John 11:25-26

April 4, 2021

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

The sermon starts around 19:05 in the audio file.

Or, Freedom for and from Killjoys

John 11:25-26

Series: Easter

Introduction

When grapes die they are glorified. Without any external energy applied, a grape that has lived to the full becomes more potent every fall. I learned about this reality from Robert Capon, in a chapter titled “Water in Excelcis,” water in the highest. Because of the way that God made grapes, and because He sustains the chemical processes that grow and ripen and then ferment, grapes are born to become wine. According to Psalm 104:15 it’s a gift; just as God gave grain to become bread, so He gave wine to gladden the heart of man.

Wine is, according to God-given laws of science, inevitable.

“Each thing, at every moment, becomes the delight of His hand, the apple of His eye. The bloom of yeast lies upon the grapeskins year after year because He likes it; C6H12O6 = 2C2H5OH+2CO2 (glucose ferments into ethanol and carbon dioxide) is a dependable process because, every September, He says, That was nice; do it again.” (Capon, The Supper of the Lamb, 85)

Man must intervene to stop fermentation, or react after the face to undo the results of the alcohol bonds. Man can also ignore the whole thing, excuse himself by covering his mouth, and his eyes, but he cannot make creation different.

“Only the ungrateful or the purblind (the slow) can fail to see that sugar in the grape and yeast on the skins is a divine idea, not a human one. Man’s part in the process consists of honest and prudent management of the work that God has begun. Something underhanded has to be done to grape juice to keep it from running its appointed course.” (Capon, 89)

According to John 6:55-57, the living Father sent His Son to be true food and true drink. In flesh and blood Jesus lived to the full, full in obedience, and like a grain of wheat became even more potent when He died and was buried (see John 12:23-24). Because of who Jesus is, He could not help but rise from the grave.

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:24)

According to God-given laws of sacrifice, Jesus’ resurrection was inevitable, along with the resurrection of every man who believes in Jesus. A man can deny these truths, but he cannot undo them. Resurrectio in excelcis! This is resurrection in the highest!

Grapes die every harvest to make hearts glad; wine exists inescapably. Jesus died once for all (Romans 6:10) and those who died with Him are given cups overflowing with joy in salvation. Jesus’ resurrection is a first-fruits, and His elect can’t help but be following-fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20). As He Himself said, He laid down His life for the sheep that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10-11).

So what is the deal with wine in an Easter sermon? There are a couple reasons, both of which I’ve already introduced without calling them points per se, and I’ll restate them and then spend some time with each one. But it’s also come to our attention that some outside our church have taken to calling us the “boozer” church. It is sort of humorous, and sort of expected, and sort of a great opportunity to ask what we want to be known for, indeed, what we ought to be known for. And that is as related to the resurrection as the letter r.

We should not want to be known for our sin, though it wouldn’t be a bad start if we had a reputation for being quick to confess our sin. And, of course, drunkenness is a sin. So is the wrong kind of fear. The same is true of thanklessness, or boredom with God, or lack of joy, or self-righteousness. But we keep worshiping even though it could be done wrongly. And based on the number of kids dressed in their new Easter outfits, it’s obvious that husbands and wives aren’t entirely avoiding [...]