Why 'Fruit of the Vine' for Lord's Supper?

I've often wondered why Jesus chose the 'Fruit of the Vine' as the way to remember His blood that was shed for our redemption. When I think of grape juice I think of purple, not red the color of blood. Why not cherry juice? It's red.

I'm sure there are a lot of really good answers to this question, but allow me to add yet one more.

In the Old Testament, there were three primary colors used in the making of the the High Priest's clothing. Blue, Purple and Scarlet (red).

Blue represents God. The blue sky, the heavens, the things above.
Scarlet (red) represents us. Adam was named after adamah (red earth). Our blood is red and so red is a good color to represent man.

Jesus was both God and man. Fully God and fully man. He was blue and red all in one.

When blue and red are mixed the color is purple. Our salvation was made possible by the God/Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Neat huh?

RP

Freedom From the Law

“Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” 2 Corinthians 3:17 NLT.

This verse from 2 Corinthians is part of Paul’s response to people looking to the law and legalism to find acceptance with God. And even though we have the scriptures to remind us over and over again that we are saved by grace, we still can fall prey to the ‘performance’ trap.

We get in our minds that God loves us when we do good and punishes us when we do bad. That is a horrible trap and many, many Christians are under this false teaching.

Let’s look at Paul’s entire context so we can get an accurate picture of this text and a more accurate picture of grace and what it means to be under grace.

Paul begins this chapter with the reminder that the law, the old covenant, ends in death. The old covenant is what Moses wrote and what religious leaders added to and added to. This law ends in death. Why? Because if you break just one of theses commands you are guilty of breaking the entire law. And the result of breaking the law is death. Once the law is broken, you can’t fix it again. It’s like Humpty Dumpty and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men... The law condemns the very best of us because we have all committed at least one violation.

But God has given us a new covenant. And in this covenant the Spirit gives life. In this covenant,the penalty of sin has already been bought and paid for. We will still fall short of God’s glorious standard as revealed in the law, but we are not held under it’s condemnation when we violate it.

Now please don’t misunderstand. God still hates sin. He is a just God and sin must be punished. But His Son Jesus already took the punishment for our sin before we even committed them. By the way, that also includes the sin we commit after we are believers. He didn’t just pay the price for the sin we commit before we knew Jesus, He poured out all His blood so all our sins would be forgiven.

Now, back to the law. Remember when Moses went on the mountain to receive the law and when he came down his face was glowing and so the people asked him to put on a veil? Remember that? Paul says if you thought that one was glorious, the old covenant that makes us ‘wrong’ with God, how much more glorious is the new covenant, the one that makes us ‘right’ with God. And God seals this covenant with His own Spirit. What an awesome covenant!

You see, we are no longer defined in God’s eyes by what we do, but rather by what we believe. We are 'justified by faith'. We are made right with God by believing in His Son not by ‘making a list and checking it twice’.

So then is this a license to sin? Can I do whatever I want since all my sin is paid for?

Paul answers this. “Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means. We died to sin. How can we live any longer therein.” Romans 6

But I really love how he answers this in 2 Corinthians 3. Read this. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

If you try to overcome the flesh by looking at the law and comparing yourself to it you will only condemn yourself. The ONLY way to overcome the flesh is to look at Jesus.

In this month, we celebrate the freedom we have Americans. A greater freedom is the freedom we have in Christ. The freedom to not be bound by a bunch of rules that only condemn us. The freedom that comes from faith in Christ and the change only God can make by God Himself working within us. And this freedom can never be taken away by a ruling from the Supreme court.

RP

An Easter Message

Long ago there was a Garden. It was lush and beautiful and full of life. It was the sole possession of only two people and they had complete dominion over it. You know this place was beautiful because the Lord God Himself came down every evening to stroll in its beauty and walk intimately with His crown of creation.

There were many plants and animals of all varieties and its breadth of splendor has never been equaled. There were also two trees and their significance also had no equal.

One tree was the Tree of Life. The two in the Garden could eat of it any time they wished. There was no prohibition of its delicacy.

Then there was another tree; the tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil. Its delicacy was also very appealing. Maybe even the most appealing of all. But the two in the Garden were sternly warned not to partake of its pleasure because to do so would mean death.

You know the story. They ate of that tree and disaster struck. The universe forever changed with that one fateful bite and man's destiny was altered in an instant. So terrible was the bite, that the Man and Woman had to be thrown from Paradise so they could not eat from the Tree of Life. So zealous was God for the Tree of Life that He sent a warrior angel to protect it from the Man so they could not return to it, eat from it and bring more disaster to the universe God created.

Now, there was a second garden where Perfection walked with God. And He prayed in that garden, “Father, if it is possible, please take this cup from me. But not my will but Yours.” Was it the cross that caused Him such agony or knowing for the first time in all eternity, there would be separation in the Trinity? There was never a time that Jesus was ever apart from God. There was never a moment when they did share fellowship one with another. But God would turn His back on Jesus as all His anger and judgement for sin was poured out on Jesus.

After a night of prayer, His time had come. He stood before Pilot the Governor and Caiaphas the High Priest and though Pilot found no fault in Him, He was crucified on a cross. But what they called crucifixion, God called sacrifice. And what they called justice, God called atonement. And at the 3 o’clock hour Jesus cried out “It is finished.” And He bowed His head in rest.

Jesus, by His own submission, became the new Tree of Life and whoever partakes of Him will live forever. And by His resurrection, He was the first to raise from the dead and never die. He is the First Born of all creation. In Egypt the first born died so God's people could be freed, Jesus died so He could be the First Born of all who are free.

