Having Fun is Okay...Seriously!

So this probably doesn’t mean much to most of you, but this past week was NFL Draft week! I look forward to this event almost as much as I do the holidays. Why, you ask? Well for one, I’m a football fanatic. College, I love The Ohio State Buckeyes, and pro I love The Cleveland Browns.Oh, you couldn’t read that second one, well that’s because I said that I love the Cleveland Browns. And you don’t have to be a sports fan to know that the Browns have given new meaning to the word bad. So bad in fact that they are routinely the butt of many media and pop culture jokes. Like really bad. (A real fan sticks with his team through thick and thin... and thinner... and thinner). But, in being bad, the NFL Draft gives me hope because it is the place where smart teams pick young, talented players to improve their team. Every year I’m hopeful the Browns will do the same, but every year, I am wrong. Maybe this year will be better. A guy can hope, right?

So, what did I do this past week/weekend? To quote my dad, “Something very spiritual.” I was sitting on my father’s couch (and my own) with my personal list of 300 college football players, enjoying pizza, root beer, and conversation with my dad. I was also texting my friends and my brother to get their thoughts on the subject. I was also trying to explain what was happening to my young son. And now that it's over, I’ll be waiting anxiously to see if my team, The Browns, knew what they were doing. I'll read every article. I'll check Twitter everyday until the season starts. I’ll probably be excited at times, and at other times, frustrated and disappointed. But it will be awesome!

My love of the draft can be traced back to my time as a youth in Michigan when a friend, who I consider a brother, and I would get together and chug root beer and eat bratwurst and enjoy the NFL Draft. Very few people get it. Over the years my friend, who still lives in Michigan, has flown to Kentucky many times so that we could enjoy this event together. And no matter what our favorite teams did (he's a Detroit Lions fan), we always had a blast! We compared notes. We laughed. We talked a little smack to each other. We spent time together. We grew closer. All over a silly hobby, and yet, it has brought some of my fondest memories…So I ask, is it really that silly?

Many of you are now wondering why you should care enough to keep reading 2000 words about an event you probably have little to no interest in. Please keep reading, as always, I promise there is a point coming.

While you may not enjoy football, or watching three consecutive days of teams announcing players that they are basically hiring, I’m sure there is something that you do enjoy. My younger brother-in-law loves all things outdoors. He loves fishing, bow fishing, duck hunting, dove hunting, etc. Those aren’t my interests or hobbies, but they are his, and I can always tell how much joy they bring him. His entire social circle is comprised of friends who enjoy doing all of the things he enjoys. And their friendship somehow grows stronger by spending time together on those common interests. I always smile when I see his parents suited up in their hunting gear to go with him too. They don’t necessarily love his hobbies as much as he does, but they love to do them together. And because of that, they all have fun, and their relationships grow. (My in-laws are the absolute best! I feel so sorry for people who don't get along with their in-laws because I feel like I hit the jackpot. Seriously!)

There are literally hundreds of examples just like this that I could provide, but I’ve decided to spare you. What I do want to emphasize is the aspect of fun and relationships. At the end of the day, when we die, the only real legacy we leave behind is in the people we love.

Cliché alert: None of our possessions go to an afterlife with us. We don’t get to be buried in a sports car. No one will mourn for our Apple watch. No one will be discussing how great it was that we were a status member at various establishments. They will only mourn the memory of us, and the relationship they had with us, and the fun times we shared. Relationship is so important that God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, designed us in his image simply to have relationship with us. He sent Jesus to take on our sin and die for it so that we might renew our relationship with him. He was telling us that the tasks we accomplish are important, but relationships we have are far more important!

Now, we take a turn. I’m sorry, I can’t help it. My mind isn’t linear, it jumps all around and I have to follow that stream of consciousness. Thank you in advance for your patience.

I was raised in church. My first church was in upstate New York. I attended there until I was nine years old. In my lifetime, that small town church congregation had grown so large that we had to set up chairs in the aisles for Sunday services. I remember thinking that was strange then, but I was a kid. Today, that would be so thrilling to see (seriously, imagine if every church in the U.S. outgrew their capacity!). What I remember most about that church will surprise you. I remember all sorts of social events. My dad, the pastor, was the captain of the church softball team. There was a fun celebration themed for every holiday. We had Baptism services in the summer at a family in the churches' house, and the event was supplemented with a bar-b-que. I remember that the congregation of that church would get together to enjoy fireworks on the Fourth of July. There were all-night charity events, annual trips to amusement parks, dinners sponsored specifically for the community, and on and on and on. What I remember about that church was that the members were very welcoming to newcomers, and that they genuinely had fun together. Coincidentally, that church grew like crazy both in attendance and in their faith. I’ll never forget that.

And now to the point...

In John chapter 2, verses 1-12 we find Jesus' first recorded miracle at the wedding at Cana.

