I'm not a Roman Catholic (nor do I ever imagine becoming one). Regardless, I think this quote holds much savor and hope for Protestants if only we replace the words "the Mass" with "The Church", and I do mean that in the universal congregation of all believers in Christ Jesus everywhere, perhaps to the chagrin of Our Darling Papist Chesterton.
After all, it is perhaps no matter of surprise that Bishop Barnes of Birmingham should see a link between the Magician and the Mass. There is a sort of logical link between them; the logical link that connects Yes and No. In other words, they are exact contraries; like light and darkness, which are often classed together because they are often mentioned at once. They cross each other with the complete collision and contradiction that belongs to "The Two Magics." The Magician is the Man when he seeks to become a God, and, being a usurper, can hardly fail to be a tyrant. Not being the maker, but only the distorter, he twists all things out of their intended shape, and imprisons natural things in unnatural forms. But the Mass is exactly the opposite of a Man seeking to be a God. It is a God seeking to be a Man; it is God giving His creative life to mankind as such, and restoring the original pattern of their manhood; making not gods, nor beasts, nor angels, but, by the original blast and miracle that makes all things new, turning men into men.
SDG
Nick
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
The better wine of the new covenant
This past Sunday my pastor Erik preached on wine. We're currently going through an expositional study of John's gospel. The text was John 2:1-11
The Wedding at Cana On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11 ESV)
While Erik spoke a small amount about the wine being actual wine (to the dismay of our prohibitionist brethren, his main focus was the purpose of the miracle: why Jesus chose to make wine as the first miracle. I won't recount the entire sermon but one of Erik's main points made me thirsty for red drink. Indeed after church Megan and I made our way to BevMo and picked up a delicious Pinot Noir and partook of it during a match of SkipBo and dinner.
Jesus' wine was a sign of the inauguration of the new covenant.
Jesus made wine out of the water from the jars "there for the Jewish rites of purification". This is but the shadow of the reality: Jesus took the old covenant of "rites of purification" and made it into wine, but not just any wine. Jesus made "good wine" which was "kept until now". The good wine (the old covenant) was a shadow of the better wine (the new covenant). There should be no mistaking it: the good wine was served already, and Jesus made better wine and served it afterward. This is the shadow of the substance of Christ made into the full substance of Christ.
Jesus' wine is the best wine because Jesus is the best vineyard and the best winemaker.
Jesus' creation of wine may be unprecedented even here in wine-happy California. We are told that Jesus made good wine. The master of the feast recognizes Jesus' craftmanship when he is served the wine, remarking that the good wine was "kept... until now". Jesus loves good wine. Why? Because --stay with me here -- Jesus is the essence of good wine. Jesus makes the best wine.
Wine, like food and all other drink and all other pleasures, is the shadow of true pleasure and fulfillment in Christ. So when I drink wine, it is best consumed when I pray thus: "This wine is but a shadow of the fulfillment I already have in Christ". We commemorate this and continually do so in the ordinance of communion. Our grape juice (or wine for all you lovely RPW folks) and bread is, like baptism, a symbol of continuing communion with Christ. Metaphorically we renew the covenant with Christ as we partake.
In our homes, it is good to remember this as we drink good wine. The wine is good because God is good, because Jesus is good.
Jesus cares about wine and makes good wine because He is the unlimited source of good wine.
Jesus made roughly 150 gallons of wine. That's about 608 750ml bottles of the best wine this earth has ever seen. While the limitation of the jars necessitated a physical absolute on the volume of wine, the truth was this: Jesus filled the jars with wine to last the entirety of the wedding at Cana. Jesus was essentially the source of that wine, and he provided an effectively unlimited amount of wine for the wedding.
Jesus made good wine that people may drink and their hearts be gladdened, and that they may be satisfied in his provision. Good wine is good because God is good and Jesus is the essence and source of good wine.
While we may rejoice at the fountains of earthly wine unending, this wine will never satisfy, nor is it truly unending. The true satisfaction in wine is found in Christ Jesus, and he is the unlimited fountain of life and pleasure everlasting. The new covenant is better than the old, and thus new wine is better than old wine. Good wine matters because Jesus is good and Jesus matters.
SDG
Nick
The Wedding at Cana On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11 ESV)
 |
| So delicious, and 2 for $30 at BevMo right now. Full flavor and the beautiful bottle. |
Jesus' wine was a sign of the inauguration of the new covenant.
Jesus made wine out of the water from the jars "there for the Jewish rites of purification". This is but the shadow of the reality: Jesus took the old covenant of "rites of purification" and made it into wine, but not just any wine. Jesus made "good wine" which was "kept until now". The good wine (the old covenant) was a shadow of the better wine (the new covenant). There should be no mistaking it: the good wine was served already, and Jesus made better wine and served it afterward. This is the shadow of the substance of Christ made into the full substance of Christ.
Jesus' wine is the best wine because Jesus is the best vineyard and the best winemaker.
Jesus' creation of wine may be unprecedented even here in wine-happy California. We are told that Jesus made good wine. The master of the feast recognizes Jesus' craftmanship when he is served the wine, remarking that the good wine was "kept... until now". Jesus loves good wine. Why? Because --stay with me here -- Jesus is the essence of good wine. Jesus makes the best wine.
Wine, like food and all other drink and all other pleasures, is the shadow of true pleasure and fulfillment in Christ. So when I drink wine, it is best consumed when I pray thus: "This wine is but a shadow of the fulfillment I already have in Christ". We commemorate this and continually do so in the ordinance of communion. Our grape juice (or wine for all you lovely RPW folks) and bread is, like baptism, a symbol of continuing communion with Christ. Metaphorically we renew the covenant with Christ as we partake.
In our homes, it is good to remember this as we drink good wine. The wine is good because God is good, because Jesus is good.
Jesus cares about wine and makes good wine because He is the unlimited source of good wine.
Jesus made roughly 150 gallons of wine. That's about 608 750ml bottles of the best wine this earth has ever seen. While the limitation of the jars necessitated a physical absolute on the volume of wine, the truth was this: Jesus filled the jars with wine to last the entirety of the wedding at Cana. Jesus was essentially the source of that wine, and he provided an effectively unlimited amount of wine for the wedding.
Jesus made good wine that people may drink and their hearts be gladdened, and that they may be satisfied in his provision. Good wine is good because God is good and Jesus is the essence and source of good wine.
While we may rejoice at the fountains of earthly wine unending, this wine will never satisfy, nor is it truly unending. The true satisfaction in wine is found in Christ Jesus, and he is the unlimited fountain of life and pleasure everlasting. The new covenant is better than the old, and thus new wine is better than old wine. Good wine matters because Jesus is good and Jesus matters.
SDG
Nick
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