Theology Blog

As a culture, as the church and as a people we are terrible at celebrating. We celebrate very little when we should celebrate everything, including our failures. The church should be a model of celebration, but it seems as though that it is the last to celebrate at all. I have thought about this on many levels for many years. Its something that I struggle with and need to grow in personally and as a leader.

As I was sitting and thinking the other day, something struck me. Jesus’ ministry starts and ends with a party. Whether we see the start of his ministry as his baptism or the wedding where he performs his first miracle of turning water into wine, both are a party. There is not many celebrations as great as baptism. Weddings certainly also make the lists of great celebrations. Jesus made the party better, turning the water into wine and good wine at that! Jesus knew how to celebrate.

The ministry of Jesus also ends with a celebration. Whether we see the end of Jesus’ ministry as the last supper or the resurrection, both really are celebrations. Certainly they are celebrations rooted in more negative circumstances, but I think that is part of the point. It does not have to be a wonderful or beautiful event in order for us to celebrate. We also recognize that the God who redeems can make good for anything, turning mourning into a celebration. Turning bad news into a sacred party;

We need to celebrate. We have lost sight of it. It is a marker of the abundant life and should be a marker of the church of Jesus Christ. We, the church and the world need it.

Celebrate!