Most of us love the idea of new things. New year. New habits. New prayers. New faith goals. We’re very into the new wine part. What we’re less excited about? New wineskins.
Jesus once said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins” (Luke 5:37). Not because the wine is bad—but because the container can’t handle what’s coming. New wine expands. Old wineskins crack. And nobody wants wasted wine.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: sometimes the biggest barrier to growth isn’t our sin—it’s our familiarity. The ways we’ve always thought. The spiritual rhythms we’ve outgrown. The “this worked once” faith that quietly resists transformation. We don’t mean to get stuck. We just get… comfortable.
Paul puts it this way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB)
New creation. Present tense. Ongoing reality. Which means discipleship isn’t about stacking more spiritual information onto an old framework—it’s about allowing God to reshape the framework itself.
That takes humility. The kind that says, “Lord, maybe I don’t have this as figured out as I thought.” The kind that admits mental agreement without heart transformation doesn’t actually change anyone. The kind that lets God say, “We’re going somewhere new—but you can’t bring that mindset with you.”
Peter’s story reminds us this is normal. Jesus didn’t wait until Peter had it all together. He called him in the middle of his mess. And instead of discarding him when he failed, Jesus kept shaping him—through obedience, correction, failure, restoration, and intentional following.
Discipleship is learning to live flexible enough for God to keep expanding us.
Peter later wrote: “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded, and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13, CSB)
That phrase—minds ready for action—is intentional discipleship language. Growth doesn’t happen by accident. Neither does transformation. God supplies the grace, but we choose the posture.
So here’s the question this week isn’t “Do I want new wine?” It’s “Am I willing to become new wineskin?” Because God isn’t finished with you yet—and what He’s pouring out next is worth making room for.
A Response for the Week: Set aside 10 intentional minutes this week—no multitasking, no scrolling. Ask God: “Is there a mindset, habit, or assumption You’re inviting me to release so I can grow?” Listen. Write it down. Pray over it. And choose one small, obedient step that creates space for what God wants to do next.
Think about Michelangelo and David for a second. That masterpiece didn’t start with the perfect shape. It started as a big, rough block of marble. And here’s the fun part—he didn’t add anything to make it beautiful. Nope. Every single strike of the chisel was about taking something away. Every chunk he removed got him closer to the image he already saw in his mind.
That’s exactly how God works with us in discipleship. He’s not just sprinkling life lessons or spiritual confetti on top of us and calling it good. He’s actively removing the things that don’t belong in the masterpiece He’s creating. Sometimes that’s obvious stuff—anger, pride, fear. But sometimes it’s sneaky: habits, attitudes, relationships, or even “good” things we thought were part of who we are.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB) says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Becoming a disciple isn’t passive—it’s active. Every choice to follow Jesus is like letting Him strike the marble in just the right spot. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, even painful, and sometimes God removes pieces that feel familiar or useful—but it’s not punishment. It’s preparation, clearing away the extra stuff so the true image of Christ in you can shine through.
A Response for the Week: Take 10 minutes this week—maybe with your coffee, maybe hiding from the chaos, maybe in your car—and ask God to show you what He’s chiseling away in your life. What’s that piece you thought belonged, but doesn’t actually belong in the masterpiece He’s creating? Surrender it, let Him do His work, and watch the masterpiece start to emerge.
“But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel.”— Luke 24:21, CSB
It’s Saturday. The cross has already happened. The tomb is sealed. Jesus is dead.
And the silence is deafening.
The disciples are scattered. Confused. Afraid. Grieving. This isn’t how the story was supposed to end. They gave up everything to follow Him. They saw the miracles. They believed He was the One. But now? Nothing but silence.
We know what they didn’t—that Sunday is coming. But they didn’t have that assurance yet. All they had was the silence… and the choice to trust in what Jesus had already said.
Drawing #Closer to God in the Silence
Silent Saturday invites us into the tension of waiting—of not knowing what’s next. It mirrors those seasons in our lives when God feels quiet, prayers seem unanswered, and hope feels just out of reach.