The grave of Jesus was not a tomb; it was a womb. And from the womb sprang eternal life that glorious morning when the angel rolled backed the stone and God said to Jesus like Jesus said to Lazarus, “Come out!”

And the body Jesus raised with, is the body we will raise with. Our own grave is not a tomb, but a womb. And we too will spring forth from our womb into eternal life just like Jesus, because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. John 11:25

As you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth this weekend, remember He is the Tree of Life and all who partake of Him will never die. There is no guardian angel to keep any away from Him. All who believe may dine.

Feast my friends.

RP

My Dad is The Coolest Cat in the Universe!

So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! Romans 8:12-17 The Message

This is a really interesting take on this passage from Romans.

Remember back to chapter 7. Paul is wrestling with his flesh. He says stuff like "I want to do what is right- but I can't. I don't want to do what is wrong but I do it anyway."

Sounds all too familiar doesn't it?

But then Paul starts off chapter 8 with "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Yyyyeeeeesssss!!!

Paul goes on to say how we are not on our own. We don't have to fight this battle with our flesh by ourselves.

God is not naive about the condition of the human condition. He knows we can't make it on our own. He knows we need a clean slate and a constant companion.

Enter the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is just like Jesus. Jesus is just like the Holy Spirit.

Jesus did not come to condemn the world and neither does the Holy Spirit. He is not put within us to point an accusing finger, rather to help mold and change us. He convicts, works, shapes and disciplines but just like the Father... just like Jesus... He loves.

He is our deposit of guarantee. His indwelling proves we are not slaves to fear, but children of God.

We get to live and love and give and rejoice and approach God with confidence because His presence proves we are God's children.

Living in fear of God does not change my habits. Love poured out through grace does.

I am faithful to my wife not because I fear the consequences of cheating. I am faithful to my wife because I love her. And that is a way more powerful motivation for purity.

The Father loves us and He proved it once by the sacrifice of Jesus. He proves it again by actually living inside us, through His Spirit.

Because He loved me first, I know can love Him back. And because I love Him back, I want to live a life that says "Yep, he's one of Ours."

I don't want to live life cowering in fear like a beaten down dog... I want to live in power, love and adventure because my heavenly Dad is the coolest cat in the universe.

RP

God Is Not Angry With Me

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:19-20 NKJV

For all of my adult life, I lived with the burden of an angry God. A God that was going to squash me for all the things I had done wrong.

It was suffocating.

My idea of God was one of vengeance and fear. Oh He loved, but just not me. He was angry with me. I could show you my list of things He was angry with my about.

I lived my life waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Then I read Colossians 1:19-20.

I began to realize God was not angry anymore...at anyone. He had made peace with heaven and earth through His Son. His Son took my punishment for my sin so I could find forgiveness.

What a freeing realization.

God was not waiting to lower the boom on me.

He instead was inviting me to believe in His Son and when I did, we were good. All was forgotten. He was not angry with me at all. What He wants is for me to accept the gift of redemption.

So many of us believe the lie that we are not OK. That as believers our salvation is hanging by a thread. Blasphemy!

God has made peace for us through His Son. And anyone who is in His Son has nothing to worry about.

We are free to live...

Free to love...

Free to be free!

Relax. We are human.

Of course we are going to make mistakes.

Of course we are going to fail.

Of course we are going to sin.

God has not changed His mind. When we sin, fail, mess up, He still loves us with an unfailing love. That's what His peace brings.

Sure there is a judgement day. But today is the day for salvation. And someday when I stand before God, there won't be any record of my sin.

The debt is paid in full. No more condemnation.

I'm free to love Jesus and draw close to Him.

He doesn't remember my failings...why should I worry?

He is not angry with me... why should I fear?

RP

Water into Wine Revisited

So Jesus was in Cana at a wedding feast and the wine ran out.

His mom comes up to Him and asks for a little help.

Jesus reluctantly agrees and asks for the ceremonial jars to be filled with water.

The jars were filled with water, (about 150 gallons) and Jesus told the servants to dip some of the water out and take to the Master of Ceremonies.

No hocus-pocus alacazam. Just "Dip some out."

The MC was amazed at how good it was.

Now, let's not pass over this story too quickly. I've written about the generosity of Jesus using this story (the 600 plus bottles of wine) but now let's take a look at the sheer power of Jesus.

A water molecule is H2O. A simple molecule with two part hydrogen and one part oxygen. Jump on the internet and see if you can find the molecular structure of a wine molecule.

There really isn't a wine molecule because wine is made up of a whole bunch of different ingredients. Way more than two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.

Jesus took one substance and completely altered it so that it became something totally different.

Wine is not a variation of water.

Wine is all together different from water.

That's not all.

This wine was not grape juice.

It was wine. Fermented wine.

Do you think the MC would have been impressed by really good grape juice? C'mon. Let's be truthful here. Jesus made wine. And it only adds to this incredible miracle.

Wine fermentation takes at least a month. And to 'cure' properly, several months. The really good stuff is aged for years before consumption.

According to the MC, this was really good stuff. So not only did Jesus completely alter the molecular structure of water, we messed with time itself. He completely bypassed the normal aging process and moved it forward months, maybe years.

This is profound power!

This is what Jesus offers us. A radically different life from what we are today.

When we say yes to Jesus, the old is gone and the new is come.

We have been radically altered.

We have moved from death to life.

It doesn't get more radical than that.

We must not then resist His power to make us into His creation. A life that is molded and made into something all together different from where we started.

He can do it. We just need the courage to trust Him.

And we can trust Him. He knows exactly what He's doing.

RP