The partygoer

Preamble

Thank you

Thank you for coming. Love to meet. Come chat.

Many other things you could be doing.

But assure you, best use of your evening.

(L) Why?

Age of distractions.

Doom scrolling. Swipe right. Considering things of significance: increasingly rare.

Each evening: consider the most significance person ever lived.

Person of Jesus. Individual of monumental significance.

Changed course of history. BC / AD

Western civilisation founded on his teaching

Intrinsic value of individual. Human rights.

Self-sacrifice. Care for the downtrodden.

Things we assume true: finds roots in Jesus’ teaching.

If you want to reckon with things that matter:

Come, encounter the most significant person ever lived.

(L) More than that:

We won’t encounter him in the abstract.

But in a deeply personal way.

Each evening

Hear story. Each individual, tonight ___, encounter Jesus personally.

After that, look at John’s eyewitness, hear how Jesus encounters a similar individual.

Observe: What he says. What he does.

Our hope? You will encounter him too

Will you encounter him?

(L) Getting ahead.

Interview

Now

1. What do you do at the moment? Tell us a bit more on how you came up with the name REV21?

2. What is it like being a full time musician?

3. How are Christians viewed in the music scene?

Jesus

1. We’re going to back track a little. Share when was the first time you heard about the person of Jesus.

2. Can you recall the occasion that you decided to follow him?

3. What attracts you most about the person of Jesus?

Now with Jesus

1. People often thing being fun/excitement as a musician = being really famous and successful. How do you grapple with that. How have you grappled with that as a musician?

2. If someone loves to have a good time but thinks that is incompatible with Jesus. any final piece of encouragement to him/her?

Present (3min)

Talk: The partygoer

Mr X: Will encountering Jesus ruin your fun?

Jesus: No, instead he deals with death that ruins fun by offering life.

Joel: Understand what Jesus offers. Come back to find out more.

Introduction:

Anyone studying accounting, finance, statistics here?

Christian group in large accounting firm invited me to speak on this topic.

Jesus ruins fun.

“If you want to know what ruins fun? You don’t need Jesus. You need to be an accountant.”

Graduate = no more exams?

No chance. Everlasting number of exams throughout professional life.

Late nights during peak periods.

Want to know what ruins fun? Those studying accounting, finance, statistics - raise hands?

Speak to them in 3 years after they graduate.

More seriously. Understand perception that following Jesus does ruin fun.

(A) friend. Ethan. Girlfriend, Christian, but he isn’t.

And I was speaking to him about following Jesus.

“If i became a Christian, can I do the things I still enjoy doing?”

General perception by most. Those who following Jesus - a bit boring.

Ned Flanders from the Simpsons. caricature of a Christian.

Dress sense: Not bad. Smart. But a bit… boring.

Character: Kind. Decent. But a bit… boring.

Stuff he says: Sensible. logical. But a bit… boring.

Encounter the person of Jesus? You become a bit… boring.

(L) More than that

Encounter Jesus: All these rules.

Do this.

Don’t do that.

Rules… ruin fun.

Quick aside: Pause and consider whether rules ruin fun. Nuance.

Yes, encountering Jesus does mean following a different way of life.

But whether or not it ruins fun does depend on your definition of fun.

(A) We’re going to look at a short passage from an eyewitness account of Jesus. But the passage after describes Jesus cracking out the whip.

You see, there were people pilfering from the temple. Stealing from the poor. Taking advantage of the weak.

That was their idea of fun.

Rules.. not fun.

Jesus came and chased them out with a whip.

If your idea fun is cheating in exams. Taking credit for course work that wasn’t yours.

Rules.. not fun.

If your idea of fun, doing what’s wrong. Well, yes encountering Jesus does ruin your fun.

(L) but I trust you are all more sensible than that.

That being said, you still do think being a Christian… ruins fun.

Why do you think so?

Where do you get your assumptions from?

Perhaps

assume that from your experience with other Christians.

assume that from your experience with going to Church.

But main question we’re considering

Not encountering other Christians.

Not encountering entering a church

But encountering Jesus

Does Jesus himself ruin fun?

Context

Each evening. Look at eyewitness account of Jesus. Written by his friend called john.

John spend about three years with Jesus. Hang out. Went to pub together. Travelled together. Learned from him.

Over time, convinced that he was no ordinary man

His teaching.

See inside a person

His miracles.

In public. For the world to see.

Miracles that only God could do.

Ultimately, witness the most extraordinary thing

Died publicly on a Roman Cross

Rose from the grave, appeared to 500 witnesses

Changed the course of human history.