And yet—God is not absent in the silence. He is working in the waiting. Even in the tomb, He was preparing for resurrection.
If you feel stuck in a “Saturday season,” you’re not alone. But don’t mistake silence for absence. God is still writing the story. And His promises are still true.
A Saturday Practice: Waiting with Hope
Pause – Sit in quiet. No music. No noise. Just stillness.
Reflect – Think about a time when God seemed silent, but later you saw His hand.
Read – Luke 23:50–56. Notice the grief… and the hope behind the scenes.
Pray – “God, even when You’re silent, help me trust that You are near. I believe You’re still working, even when I can’t see it.”
Today, as we draw #Closer to God, let’s trust Him with the silent spaces. He is never finished when it feels like the end—and Sunday is only a Son-rise away.
Celebrate the Resurrection with Hope Church! Find more information about Holy Week and Easter events here.
In the quiet of the morning, Jesus, the Son of God, was condemned to death by crucifixion. He carried His cross through the streets of Jerusalem, bearing the weight of the world’s sin. And when He was nailed to the cross, something profound happened. The perfect, sinless Savior gave His life, not because He had to, but because He chose to (John 10:18).
As He hung there, suspended between heaven and earth, He said the words that would forever echo through eternity: “It is finished.” The debt of sin was paid. The way to reconciliation with God was opened. The victory over death was secured.
But in that moment, it looked like defeat. The disciples were devastated. The world was in darkness. Yet, in the mystery of the cross, God was at work, transforming death into life, sacrifice into redemption, and pain into eternal hope.
Drawing #Closer to God Through the Finished Work of the Cross
Good Friday invites us to stop and reflect on what Jesus did for us. The cross is the greatest act of love—love willing to endure betrayal, brutality, and the weight of sin for the sake of others. And it’s a love that calls us to respond. To live differently. To let go of what once defined us.
When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He wasn’t just declaring the end of His suffering. He was proclaiming the completion of His mission—our redemption, our reconciliation with God, and the beginning of new life.
But it’s more than a spiritual transaction. It’s a total transformation.
It is finished means your past doesn’t have the final word. Your shame, your guilt, your failures—they died with Him on that cross. Your destructive habits, hidden addictions, and false identities—He carried them too. Everything that once separated you from God—finished.
Jesus paid the highest price so we could walk in the fullness of freedom. Not to live small, diminished lives. Not to limp through life defined by what we’ve done or what’s been done to us. But to live like children of the King—healed, whole, and empowered by His Spirit.
So don’t short-change the work of the cross—embrace it.
Don’t settle for less than the life Jesus died to give you. It does not glorify our King to live defeated when He declared, “It is finished.”
As we reflect on the cross, let’s ask ourselves:
What does it mean for me that Jesus said, “It is finished”?
What have I been carrying that Jesus already paid for?
How can I fully embrace the freedom, healing, and identity He died to give me?
A Friday Practice: Contemplate the Cross
Take a few moments to reflect on the significance of Good Friday. Don’t rush. Let the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice settle in your heart.
Pause – Find a quiet place and sit in stillness. Reflect on the cross and what Jesus did for you.
Remember – Read John 19:17-30. Let the depth of His sacrifice overwhelm you.
Respond – Pray: “Jesus, thank You for the cross. Thank You for the love that led You to lay down Your life for me. Help me live in light of Your sacrifice.”
So today, as we draw #Closer to God, let’s not just remember the cross—let’s respond to it. Lay down what’s finished. Pick up what’s been won. And live like someone who’s been set free by the blood of the King.
Celebrate the Resurrection with Hope Church! Find more information about Holy Week and Easter events here.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35, CSB
It’s Thursday of Holy Week. The cross is just hours away. But before the nails, before the trial, before the garden…we find Jesus gathered at a table with His disciples. Not with crowds or miracles or teaching in the temple. But with a meal. With intimacy. With love.
This is the night Jesus takes the bread and breaks it. “This is my body, given for you.” He lifts the cup. “This is my blood, poured out for the forgiveness of sins.”
