“Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.”
I once heard a pastor say that his wife had prepared several thousand meals for him during their years of marriage. He said that only a few of these were so exceptional that they stood out to him, but all the other meals kept him going! We can love the exceptional, the new, and the exciting; however, there must be a place in our spiritual diet for teachings that may not be outstanding but are nutritional and keep us going.
I love the fellowship of those who are so hungry that they will travel far to hear a great preacher or teacher. God obviously rewards such hunger. Even so, if we only seek the “wow” sermons and cannot receive the practical truths of which we need to be constantly reminded, we will be weak Christians. The wise seek both the new and the old.
Some aren’t content just to hear new sermons—they are constantly seeking new churches. When Larry Randolph started a church in Orange County, California, immediately several hundred people came. A friend asked him where all of those people came from, and he replied that they were the same people who started all of the other churches in Orange County. Larry knew that as soon as another church started up in the area, most of these people would leave him to go to that one, but they would help get the church started anyway.Certainly there is a place for checking out different churches while we’re searching for the right one. I think it is healthy to occasionally visit other churches, even if you know you are in the right place just to make and keep connections with the rest of the body of Christ. However, those who do not find a church home and settle down seldom bear much real spiritual fruit in their life. This principle is illuminated by a study that was done by a friend in Switzerland on Gypsies.
Gypsies are some of the brightest, most gifted, and wonderful people, but there is not a single Gypsy who has made a significant contribution in history. Why? Fruit comes from trees that are planted. Many great Christian Gypsies are likewise very gifted with extraordinary potential but are constantly moving, and it is hard to find a single one who has borne significant and lasting fruit.
Do not ever lose your taste for the new wine or the aged, refined wine, as this is what the Lord promises to serve at the great wedding feast. Seek the fresh and honor the established. Find the place where you can be planted, but do not lose your freedom to explore. The wise find treasures in the new and the old.
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