John recorded the life of Jesus at the risk of his own life.

(L) early on in his ministry. Jesus was at a.... wedding.

Argument

There are weddings and there are weddings

A month or so ago. officiate marriage thanksgiving service. 60 guests. intimate. beautiful church in Barcelona.

Then there are weddings. Friend of mine is north Indian. Tells me about all about these lavish weddings as part of his culture.

three days. performances. partying. dancing. quality wine.

There are weddings and there are WEDDINGS

And Jesus was at a Wedding as it was the custom of that time.

(L) But there was a real problem when Jesus arrived at the wedding..

Because the wine... was running out.

Day 1 of a wedding, guests drinking too quickly, empty wine bottles stacking up. What would you expect Jesus to do?

Would you expect him to care?

Would you expect him to enjoy the fact that the fun it going to be ruined?

(L) Flip with me to John 2, verse 3. See his reaction.

John 2:3–4 “When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.””

Quirky response by Jesus? Calling his mother, Woman. Not rude in 1st C. More like Mdm. Although it’s a bit quirkily formal.

But did you notice? he doesn’t actually care.

“Why do you involve me?” “What does this have to do with me?”

“Not my problem”

The wine has run out. The fun is about to be ruined. And Jesus is just indifferent...

(pause)

(L) except that’s not how the story ends.

Look at v6. John 2:6–8 “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.” And they did so

(A) At this point. Servants, must be thinking. Is this guy going to get us into trouble? Nervousness as they bring the water to the Master of the feast. Hoping that he is too drunk to notice.

Look at v9. John 2:9–10 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize 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.”

It is a supernatural miracle. The plain water is turned in wine.

Notice the quantity

6 jars. 30 Gallons. 1 Gallon 4.5l = 810L

1 bottle of wine = 750ml

810L = 1,080 bottles of wine.

have you ever seen that many bottles?

Notice the quality

read v10

Does anyone here enjoy their wine? Wine afficiando?

Good for you. Not me. I’ve got terrible genes that run in the family.

Asian flush.

worse. I fall asleep. Right away. A few interesting stories, you can ask me later.

(A) Before working in church was working in banking. Leaving dinner. Team took me out for dinner. Famous restaurant for it’s wine.

For me or not, I don’t know. Because they knew I didn’t really drink.

Dinner. Blind tasting.

Not your cheap sainsbury off the rack.

Turns out bottle - Chateau Margaux 1989 vintage. £600 a pop.

imagine tertiary flavours from such a mature wine. Leather notes or black current.

That’s the kind of wine that Jesus made. The good wine.

Not 1 bottle. but 1,080 bottles of a quality wine

Abundant, quality wine.

V - surprise? Might think, Jesus party pooper

Impression of Jesus - rigid. all about rules. Party? serves you stale bread.

Here - lavish. abundant. 1,000 bottles of high quality chateau margaux 1989 vintage.

Does the person, Jesus ruin fun? Well definitely not. He throws an amazing party.

Let me ask:

Have you encountered him?

Not other Christians

Not church

But Jesus.

Do you have an informed opinion about him?

(Pause)

(L) But perhaps you’re thinking this.

“Okay.. cool story but so what?

“Let’s say, it did happened.”

“Jewish weddings. Big public events. You can’t fake a miracle at a large public event.”

“Let’s say it was indeed a miraculous event”

But so what? What is the significance of turning water into wine? Does it that actually help anyone?

And my suggestion is that it does. Because this miracle is like - is like a showroom.

(A) Let me tell you about showrooms.

Has anyone been to showroom? Whenever there’s a new development, they have a room or unit done up beautifully before the development is done.

My wife and I previous when to a posh showroom. in a spanking new development.

We weren’t really there to buy. In fact we had bought a reasonably priced flat but wanted design ideas.

So we had to pretend to be crazy rich Asians.

Beautiful showroom.

Immaculate finishing. marble flooring. feature walls.

Kitchen done up really nicely. beautiful counter top.

Interesting mezzanine level - sparked off lots of different ideas.

And obviously when we heard the price, we had to keep a straight face.

Nod. “That’s an interesting price point”

(L) but as beautiful as it was the showroom was not the real deal.

It was just a preview of what is to come.

In the same way, as amazing as the miracle at the wedding was, it was not the real deal

It is a preview of what is to come.

(L) What is it a preview of?

Many other clues in the passage. can ask me later. but here are two significant clues

Many of you familiar. The first book of the bible opens with the line

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

What follows: 7 day creation narrative. Genesis 1.

And what happens next: Union of Man and Woman. Genesis 2.

