This is the day the Lord has made. We will
rejoice and be glad in it. We will gather for our Wednesday Evening fellowship
and study at 6 PM followed by choir practice at 7:30 PM. We will be looking at
John 2. In Chapter 2 of John we see the extravagance of life Jesus embodied
and embraced. "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" Jesus
said.
A wedding surely symbolizes a high moment of
joy and delight. It is an occasion filled with solemn promises and with an
abundance of human joy. Jesus only heightened the joy at the Cana wedding feast
by his gracious act, and the fine wine overflowed.
At Cana Jesus modeled extravagant
hospitality. Too often I think church gatherings are characterized by minimal
attitudes rather than maximal attitudes. Frederick Nietzsche, the atheist
philosopher, instructed us well when he said, of Christians, "I would believe in
their salvation if they looked a little more like people who have been saved."
It is time for us to celebrate extravagantly
and extend real heart-felt hospitality. We, as Christians, have reasons to
celebrate. We serve the Lord, who is generous. His gifts are simple and ever
extraordinary. His gifts are abundant. Wherever Jesus is present, there is
celebration.
One pastor comments, "I will dance at my
funeral". We are saved sinners called to celebrate extravagantly. We, the
redeemed of the Lord, are called serve extravagantly. The sinners whom Christ
has set free are also called give extravagantly. We are imperfect
people, called to seek the Lord extravagantly. Jesus turns our mourning in to
dancing. We can say, "My cup runneth over".
The late, great Scottish preacher Ian
Pitt-Watson told a story of a king who was displeased that there was not much
joy in his kingdom. People were no longer smiling. They were so busy doing the
work of survival that there was not much joy. For this reason the king called
for a great banquet, to be given at the largest place in the capital city, and
invited many. As they came into the banquet room that was sumptuously prepared,
he had his servants tie each guest's left arm behind their back and put their
right arms in a long cast. Naturally the people thought that was strange, but
they came in and went to the places where their place cards were, and they sat
down.
Though each saw all the sumptuous food
in front of them, they couldn't move their left arms. As they reached out their
right arms, they were knocking over wine glasses and beverages glasses, while
trying for this magnificent food. They could get it either with a fork in their
hands or in their fingers, but they couldn't get it in their mouths, until one
enterprising chap looked at the person across the table and said, "My name's
so-and-so, what's yours?"
Then he said, "Could I feed you?" The person replied, "Well, certainly. May I
feed you?" What had been a large gathering of isolated individuals very quickly
became a great, joyous occasion of people helping people, getting to know each
other and sharing.
In Christ,
Brown
http://youtu.be/hL1mUmibSZc
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