Warning! Warning! I'm about to say things that may rub you the wrong way. I'm sorry in advance, but I encourage you to keep reading, and to please check my research. Anyway, there is a point coming.

Mary, Jesus' mother, approaches him to let him know that the wedding was out of wine. At first, Jesus plays dumb, basically telling his mother that it isn't the right time for him to show the world his power, but of course, like a good son, when his mom told him to do something, he listened. So he told his disciples to go get the six stone water jars and begin drawing out water and take it to the master of ceremonies (MC). When they did, the MC was astounded that the very best wine was being presented last. He claimed that they normally serve the best at the first and reserve the lesser wine for last, after people had already "drunk freely."

My wife teaches her 8th grade language arts students to use context clues to find meaning in texts. So, using our context clues, we understand that the reason the cheap wine was usually saved for the end was because, after drinking freely, the guests senses were lowered and they didn't know the difference. You might say they were inebriated.

And this is the time when you respond by telling me that wine here does not mean wine as we know it today, more like grape juice, which we coincidentally have words for that this could have been translated to. I've heard that many times in my life from many people. Remember our previous post and how many times uncomfortable Biblical truths are misinterpreted or glossed over because they don't fit our personal narrative? This is another example. And it is important, so please keep reading. Even if I've offended you and made you angry.

The Greek word used for wine in this text is oinos. This is the same word used for wine in Ephesians 5:18 when Paul tells us "Do not get drunk with wine." Meaning, the content of the wine that Jesus turned from water was an alcoholic beverage, and in context, apparently a very good one.

Let me insert some information for those who have been offended. I do not condone underage drinking. Why? Because the Bible says "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and give unto God what is God's." Meaning we should obey the laws of the land, which state that you are not eligible for alcoholic consumption until the age 21. Also, in Proverbs, Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, tells us on more than one occasion that it is not right to live as a drunkard. Why? Because drunkenness alters our mind, inhibits our judgment, causes irrational decisions, is highly addictive, effects people in unpredictable ways, can poison the blood stream and lead to death, and has been a root cause for destroying lives and families in this country for generations.

I know this because it has happened in my family. My grandfather has been deceased since the late 1990s. He thankfully received salvation through Jesus Christ two years before he passed. As a younger man, he was a terrible alcoholic. So terrible that he shot a gun at my then 2-year-old father while in a drunken stupor. He kept his family in poverty for years because of his addiction. He had a family on the side that he supported because of decisions made related to alcohol. He abandoned my father at a young age because of the shame of drinking. And his drinking led to the physical and verbal abuse of his family. The fingerprint of his life still looms large over my entire family. His life, in many ways, was a waste, because of his ADDICTION to alcohol. I know many stories like that, but that is the only one I feel comfortable sharing, because in my grandfather's salvation, his life changed. He finally became the man God intended him to be late in his life. And his story assures me that if God loved him and forgave him, there is no one beyond God's love and grace and mercy. I repeat, no one!

So why make such a bold statement about Jesus turning water into alcoholic wine only to tell you how bad alcohol can be for your body, your family, and your life if used unwisely? (By the way, too much sugar causes diabetes, too many calories cause obesity, too much caffeine can cause insomnia, etc. Do EVERYTHING in moderation.) Because I think it's important to show the true nature of Jesus. For so long, he has been portrayed as a wet blanket, task-master waiting for you to make a mistake so that he can pounce and punish. I have news for you...If God was mad at you, you would already be dead. He created heaven and earth and all that is in it. Getting rid of you or me wouldn't take much work. He's not mad. He's the father in the story of the Prodigal Son hoping to run and meet you when you decide to come home. He wants to give you the finest clothes, the best food, and the keys to the entire kingdom! Many Christians forget to tell you what a wonderful, loving God we serve!

And so, Jesus turned water into wine. Really he did. It wasn't written by accident. Why is that important? It is important because it shows that Jesus wasn't at the wedding to ruin their good time. He was there to enhance it. Being around Jesus should be the most fun you could ever have. He doesn't want you to be miserable; he wants you to be filled with joy and peace and love! And so, I beg you, if you've ever been told that God is angry with you, reread the good news of the gospel. Jesus loves you! He forgave the very people who tortured and killed him. Seek him out and find that he really is the best!

And do not mistake what I am saying. I'm not telling you to go chug a beer or that drinking equals fun. I'm saying, "Judge not, less you be judged." It's ok for you to have fun and enjoy life. It was ok for me to spend the weekend watching a football draft and relating it to friends and family. It's ok to go to an amusement park, go shopping, go wine tasting, go hunting or fishing, or just go Sunday driving. Fun is really ok! It's not ok to pass judgement on someone else's good time. That's not our job.

And if you don't get anything else out of this post, just know, you won't be punished for having fun. It really is okay. I promise!