Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Wedding Cup

There are several pictures of Christ in the story of Jesus turning water into wine. He showed himself Lord of the vine. He would later tell his disciples that he was the true vine and his father the vine dresser. His disciples then and now are the branches that are pruned by the Father and bear fruit through the Son.

Later Jesus refers to wine when he says he will drink the cup his Father has given him, by that he means the cup of his death (John 12:27). He told his disciples that they too would drink of his cup, referring to their death (Mk 10:39). Jesus drinks from the cup at the last supper and tell the disciples that the cup of wine is symbolic of his blood which would be shed for them (Mk 14:23-24).

He then tells them he will drink the cup again with them in heaven. "I tell you the truth I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” But that cup will be for celebration of the wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:9). Imagine how it will be when we drink with him the wine of celebration for all his has done for us (Rev 19:7-8).

It was no accident that the first miracle took place at a wedding.