BCM Conference 2008

16 October 2008 AM

Celebration transformed by Jesus

John 2: 1-11
Luke 15: 22~
Matthew 26: 17~

As we turn the pages of our Bible to the New Testament we look at

celebration as shared, demonstrated and taught by Jesus. This is a large
undertaking, so we shall be selective – pausing to consider:

• How Jesus shared the celebrations of others

• What he taught about celebration, and
• How He celebrated with His disciples

In each case we will focus on one particular narrative:

• How Jesus shared the celebrations of others Cana wedding1

• What he taught about celebration Lost and found2
• How He celebrated with His disciples Last Supper3

You will remember by what a pathway we have reached the Gospels. We

started with Noah and the ark and the rainbow where we saw a celebration
that begins with a singular act of redemption. We moved on to learn
lessons in how to celebrate when David brings the Ark of the Covenant to
Jerusalem – lessons about holiness, enthusiasm and single-mindedness.
We closed the OT pages with Nehemiah celebrating the walls of Jerusalem
with skill and organisation and sharing.

When we turn to the life of Jesus the temple is rebuilt – and Jesus visits it
frequently – but He speaks of another temple, another focus of worship
and a celebration that far exceeds the Passover, even though it begins
with it.

From the wonders of God’s creation, through painful lessons about His
holiness and marching on the newly built walls of Jerusalem with ordered
worship that draws upon David’s pattern – we come to the Son of God
Himself – the focus of our worship and the subject of our celebration.

1
John 2:1
2
Luke 15
3
Mat 26:17
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9
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2: 9-11

How Jesus shared the celebrations of others

Jesus came into a world just like ours where people marked off the
calendar with Sabbaths and festivals, seasonal and historic celebrations.
In the earliest glimpse of his young life we see Him brought to Jerusalem.
And we see Him return there for many significant feasts and especially
Passovers throughout his short ministry.

He lives a Jew in the Jewish society where celebrations are dictated by the
ordinary events of life, birth, marriage and death, as well as by the feasts
and holy days of the Jewish tradition. He famously attends a wedding in
Cana and speaks about children playing the game of weddings and
funerals. He is criticised for entering enthusiastically into the celebrations
of His time.

At the Great Feast He shouts an invitation to the spiritually hungry and

thirsty. On the Sabbath He heals the sick and allows His disciples to pick
ears of corn. To Jesus the calendar with its red letter days is as familiar as
the tools of His carpentry trade and a changing tapestry of life of which He
is a fully involved person.

Jesus liberates the Sabbath from the encrusted traditions of the elders. He
criticises the religious leaders for their narrow legalism – but he celebrates
young children and draws attention to the beauty of God’s ordinary
creation in the hedgerow.

Throughout His ministry there are episodes of public worship in which He

speaks to His Father so that others may hear and share. When His
disciples return from a mission He breaks out in praise. At the tomb of
Lazarus He calls out to God.
He gives His disciples a pattern prayer – and is moved dramatically by the
events of His time. He is a celebrating Saviour!

We focus on one event in this sequence of sharing – the wedding at

Cana:
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2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2
and Jesus and his
3
disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They
have no more wine.”
4
“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from
twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not
realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the
bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the
guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory,
and his disciples put their faith in him.

John makes it plain that this is about REVEALING HIS GLORY

It is also about HIS TIMETABLE
It is about the PERFECTION OF HIS WORK
And it raises a simple issue in the words of Mary: “Do whatever He tells
you.”

Strangely the real subject of this celebration is only hinted at. We do not
know the bride and groom – we only know that Mary was there and that
Jesus and his earliest disciples were invited.

So then – we assume – as down through the ages in countless marriage

services we are reminded – He sanctified marriage by His presence at this
wedding.

It must be significant that the FIRST MIRACLE is at a CELEBRATION! A

celebration that had not gone off without at hitch – but indeed had posed a
major embarrassment. And it is Mary who provokes His intervention.

When Jesus gets involved in a celebration there is :

• A revealing of His glory

• An insight into His plan
• A mark of His perfect working
and
• A challenge that rings through the ages

Perhaps there is a pattern here for us to learn from?