Genesis 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Whether it was a literal 7 day creation, separate point, but within Jewish thought

7 Days signifies: creation of life

Wedding: celebration of life

7 Days and a Wedding.

Go to John 1:1.

“In the beginning” -> sounds familiar?

Next look at how narrative progresses

Look at John 1:29 “the next day”

1:19, is the first day.

1:29 is the next day, day 2.

1:35 “the next day” Day...? 3.

1:39 “stayed with him that day for it was the 10th hour”. so if v39 is day 3.

1:40 is day? 4. Still tracking with me?

1:43 “the next day” so that is day ? 5. Good.

(L) Do you here the drum beats. Here comes the climax.

Look at 2:1 “On the third day”

Jewish counting conventions count inclusively

What is the third day from day 5.

Counting inclusively..

The first day is Day 5

The second day is Day 6

The third day is Day… 7?

And what do we have on Day 7? A wedding. A wedding!

The celebration of life

7 days and a wedding!

(L) The wedding is a preview of life!

Second clue

OT. Prophet. Isaiah 700 years before Jesus spoke a great wedding feast that will happen in the future. this is what he says.

Isaiah 25:6–8 “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

Hear the resonances?

a feast of well-aged wine - think 1989 chateau margaux. aged wine well refined.

And this great wedding feast is a celebration of life

He will swallow up death forever.

^ We were asking - what’s is the significance of the 7 days and a wedding?

John is trying to show us that it is not just a party trick.

It is a preview of what is to come

true life, where death is no more

The wedding is a showroom of the life to come.

Because what ruins fun is not Jesus..

What really ruins fun… is death.

(A) Tell you about an Alumni from UCL. One of your Seniors.

Elliot. Was a final year student in Psychology. in 2019.

Typical student: worked hard. played harder.

Lived life to the full

Travelled. Enjoyed diving. Snowboarding.

Eating good food.

Acquiring new skills.

2018. Snowboarding accident. Injury not serious.

But because of that doctors identified. Stage 4 Sarcoma cancer.

9months later. After battling with cancer. Injected with chemo. “tasting metal.”

He died.

Do you know what ruins fun? not Jesus… death ruins fun.

Elliot’s reflections

“The problem of death that restricts life from being lived to the fullest.”

“You can have everything in the world from riches to good health to fame and many great relationships.”

“But death will rob you of all that someday, and it won’t matter how much you had at the end.” 

(A) Imagine, your friend invites you for an evening event.

Jazz music. Food.

It’s mean to be lighthearted

But then the speaker starts discussing about “death”

Immediately all the fun gets sucked out of the room. things start to get a bit awkward.

Do you see what I mean? What really ruins fun is not Jesus, it is death.

And this wedding is preview of the life to come.

Jesus deals with death.

Land

Does encountering Jesus ruin your fun?

We said, well.. yes if your definition of fun is doing what is wrong. Then yes it will be ruined.

But No!

He celebrates life

at the wedding, turning water into abundant quality wine

And that is preview, a showroom of life.

In fact, he deals with the very thing that will ruin our fun.

Death.

Death is the problem

Death is the great party pooper

Death is the destroyer of life

Encourage you

Don’t be misinformed about Jesus

Don’t have the wrong assumptions about him

Encountering him, will not ruin your fun. In fact he will deal with the very thing that ruins your fun

Wedding is a showroom of the Life to come.

Life to come in the future.

Elliot. UCL alumni. Died Sep 2019. Might have guess that he encountered Jesus

“I’ve never had any doubt towards God or any worries for the future, and I will now be resting till Jesus comes back to welcome us into His kingdom, a much better place than this current world.”

Will you encounter Jesus?

Closing

Aim of this week

Offer some food for thought

Thank you for being generous with your time. Lots to be involved in.

Aware there will be a variety of views in room and that’s fine

Perhaps unanswered questions, so let me offer a few suggestions

Follow up

‘food for thought’ event where people can join us for a meal and discuss their questions in more detail, that should be the Thursday after events week :)

This book

Yours to keep. Take it back. Read it. Come to an informed opinion about Jesus

Suggestion: pencil. mark. tick agree. cross disagree. ? don’t understand.

Ask your friend who invited you to buy you a coffee. Ask your questions.

Come back tomorrow

Tomorrow “____” Interviewing “_____”

Interesting. Fascinating.

Understand more of what it means to encounter Jesus

Perhaps something was said by ___ or myself. Struck a cord.

Few lines: Jesus, I admit I need help to deal with death. Help me to encounter you and so obtain the life you promise.

Come speak to me after.

Thank you. stay around chat. Come speak to me after.