What If....We had 908 bottles of whiskey at our wedding?

I like drinking Whiskey in my Coke. I like it Alot. I know. I didn’t want my first real blog post to be about alcohol, but it happened. I was recently asking myself ‘What If we had 908 bottles of whiskey at our wedding?’ I know. 908 bottles. It’s a thought that is more than slightly obnoxious. But as I tore through the book Beautiful Outlaw it was a question I could not help but wonder.

Let’s say, hypothetically speaking, it’s January 11^th 2014 (the day of my wedding). The ceremony was beautiful and inspiring (we sure hope so). We have feasted on our delectable breakfast bar and the cake has been cut. We have mingled with our friends and family, and now the real party begins. We’ll say it’s around midnight when Samantha and I’s wedding guests are going absolutely BANANAS.  The party has been lively since 7pm, and no one has intentions of calling it a night anytime soon. The dance floor is crowded with our high school and college teammates joyously (and sometimes shamefully) dancing without a care in the world. They are having the time of their lives when the music is abruptly stopped. The dance floor which was once dim yet colorfully illuminated, is now bright with the buzzkill of industrial light fixtures. What is going on? Why did the party stop?

The bar is out of drinks. No more beer. No more wine. They don’t even have soda. Who would drink a wedding party dry? I’ll tell ya who. It's that Damn Sasquatch. (#billymadisonquotes)

Ok for real though. Let’s say our wedding reception is abruptly stopped due to the complete lack of drinks available to our guests. Talk about embarrassing. Samantha and I couldn’t even provide the refreshments needed to accommodate our friends?! WOW. Epic Fail.

So what would happen next? I suppose most people reading this would suggest that everyone packs it in. Call it a night. I mean we have been enjoying ourselves for close to 5 hours. It’s been a good run. All good things come to end sometime, right? Besides, our guests from out of town have flights to catch the next day. It would be good for them to get some shut eye. This would be the approach that makes the most sense. To be perfectly honest, before I read Beautiful Outlaw, I would probably side with this common sense approach to our problem.

Jesus thinks this approach sucks. Almost two thousand years ago God found himself at a wedding at which this exact situation arose. Jesus was invited to a wedding, and the reception had run out of wine. Nothin, Nathan, Nada.  Jesus’ mother comes up and simply tells him ‘There is no more wine’. She knows who Jesus is, knows what He can do. She is politely hinting for him to intervene. He reluctantly replies ‘Mom, this isn't part of the plan. This is not when I’m supposed to reveal my power.’ Jesus' reply tells us this interrupts his own interests. But there must have been a twinkle in his eye. He simply can't resist what he does next. For the story continues like this:

“Nearby stood six stone water jars, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.” – John 2:6-7

Jesus then tells the servants to fill a pitcher full of this fresh nectar for the master of the wedding. When the master tastes it, he is shocked. He exclaims, “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you've saved the best till now!”  -John 2:9-10 (The Message)

This is the first miracle of Jesus, the first glimpse of his glory as the scriptures have it, and what does he do? He delivers 180 gallons of wine (six jars, times 30 gallons...). About 682 liters, or 908 bottles of wine. Wait, WHAT? 908?! This is absurd. As John Eldredge points out in Beautiful Outlaw, "Jesus doesn't just give them a little wine, say a dozen bottles to wrap up the evening with a toast. He does it lavishly. Generously. Extravagantly. To the tune of 908 bottles." 

What does this say about Jesus? What does this reveal about his heart? He is extravagantly generous. He is approachable. Most importantly it reveals his own love for great things, like the celebration of a wedding reception. Jesus more or less says, 'STAY! Let the good times roll!'

Now it pains me greatly that I even have to type this, but for you ultra religious folks who are deeply disturbed about your saviors behavior.....I am not advocating or encouraging we all go out and do keg stands till we fall over. Nor am I advocating or encouraging we chug a fifth of tequila until we black out (and neither is he). I am simply telling you about the personality of Jesus, telling you about his heart toward a great party, that has essentially been 'party pooped'. This is our savior, whether he follows the 'rules' of your church or not. 

So if Samantha and I's reception does run into rough water, I personally will ask Jesus to deliver 908 bottles of wine so our joyous celebration could continue. Or even better. 908 bottles of Jack Daniels.