Jesus is the Best Wine

It is no secret, and certainly no scandal, that North Carolina is swimming in craft beer, regional wines, and now even Mayberry Moonshine !  What would Otis think?  These wonders go along with our ever increasing desire for recreation and escape from today's troubles.
The most famous regional wine came from Cana, and was made by Jesus from bathwater.  It was so good that the headwaiter at a potentially disastrous wedding thought it was the best (the best he'd ever tasted?)  This headwaiter fortunately didn't know that it was made from bathwater and served out of one of the nasty stone pots.  He complimented the host for "keeping the best wine until now" when most people with common sense serve the best wine first, so people who are inebriated won't notice the quality of the wine dropping as the feast progresses.
This first sign of Jesus is filled with intent and symbolism, and still speaks to us today if we have ears to hear.
The sign shows us that Jesus' ministry was intentional, not haphazard or some "plan B" situation.  Jesus is giving a semi-private sign that is designed to build faith in the disciples prior to beginning his public ministry.  Jesus' divinity, confirmed by the miraculous wine-making, is the fact that created faith among the disciples, enabling them to later be called Apostles.
The miracle at Cana shows us that Jesus' ministry had a point besides the miracles and miraculous, which was the climactic crucifixion in Jerusalem (the ultimate eschatological event).
Jesus is teaching everyone that He has the power to take their lack, their nothing, their bathwater, and turn it into the greatest things, the most needed things, those things which bring glory to God.  Jesus redeems even impossible situations.  Where something looks hopeless, through our prayers (like the Mother of Jesus asking for his help) He will give us hope and provision.
So how is your bathwater?  Are you drinking the "lesser wines" of this life?  Do you fall for the trendy promotions of merchants offering distraction from the real issue (that the wine has literally run out)?
In the words of Dr. Herman Ridderbos, "Jesus is the good wine, reserved until now."  Drink freely.

What were those 7 Words?

Traditionally, what I refer to as the seven words of Christ are considered the seven "last" words of Christ.  This is of course a ridiculous title since Christ said plenty of other things after this, and is still speaking today.  Do people who are alive as Jesus is not speak if they are able?

So here are the seven words of Christ spoken from the cross, as it were:

"Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they are doing." Luke 23:34
"Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."Luke 23:43
 "Woman behold your son...behold your mother." John 19:26
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" Mark 15:34 (Psalm 22:1)
"I am thirsty." John 19:28
"It is finished." John 19:30
"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Luke 23:46

I want to emphasize these are NOT the last words of Christ.  They are the last words of Christ prior to His death on the cross.  They are a tool that helps us to appreciate the sufferings of Jesus on that day many years ago.  And we appreciate them even more when we realize that our sins were the reason for them, and not His own sins.

The last words of Jesus before His miraculous ascension are those I used in the benediction Easter Sunday, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the naitons, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

We need More love, people!

So my take on Sara Bareilles' new single, "King of Anything" is that the singer is right, no one did die and make the evangelistic person king of anything.  I think it is a protest/demand for the historically Baptist principle of "soul competancy."  I also think it appeals for the right to decide without personal condemnation for the decision made, and may actually stop short of a radical subjectivist autonomy. The song describes "waiting for a moment when it was my time to decide."  In John, Jesus calls on everyone to decide for themselves if His claims were true or not.  Notice though the protest against being called "lost," "I'm not the one who is lost."  Another clue for people who are evangelistically minded, or who care genuinely about others and their souls- we need love in our hearts for others! So maybe they don't have to feel like the one in the song; that they are being disrespected, labelled, categorized, and condemned all at once, and against their will!  The gospel is "good news," so let's take care lest we make it "bad news."  "So what if you disagree?"  We all know the disrespect might, sadly, be mutual, and songs like this confirm the social tension.  This might be a pretty neat song, for those who care about what other people think and feel about evangelistic efforts.