Vintage Christian Whine

Reflections
June 21, 2009

There is a wonderful old joke where some friends are sharing dinner and the host says, “Would you care for some Southern California Wine?” and the guests say, “Why yes, thank you.” The host then says, “Oh Daddy, I need a new BMW and a 52 inch flat screen television, and I will simply die if I don’t get this new phone. Please, please, I must have them.” It really is not much of a stretch to say in some manner this is what the Apostle Paul is dealing with in his letter to the people of Corinth.

He is writing to a group of effete elitists operating under the mistaken notion that they could follow Jesus and still practice their particular pagan, hedonistic ways. Paul, however, knew that encountering Christ was a “game changer.” After half a life of following the narrow way of judgment as the highest calling in life, Paul met Jesus on that dusty Damascus road and experienced what navigators call a course correction. He knew he could not continue on the same path in the same manner because he was no longer the same person. Before knowing Jesus and choosing to follow him, Paul had been the prince of judgment, afterward he became the emperor of grace. Little wonder he would try to explain to the Corinthians who’s who and what’s what with regard to their understanding of what constitutes high and holy behavior. Their usual response to Paul was complaining, questioning why they could not simply incorporate their old practices in their new life of faith, and failing all else they would challenge his spiritual authority.

We know this is not a new story. The account in Exodus with Moses leading the chosen out of bondage in Egypt relates. Remember God called Moses to lead, the people did not hire, or elect him. As they journeyed, the people began to question Moses ability to lead, and even his relationship with God. So they ‘murmured’ against him the text records. In modern parlance, we would say they were recreational gripers, perhaps even professional whiners. We know people like this. Heck, if we are not careful, we become such people. How much better then would it be to focus on the love and grace we know in faith? The choice we have each day is to drink from the bitter cup of whine, or partake of the grape of grace given by our model and mentor, Jesus. I’ll raise my glass in a toast to the latter.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601