Jesus liked a party

Christians are so often labelled dull and boring and I wanted to point out that we're not!

Jesus liked a party - when the Pharisees and Jewish leaders were desperate to find a way to trick Him and kill Him, He planned how to celebrate the Passover; when His mother wished Him to help others at a wedding He turned water into wine (and not just a bottle or two but approx. 100 litres)!

When some of the Pharisees and John the Baptist's disciples were fasting some of them asked:

“How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast." (Mark 2: 19-29)

So why were parties and eating with friends so important to Jesus? One of the reasons outlined by Jesus in the passage above is quite clear: Jesus wasn't going to be around forever so His disciples needed to enjoy the time together. Another reason is summed up so well in the second commandment Jesus gives his followers:

'Love your neighbour as yourself' (Matthew 22:39)

Parties and dinners are the best way to reach others and the best way to show love; providing for people through food and support. Jesus put himself at the level of those around Him, He didn't act all high and mighty, He didn't condemn, He acted out of love by eating and drinking with friends. As a consequence people wanted to join in on the act and they gravitated towards Him. They felt at ease around Him and He personally cared for so many (the account of Jesus weeping when He hears of Lazarus' death highlights this). They were able to ask questions and He could easily speak what He needed to say to each person, to either quietly convict (as in the case of the Samaritan woman by the well) or to illustrate His wisdom through parables that the disciples would understand and that had been brought down to their level.

Jesus knew that building relationships with people was key to spreading the news of the Kingdom. Evangelism is so much more effective on a personal level; I have yet to meet someone that has been convinced of the truth by someone shouting from street corners. Loving your neighbour requires us to listen to others and to see where they are coming from; to imagine life through their eyes and meeting them at their level. This doesn't mean we dumb down or betray our God given characters, but we listen, help and support them, hopefully leading them to the truth on the way.