The day of God’s great wine has arrived and Jesus is the winemaker.

John 2:1-11

 

At the wedding in Cana, Jesus changed water into wine.

The water was in large stone jars used by the Jews used for ceremonial washing. It reminded them of their need for cleansing.

The prophets spoke of a day when the mountains would run with wine (Joel 3:16-18 and Amos 9:13-14). Wine was a symbol of joyous life in God’s presence.

By turning the water of cleansing into wine Jesus was demonstrating that the Old Testament system of purification was now being replaced with the blessings of the new age being poured out. (c.f. the prophets).

The day of God’s great wine has arrived and Jesus is the winemaker.

The gospel is new wine that must now be contained in new wineskins, that is, Jesus’ teaching of the kingdom and its joy.

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Weaned from this world

One of the best evidences that we are truly seeking Heaven, is the possession of hearts that are weaned from this world.

None will ever enter the Father’s House on high in whose soul the first fruits of heavenly peace and joy does not grow now.

He who finds his satisfaction in temporal things is woefully deceived if he imagines he can enjoy eternal things. He whose joy is all gone when earthly possessions are snatched from him, knows nothing of that peace which “passeth all understanding.”

And yet, if the auto, radio, newspaper, money to go to the movies, were taken away from the average “church-member,” what would he then have left to make life worth living?

O how few can really say, “Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:17-18).

source: A.W.Pink on Hebrews 11:16 “they desire a better country”

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Delighting in Delight

A great post about a father giving a son an expensive present and the son’s gratitude(?).

http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/delighting-in-delight.php

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optimism or pessimism

“For the Christian, optimism is naïve but pessimism is atheistic.”

attributed to Al Mohler by Don Carson in The Call Of The Prophet In Declining Times Ezekiel 1-3

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Rejoice – God created us to be genuinely happy

So far as we participate in the old age we weep with those who weep and mourn our sin. But so far as we participate in the new age … we rejoice !!!

Matthew Henry wrote:

Philippians 4:4 is a commandment, repeated twice for emphasis. It is a command that we must deliberately choose to obey.

Paul urges us to take hold of holy joy and delight in God: Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice. All our joy must terminate in God; and our thoughts of God must be delightful thoughts.

Observe, It is our duty and privilege to rejoice in God, and to rejoice in him always; at all times, in all conditions. There is enough in God to furnish us with matter of joy in the worst circumstance on earth.

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eucatastrophe

J.R. Tolkien wrote:

“The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation

– This story begins and ends in joy.”

Angels announce tidings of joy to Mary and the shepherds at the incarnation.

Angels announce joy to the women at the resurrection.

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Jonathon Edward on appetites

“That persons need not and ought not to set any bounds to their spiritual and gracious appetites.” Rather “they ought to be endeavoring by all possible ways to inflame their desires and to obtain more spiritual pleasures …. Our hungerings and thirsting after God and Jesus Christ and after holiness can’t be too great for the value of these things, for they are things of infinite value …. [Therefore] endeavor to promote spiritual appetites by laying yourself in the way of allurement”

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… Our Mouths Out of Taste …

The joy of the Lord will arm us against the assaults of our spiritual enemies and put our mouths out of taste for those pleasures with which the tempter baits his hooks.

(Matthew Henry –Nehemiah 8:9-12 c.f. Psalm 135:1-4; Psalm 97:8-12; Mark 14:12-31)

John Piper responds by saying, “I know of no other way to triumph over sin long term, than to gain a distaste for it because of a superior satisfaction in God.”

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