I like to Party, so I like my Jesus to Party.

 

Back in the day, I would watch any movie with Will Ferrell in it. I felt like a horrible fan for falling asleep during Casa De Mi Padre, but my favorite is either Elf or Talladega Nights. It’s a toss up between the two.  In Talladega Nights, there’s this dinner scene where Ricky Bobby is saying grace and Cal chimes in with how he pictures Jesus and says, “I like to party, so I like my Jesus to party.” I hear where Cal’s coming from because I consider myself a reformed party girl as a result of a transformed heart by Jesus’ grace. But, just when I thought I had to put my party pants away Jesus says, “Not too fast, Tiffany. I like to party too AND you’re invited.” To which I respond, “Go on…”

I think we like to recall and reminisce our firsts in life. First love. First house. First job. First time you successfully accomplished turning on a shower that is not your own. I always feel like an idiot at hotels. I turn into Avril Lavign as I stare at the shower and sing, “Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?” The struggle is real. Firsts are important in life. For Ricky Bobby, first place is important. For us, Jesus first miracle is important. If you don’t know yet what his first miracle was and prefer not to know here is your spoiler alert. You have the liberty to take that cursor (or finger) and exit out of this blog because I am about to spill the beans.

Miranda Lambert says it best “I heard Jesus he drank wine and I bet we get along just fine.” Well, I don’t know if he drank wine at this wedding, but his first miracle performed was turning water into wine. Now, that is definitely impressive. If I could turn water into wine, I bet I would double my friendships over night. But when I think of the power of Jesus I am left scratching my head. I mean if I were Jesus I would bring out the big guns for my first miracle. He didn’t cast out demons. He didn’t give sight to the blind. He didn’t make the lame walk. He didn’t bring someone back from the dead.

He took water and turned it into wine.

He mentions to his mother that it wasn’t his time yet. Maybe it wasn’t time to send off powerful miracle missiles and announce his mission to the masses. It makes sense why it was a mild miracle, but a miracle nonetheless. Picture this: You have 6 stone water jars holding up to 30 gallons of liquid. I’m going to do some quick math, which makes me cringe because I rather get a root canal than calculate numbers, but that leaves us with roughly 180 gallons of wine. Give or take a few gallons if my math is off.

Do you know why I secretly believe Jesus turned this water into wine when his mom came to him expectantly and informed him the wine was gone?

He didn’t want the party to end. Say it with me out loud and with gusto.  He didn’t want the party to end!

I think so often people get stuck in doom-and-gloom mode when it comes to Jesus. What I didn’t realize was he was not only bringing Life to us, but life to the party as well. This isn’t the only instance where partying takes place. Let’s take a look at the similarities between the party lifestyle and life with Jesus.

1. Jesus Wants You To Get Down on The Dance Floor For Him  

“David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” 2 Samuel 6:14

David, known as the man after God’s own heart, was getting down on the dance floor before God.  I’m not sure if David’s dance moves would be labeled as the “Old Testament Twerk” or the “Watch Me Worship Now Watch Me Pray Pray” or maybe a mashup of both. Either way, not only does Jesus not want the party to stop, but God approves of us dancing for Him with all our might.  This makes me feel normal because sometimes when I’m in my secret place (aka the bathroom where my dog can’t find me) I crank up the worship music and do some dance moves that should never see daylight.

2. Jesus Wants You to Get Drunk …. on the Holy Spirit

There’s this passage in Acts where believers are getting made fun of. People are thinking surely they’ve had too much wine, until someone looks at their watch (or the sun) and points out that it’s only 9 in the morning. I guess back in those days people didn’t have booze with their breakfast. It wasn’t bottomless mimosas at the marketplace. They were filled with the Spirit. No, not spirits, but the Holy Spirit and apparently you appear tipsy to people that are not drinking from the living water you’ve graciously accepted. This has happened in my life. Not because I’m off speaking in tongues, but because sometimes I’m excitedly bubbling over like a vigorously shaken bottle of soda from what I see the Holy Spirit doing that people have blatantly asked me, “Are you drunk?” Full disclosure, caffeine does play a part, but there are those moments when the Holy Spirit pierces my heart and I either start jumping up and down for joy like Oprah just announced she’s giving me a free car or I randomly burst into tears both of which can make me look like a drunk, crazy person. The other weekend, I went with my church down to Dallas to hang out, worship, and hand out food. I met a lovely lady named Dolly. We were talking about the Holy Spirit and Dolly shared, “When you get drunk on the Holy Ghost you don’t get a hangover.” I can trade in my days of drunken debauchery for holiness from the Holy Spirit and skip the hangover. Talk about a win, win.

3. Jesus Wants To Get Turnt Up in Heaven and On Earth 

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7

Jesus throws the most epic of parties! They are wildly cheering us on in Heaven.  Jesus gave an example of this party here on earth. You see there was a son that was as lost as an Easter egg. He demanded his inheritance from his father, fled and squandered it on wild living and came back to his father with his tail between his legs. What does this earthly dad do which mirrors what our father in heaven does? Tells His son to shut his mouth we are throwing the biggest party ever because you’ve returned to me! Don’t even waste one more moment apologizing or begging for forgiveness. Here I bought you a party outfit. Put it on. Here I brought you the finest jewelry. Put it on. Here we prepared the best meal. Let’s feast together.

“We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” – Father of prodigal son

Jesus just wants us to come back to the perfect party instead of going to parties that offer us the world, but leave us worse off than before. He wants us to get turnt up for Him because He is already turnt up for us.

4. Jesus Wants to Fill Up Your Red Solo Cup

The signature red solo cup. The plastic accompaniment to any party. In Psalm 23:5 it speaks on how Jesus makes our cup run over with blessings. Jesus wants to fill you with everything that is Him. His love. His forgiveness. His grace. His kindness. His Mercy. His Comfort. His Guidance. His Blessings until you are running over, bursting at the seams about to explode with love. Sometimes when you get drunk your friends cut you off. Not with Jesus. He doesn’t want to just fill you to the brim with Him, but fill you to overflowing so you can overflow to others around you and add to their empty cups. Jesus would make the perfect waiter, because he is always ready to refill your glass even before you notice it. He wants to push out anything in your cup that is not benefiting you and replace it with some joy-filled Jesus juice.

5. Jesus Wants You to Bring a Plus One To The Party

As I’ve lived the single life, I’ve been to my fair share of weddings now without a plus one. A wedding is a beautiful celebration of love that you want everybody to join in with you. The love shared is contagious. That’s how I see believers coming together. If your perspective of going to church is similar to going to the DMV of course you are not going to invite anybody to the “party,” but if your perspective of church is similar to going to a concert, sporting event or Black Friday you are more apt to invite your friends, family, neighbors or the park bench you find yourself talking to. Love is contagious. Who can be your plus one this week? Who has the Holy Spirit laid on your heart to invite to the party?

6. Jesus Wants You To R.S.V.P To The Party

The more I remember that Jesus is worth celebrating, that spending eternity in Heaven is worth rejoicing over, the more I want to invite people to the party. Put your party pants on, dust off your dance moves, get turnt up with the Spirit, grab your red solo cup, and invite your party people. Jesus offers us the ultimate invitation to party with him for all of eternity. Will you R.S.V.P. to the party?

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