Party Time - by Don Neuendorf
(We're back in business. Praise God!)
The Bible talks a lot about parties. Have you ever noticed that? In some ways it makes me uncomfortable because I'm never totally at ease at a party. I've never been that kind of social person, and I don't quite know what is expected of me. In fact, I was raised to be a bit suspicious of crazy behavior, yelling and cheering that are often accompanied by a good deal of drinking and other worse behaviors. But what kind of party does God want to host?...
"On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine - the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever."
Note to self: next time you're in an argument with a Baptist about whether "wine" in the Bible meant an alcohol drink and not just grape juice, this "aged" wine reference ought to help. Ditto with the vegetarians and God serving meat in heaven.
What a banquet! The main event is the destruction of Death!!! Somehow I don't see this as a quiet dinner party where all you hear is the clinking of silverware on fine china and the low hum of conversation. With rich food and drink, with blessing and celebration, God wants to gather all his people together to praise him. He will "wipe away the tears from all faces..." He will give us joy.
Too often at parties we feel even more alone than when we were actually by ourselves. We find there is a distance between us and our friends, and we fear that no one there really knows how we feel or cares about us. I remember well as a teenager struggling to impress, to get attention, to be someone of significance instead of just a weird kid on the fringe.
But at God's party we will know fully even as we are fully known. He will remove all disgrace, all shame, all fear, all the sin that separates us from others.
THAT will be quite a party. And we get just a small and imperfect taste of it here - not in our parties, but in our worship.
See you Sunday for our great celebration!