St George's Cathedral, Cape Town

The Good Wine of God's Kingdom

A sermon preached by the Reverend Sarah Rowland Jones in St George's Cathedral on Sunday, 14 January 2007

"'All things are lawful' but not all things are beneficial."

One of the particularly good things about living in the most beautiful city in the world is that beyond Cape Town lies amazing countryside that produces excellent wines, at very, very good prices.

And surprisingly, every year, Father Christmas brings me a copy of the new edition of Platter' Wine Guide, so I know exactly what to look out for, and what to avoid!

The Bible has a lot to say about wine – some of it very encouraging, some of it a terrible warning – both what to look out for, and what to avoid!

The first reference is in the book of Genesis, soon after the great flood: Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Gen 9:22

Or how about this from Book of Proverbs 23:31-35?

Do not gaze on wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

Even God is likened to a drunk with a hangover – Ps 78:63:

The Lord awoke like a man out of sleep, like a warrior that had been overcome with wine.

But wine – especially good vintage wine – is also a metaphor for the very best that God has to offer to us.

So in the Book of Proverbs we also find this:

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgement. "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.' Prov 9:1-6

And these are the words that the Prophet Isaiah uses to describe the life of heaven, after Death is overcome:

On this holy mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a rich feast of aged wine – the best meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the death-shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers up all nations: he will swallow up death for ever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. Is 25:6-8

Today we hear about Jesus turning water into wine – not any old wine, but the very best wine.

John's gospel is unlike the other three. He is not trying to tell a straightforward historic account of what Jesus did.

Rather, he marshals and interprets his material, so that we shall know and understand the deeper truth of who Jesus is, and what he has achieved for us – so that we can know and understand how we should in turn respond.

There is a gradual crescendo through the gospel, as John builds miracle upon miracle, sign upon sign, so that we shall be left in no doubt that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

So we go on to read of Jesus healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, whom storms and sea obey, who, with Lazarus, raises the dead – and then who dies so as to defeat death for all of us.

Today all this begins with what John calls 'the first of his signs.' It is the sign of the coming kingdom, and the kingdom comes with wine, the wine of heaven, the very best wine.

My step-children complain that in teaching them to appreciate good wine, I have ruined for ever their ability to consume large quantities of cheap disgusting wine with their friends.

Far better to chew one's way slowly and appreciatively through a glass or two, or possibly three, of something truly worth it.

As far as God is concerned, only the very best is good enough for us – for his children, whom he loves, whom he created to be his friends, to share in the peace and joy of the eternal Sabbath.

He offers us the very best, because the best is what is best for us.

And he does not want us to settle for less than the best – for the quick, cheap, low-grade solutions in life, that might appeal in the moment, but bring no lasting benefit.

This is what Paul is talking about in our epistle: 'All things are lawful for me' he quotes, and adds 'but not all things are beneficial.'

Paul is cross with the Corinthians. They had understood, rightly, that it is by grace that we are reconciled to God. Salvation is God's gift. We can't earn it – he offers it freely and all we have to do is accept it.

Our collect for today emphasises the same thing: 'Heavenly Father, by your grace alone you accepted us …'

But some Corinthians were saying 'we are saved by grace – we have accepted God's free gift – what we do makes no difference to our salvation. This means we can do whatever we feel like.'

'No, No, NO!' says Paul! Doing what you feel like, whenever you feel like it, is not what it is about!

Salvation means being 'in Christ.' In baptism we are united with him, in his death to sin, and his resurrection to the life of the kingdom.

So, live like kingdom people! Let your lives be ruled by God's best.

In baptism you receive the Holy Spirit: so live as a temple of the Spirit.

God's best is the best way to live – don't settle for a cheap imitation!

Choosing second best undermines our relationship with God, and our ability to live within and enjoy his very best.

And Paul then talks about sexual ethics.

Sometimes it seems the church talks far too much about sex!

In one sense at least, sex is like wine. God is prepared to take great risks in what he puts before us. So we find that those things which have the greatest potential to bring us closest to experiencing the life of the kingdom, also have the greatest potential to be destructive of ourselves and others, if abused.

This is why marriage, the best that marriage can be, is also a biblical symbol for God's relationship with us, as in our first lesson: God says to Israel, 'as a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.'

God's best in relationships goes way, way, beyond mere physical intimacy, however exciting and desirable that may appear to be.

The very best relationships are about growing too in emotional, mental and spiritual intimacy.

They are about covenant faithfulness through thick and thin, both partners knowing they are always on the same side. They are about mutuality and reciprocity – neither dominates the other, but both aim to bring out the best in each other, to grow freely to be the best they can be.

Sometimes one gives more, one takes more – sometimes the other way round. But both are always there for the other, prepared to invest, and keep on investing, in the relationship, because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

All of this reflects, and gives us a glimpse of, the quality of relationship, and the greater love, that there is between the members of the Trinity: the same love in which we are invited to participate, as we are united in Christ. And so it also reflects God's love for God's church, made manifest in Jesus.

And in a deeply profound way, something of this is also reflected and enjoyed in all kingdom-shaped relationships, in families, between friends, and among brothers and sisters within the body of Christ.

Why settle for less? As far as God is concerned we deserve the very, very best – not some poor shadow of what might be.

And the same applies to all other aspects of our lives.

We have endless choices – for our own lives, for how we relate to others, our nearest and dearest, neighbours, friends, colleagues, for our work, our business, how we spend our time and our money. In our words, actions, attitudes – we have choices. God offers us salvation – and, even as we accept it, he does not take away our freedom of choice.

All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. It is not too late for New Year resolutions to take the kingdom-shaped, holy options in life.

These are not always the easiest, the least hassle, the least challenging. The personal cost in the short term may seem greater. But the long term rewards are far, far greater.

This may sound daunting – too difficult. We may worry that we are not up to it – that we cannot trust ourselves to hold fast to the good, and say no to second best.

But remember – it is by grace we are saved! We do not get to heaven because we live good and holy lives. Rather, because we have received salvation freely offered, we are united with Jesus' death and resurrection, and receive the Holy Spirit.

And therefore, since we are in Christ, temples of the Spirit, if we so desire, if we so ask, God's power will work in us, the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Eph 1,19,20).

As today's Psalm put it, when we take refuge under the shadow of the Lord's wing, he will satisfy us with good things, and let us drink from the river of his delights, the well of life.

Not just a bottle – but a well, a river. And Holy Wisdom freely invites us to drink from her best vintage, and learn what is the best way to live.

As we learn to choose his ways, and receive the ability increasingly to live them out – we shall also increasingly become that crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, of which Isaiah spoke, a royal diadem in the house of God.

Jesus came so we might have life in abundance, the joyful, party, life of the kingdom, starting here, starting now.

He does not want us to have cheap, vinegary pap-sak lives – he wants us to have the very best vintage lives – Platter 5-star all the way!

The choice is ours!

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