1. Celebration must glorify Christ

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2. Celebration must be according to His timing

3. Celebration must always move from need to consummate provision
4. Celebration with Jesus challenges us to further obedience

What Jesus taught about celebration

In the teachings of Jesus there are many references to feasts and

celebratory meals.
He wants the people to be freed from the rigid “Puritanism” of the
Pharisees to a mindset that expects the best on the Sabbath, the finest
seats at the feast, the welcoming in of outsiders to the banquet – and the
embarrassment of those who do not accept His invitation.

When He attends a meal at the home of Simon He is quick to point out the
failures of his host – in contrast to the extravagances of the woman who
anoints Him. At Bethany he teaches the virtue of celebrating whilst the
loved one is alive rather than waiting for his burial. In His parables the
King invites outsiders, seats guests at his own choosing and provides a
ceremonial dress for those who come.

Our chosen example is the very familiar one in Luke 15 where the word
“celebrate” occurs no less than FOUR times:
22
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this
son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26
So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied,
‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.
Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours
who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31
“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to
celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

This is another child-friendly story which, like the wedding at Cana,

provides us with opportunities in sharing it with the young to point out the
lasting and significant issues.

• Prodigality is the mark of this celebration

• Grace is at the heart of this celebration
• Resentment is here too as the older son fails to understand its
meaning, and, like Michal in the David story has only criticism
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• But the last word is the father’s “we had to celebrate” – the
IMPERATIVE of CELEBRATION when grace has worked its wonderful
work.
•
This celebration is prodigal

“best robe. . . ring . . . fattened calf. . .”

To understand the generosity you have to understand the extent of the
father’s joy.

These excesses will overwhelm the prodigal and breed resentment in the
older son – but they are the response of the father to the return of his son.

• When Noah left the ark there was an immense sense of joy and relief
• When the Ark of the Covenant finally entered Jerusalem there was
enthusiastic dancing
• When they celebrated the new walls of the City there was a sound
heard in the countryside around

This kind of celebration is judged by some as “over the top” – but in reality
it is entirely in keeping with the grace of God which provokes it.

Grace is at the heart of this celebration

“This son of mine was dead and is alive again; was lost and is found!”

That which most deserves our celebration is the work of God in bringing to
Himself those who were estranged – wilful – prodigal – selfish –
extravagant – sinful.

 Like Noah we should celebrate redemption

 Like David we should celebrate God’s presence amongst His people
 Like Nehemiah we should celebrate the rebuilding of that which was
ruined

There will be resentment from those who do not share the father’s
will
25
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26
So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied,
‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.
 PAGE 6

Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours
who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31
“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to
celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

The celebration of God’s grace provokes anger in those who are outside
the fellowship of grace.

That we can understand the older brother’s resentment is an indication of

how easy it is to adopt the attitude of Michal and pour scorn on such
celebrations.

It cuts across the real relationships: “this son of yours. . .” “this brother of
yours. . .”
But the father’s word cuts across all this with the IMPERATIVE OF
CELEBRATION
32
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.’ ”

We HAD to celebrate. . .

True celebration arises from the evidence of God’s grace in the hearts of
those who repent and return to God.

God works the transformation: dead > alive lost > found

Everyone should join in the party!

Did the older son obey?

Will we?

How Jesus celebrated with His disciples – and us

MATTHEW 26 17 +

7 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you
want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is
near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus
had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating,
he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
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22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of
Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be
better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is
my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s
kingdom.”
30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

I do not plan to expand on the familiar territory of the Lord’s Supper here –
just to focus on the way in which Jesus set about establishing this central
celebration.

It is interesting to compare the very different kind of celebration here

from that at the beginning of the Gospel. The wedding feast at Cana did
have a problem that Jesus addressed – but it was a joyous occasion
whereas Matthew’s account here is full of darkness and sadness. Only
a few verses earlier there had been a celebration at Bethany – and
although the shadow of Christ’s impending death hangs over that meal as
well – it is marked by the anointing.