And then, He does something unexpected. He kneels. He washes feet. He looks each of them in the eye—even Judas—and says, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you.”
That’s what Maundy Thursday is all about. The word Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum—meaning commandment. A new commandment: Love one another.
This kind of love isn’t just emotion. It’s action. It’s service. It’s sacrifice. It’s the kind of love that gets low to wash dirty feet. It’s the kind of love that holds nothing back—even life itself. It’s how we remember Him. And it’s how the world will know we belong to Him.
Drawing #Closer to God Through Worship & Communion
Today, we remember. Not just what Jesus did—but why He did it. Out of love. For us. And we remember who we’re called to be—people marked by that same kind of love.
If you’re able, take communion today.
You can share it with family, friends, or fellow believers.
Or take it quietly, just you and the Lord.
You don’t need perfect elements. Crackers or sliced bread and juice work just fine.
What matters is the heart behind it—a moment to pause, to worship, and to remember. As you take the bread, remember His body—broken for your healing, both physical and emotional. As you take the cup, remember His blood—poured out for the forgiveness of your sins.
And let this be more than a ritual. Let it be a recommitment to the command: To love like Jesus. To serve like Jesus. To remember Jesus.
A Thursday Practice: Worship & Communion
Pause – Create a quiet space. Light a candle. Play worship music.
Reflect – Read John 13 or Luke 22. Let the story settle in your soul.
Receive – Take communion slowly. Let every bite and sip remind you of His love.
Respond – Ask: “Who is God calling me to love and serve like Jesus today?”
“Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.” — Matthew 26:14–16, CSB
It’s Wednesday of Holy Week. We’re only a few days away from the cross, but something dark is already in motion.
Behind the scenes, Judas has made a decision—a quiet, chilling betrayal. He’s followed Jesus for years. Heard every sermon. Seen the miracles. Sat around the same table. And yet… somewhere along the way, his heart grew cold. We don’t know his reasoning. Maybe he was disappointed. Maybe disillusioned. Maybe just distracted by something that seemed more valuable.
Thirty pieces of silver. That’s what he traded Jesus for.
It’s easy to read and think, I’d never do that. But before we dismiss Judas too quickly, maybe we need to pause and take a closer look at ourselves. Because betrayal rarely begins with a single act. It usually starts with compromise—a little drift here, a little silence there. It’s the slow fade: choosing control over trust, hiding struggles instead of confessing them, worshiping Jesus outwardly while drifting inwardly.
Drawing #Closer to God Through Self-Examination
This Wednesday is sometimes called Spy Wednesday—a reference to Judas’s secret plan to betray Jesus. But it’s not just about what he did in the shadows. It invites us to reflect honestly—not with shame or guilt, but with a quiet willingness to bring what’s hidden into the light.
Where are you being tested right now? What are you wrestling with beneath the surface?
Is there a part of your life where you’re struggling to trust Jesus?
Have you been drifting spiritually—maybe going through the motions but feeling distant inside?
Is there something you’re hiding, hoping no one notices?
The truth is, we all have “spy moments”—secret compromises, quiet doubts, or hidden struggles that we try to manage on our own. But Jesus doesn’t push away doubters or strugglers. He invites us to come clean—to confess, to return, and to let Him meet us in our mess.
A Wednesday Practice: Come Clean
Take a few minutes today to get alone with God. No filters. No pretending. Just honesty.
Pause – Sit in stillness and ask the Spirit to search your heart.
Pray – “Jesus, show me where I’ve been hiding, drifting, or tempted to betray trust in You.”
Confess – If something comes to mind, don’t brush it off. Bring it to Him. He’s already paid for it.
Receive – His grace is not just for the “big” sins. It’s for everything. Let Him remind you that you’re still His.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” — Psalm 139:23–24, CSB
Let’s draw #Closer to God by being real with Him today. Because honesty is where healing begins—and as Sunday will prove, even betrayal doesn’t get the final word.
Celebrate the Resurrection with Hope Church! Find more information about Holy Week and Easter events here.
