A night to remember. One of my friends was the Rabbi of our local synagogue and she invited me, my husband, and the church I pastor to some wonderful events at their synagogue. There is always lots of fabulous food, the most exquisitely decorated tables, and incredible hospitality. One of the most memorable experiences was the evening that a Jewish”gospel” group (yes, that is what they called themselves) played in their sanctuary. We were rockin’, hands in air, and the rabbi and some of the members were dancing in the aisles. If I had closed my eyes and not seen the gorgeous Star of David chandeliers, the awesome stained glass windows with Jewish symbolism, and the Torah in its sacred ark on the east wall, I would have thought I was in a charismatic service of worship. Harvey and I had the most glorious time of worship and fellowship with our Jewish friends. It was a night to remember.
Everyone’s Invited. Since then I have pondered about the Jewish Christ, the rabbi Jesus whom I love and serve. Surely, in his Jewishness he danced, and partied, and ate and drank. My theology of The Table is based upon Christ’s invitation to the outcast, the struggler, the seeker, the hungry, the thirsty to come and dine, to come and party. Everyone’s invited! Taste and See that the Lord is good!
Pretty Great Wedding Reception! Don’t you love watching Jewish weddings depicted on television with the joyous dancing, the couple carried in chairs above the dancing and adoring family and friends, and exhuberant music and abundant food and drink. I hope I get to attend one someday.
One of the first stories in the Gospels is Jesus being invited to the wedding where there must have been great partying with lots of food and wine freely flowing…because it ran out before the party was over. Jesus, at the bequest or should we say the command of his mom, then took water and turned it into the best wine of the evening, not the cheap stuff at the end of a party when everyone has had so much to drink that they don’t realize that the good stuff’s gone. At the end, Jesus is still providing the best to make sure that the party continued in style.
- Jesus and Zacchaeus
Inviting yourself to dinner. Jesus saw a small man up in a sycamore tree and Jesus, not waiting for an invitation, invited himself to have dinner. He wanted to party with one of the most hated and despised of people, the Jewish tax collector who had sold his soul to the Roman authorities. Some considered him Scumbag material. Zacchaeus invited his other outcast friends to the feast and from being in the presence of the Christ who not only partied with them, but accepted them just as they were, Zacchaeus was a changed and transformed man, giving away half of what he owned and giving back four times what he had taken in false commissions. Salvation came to that house that day. Partying brought salvation.
Etiquette party pooper bloopers. In the gospels of Matthew and Luke, there are two similar versions of the partying parable. Jesus told a parable of a royal man who planned a sumptuous banquet and sent out the finest handwritten and hand delivered invitations to his first class friends. His Emily Post possee didn’t bother to RSVP or to show up, so the party giver sent out his servants to hand deliver his invitation to the outcasts, the sick, the handicapped, and when there was still room at the party, the country bumpkins were invited also and they came and had an overflowing banquet.
Lost stuff. Jesus told three parables about lost things…lost coins, lost sheep, and a lost son. At the conclusion of each parable, when the lost coin and the lost sheep were found and when the lost son returns home, there is great revelry, great rejoicing, dancing, and partying and feasting. Jesus declares, “The lost has been found, rejoice and party with me.”
- Laughing Shepherd by Karen Graeser
Best Bridal Banquet. In the Apocalypse, the book of Revelation, the Bridegroom, Jesus invites us to the heavenly marriage banquet where we eat with the Lamb of God and party in the awesome presence of the One whom we have loved through faith. I can only imagine that the best wine will be available also at His own wedding.
Party, Fiesta, Foreverrrr! Dallas Willard, one of the the finest Christian philosophers of our times states that “God is happy.” Our God is not a dour One who is spending eternity keeping a record of our wrong doings. Our living God is the one who invites us to the party, who dances with us, and embraces us because the lost has been found. We are God’s beloved, so let’s dance, let’s party with jubilation!! I have told my family that when I die, they are to have a party…a dance with classic rock n’ roll…no sad, dour stuff…celebrate that I had a great life, that I am experiencing resurrection, and that as part of the communion of saints that I’ll be partying too!