In a way that darkness was prefigured in the Noah story – where the
rainbow is seen against the clouds – clouds that must have brought terror
to the minds of Noah’s family in those days so soon after the devastating
flood.

So it was too at Perez Uzzah – where God’s judgement on Uzzah provoked

fear and anger as David tried to move the Ark to Jerusalem.

And in the celebration in Nehemiah the darkness of the exile and the hard
work of rebuilding a nation is the backdrop for rejoicing.

Celebrations are not always noisy fiestas – sometimes they are subdued
times of reflection. This one is such, as is borne out by what Paul says in
the words of the institution of the Lord’s Supper:
23
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed,
took bread,4 . . .

So as we come to this Passover celebration we note:-

a
Some manuscripts the new
4
1 Cor 11:23
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 A framework exists v17

 Co-operation & Organisation vv 17 & 18
 Self-examination vv 20 - 25
 Commemoration vv 26-29
 A hymn v 30

A FRAMEWORK EXISTS

7 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you
want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

This was an annual celebration with which they would be entirely familiar.
Its ritual is laid down in the Scripture – and it has been re-discovered
numerous times in Israel’s history – it is about to reinvented by Jesus into a
unique but equally structured celebration.

They knew all about the removal of leaven from their houses – they knew
about the preparation for the Passover meal. There is a pleasant
familiarity about it which would resonate in our minds I guess with
Christmas – or Thanksgiving – neither of which are prescribed Christian
occasions – but which have that common thread of a SHARED MEAL.

In the story of Noah an altar is built and sacrifices are offered

In the return of the Ark procedures are to be followed
In Nehemiah the festival is structured clearly.

CO-OPERATION AND ORGANISATION

7 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you
want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is
near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus
had directed them and prepared the Passover.

Many hands prepared this meal and the room where it was shared. An
unnamed man whom Luke’s Gospel identifies as carrying a water pot will
lead them to the place. There is danger. There is anticipation. There is
attention to detail and pre-planning on the part of Jesus – but the disciples
will make the finishing touches. It must be just right.

Nehemiah would have been impressed! David had contributed appropriate

worship songs – Noah would have understood the sacrifice.
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There is AUTHORITY here. “The Teacher says. . .” Celebration involves

obedience.

SELF EXAMINATION

In words that prefigure Paul’s words later in 1 Corinthians 11 we hear Jesus

speak solemn words about betrayal. In Luke’s Gospel there will be words
for Peter about denial. This is a fragile moment. A moment to look deep
into the inner recesses of our soul and see the possibilities of failure!

“Lord, surely not me?”

Like our celebration of New Year there is a looking back, a looking in and a
looking forward. They celebrate on the threshold of the greatest event in
history. It is a time to take stock – and not to make new resolutions – but
a new commitment to the Lord Himself.

And so we come to the central act :

COMMEMORATION

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,
“Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is
my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not
drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s
kingdom.”

So simple yet so profound! “this is. . .”

Words probably dimly understood then – and certainly distorted many

centuries later to mean something more literal and divisive.

 All about a meal

 All about sharing
 All about Jesus

This is the HEART of celebration. We cannot avoid it.

And yet today many traditions overlay it – and in some fellowships only a
priest can administer it and it has all the trappings of liturgy and formality.

And finally – and I mean finally – they finished the celebration with. . .

a
Some manuscripts the new
 PAGE
10

A HYMN

Probably this would be one of the Hallel Psalms such as Psalm 113

As we saw in each of our studies music and song feature boldly in

celebration.

All the elements we have seen before were present in this final
celebration: Something to remember – something to see (even to taste) –
something to sing – something that draws upon the rich resource of
Scripture and is in turn one of the richest forms of celebration there is –
The Lord’s Supper.

I often think that children should be encouraged to be present at

Communion. At what stage they share it varies with the individual – but
they do need to see it in its simplicity – so that they may ask questions
about its significance.

This is the imperative of celebration.

===

Psalm 113 part of the Hallel

1
Praise the LORD.a
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
2
Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and for evermore.
3
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
4
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5
Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8
he seats them with princes,
a
Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 9
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11
with the princes of their people.
9
He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.