. Jesus knew his daughter was not dead; he didn't have to see the girl's body to know she was not dead. Yet Jesus agreed to go with him because of his great faith and belief in the healing power of God.

While they were on their way, "Behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. – Matthew 9:20-23.

The woman who touched his garment interrupted Jesus on his way to heal the ruler's daughter, but he took the delay in stride, pausing to heal her. Being frustrated or irritated closes the Gates of Light. Gracefully accepting an interruption opens the Gates of Heaven and the Power instantly begins to move through you.

The very phone call that bores you can work to the good. You can use the interruption to open the Gates, if you accept it as being good; otherwise, they remain closed. If you accept and declare, "Let this interruption be lifted onto a cloud continent of Light," the Power goes to work and you remain open to new ideas. You can even release enough Power to fill your prayer molds for the next day, too.

As you say hello, see the caller on a cloud and put him into his Guard's hands. Send Light to all who are caught in a similar situation. Later you can return refreshed to your interrupted work. You will reap a reward when you say, "Let the Power use me," and God does the work. If your plans are delayed by the interruption, just know it was not the right time yet. Strengthen your prayer mold with acceptance but do not give up the plan.

It is always now, so now is the good time to ascend in consciousness. Knowing this keeps the world's doubts and fears at bay. No one lives alone, for our vibrations are always crossing. The vibration from your neighbors' houses passes through your house. Pray for them and monitor your self, asking, Do I send out only good vibrations?

Take life in stride and learn to expect others to call on you to release Light. Do as Jesus did; he touched the woman with the issue of blood, released the Power and healed her. Then he went to raise the lifeless child.

And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, he said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. – Matthew 9:23-25.

The soul, who had left her body, needed to be called back to it. He said, "Talitha cumi," meaning "Maiden, arise!" If you have a green light, you can say, "Name, get back into your body and breathe!" Do this only if you know you must. Laws of responsibility are involved in calling a soul back from the gates of death. You may do this, but then you are responsible for holding them in the Light until they pay their soul debts. Do you want to help God that much?

How high do you want to climb into the Light? How open do you want your eyes? How open do you want your ears? Do you want to make the effort to go up in consciousness into the Light?

Breathe the Power into your atomic body to quicken it, to ascend into the Light. Say, "Let the vital centers of my atomic body be open. Let the Power move through them to strengthen my arteries. Let the Power of the living God, the Light, permeate my bloodstream, making it the perfect vehicle of my soul."

Speak in a strong voice to increase the vibration moving though them. Speak the Word to your self; rebuke any dullness caused by fear or doubt. You can climb to the Source of Light only by devotion. Say, "I love You so much Father. I cannot love You enough." Nothing is little, for everything is great because God is all.

As you ascend in consciousness into the Light on devotion, you begin to feel enfolded in the soft Light of Shekinah glory. Say, "Let this love go forth." Praise the Father and release His Light until you feel as if you are held in someone's arms. This feeling lifts you to a new, higher cloud of Light, while your feet remain on ground. You can be enfolded in a cloud of Light so great that you cannot bear to leave it.

Do you believe the Light is waiting to do the work as you speak the Word? You become stronger in the body as you become strong in the soul. By saying, "Father, I love you," Light fills your aura and body to strengthen and lift you. You can do this doing your work here.

How great a cloud of Light do you want to walk in? Eventually you will climb simply by saying, "Let there be Light," and be in the Light, in devotion to God and the Master. "Let there be Light." The Light lifts you. The Light will do the work to fulfill your project. The Light does the work as you.