Category: Gospel and Culture

See the sermon manuscript from Sunday: “Why Did God Create All Things?“–unfortunately we didn’t get it on audio, though we will start podcasting very soon.

Since there is an infinite fullness of all possible goodness in God and this goodness is capable of communication…it seems good that this fountain give forth in streams abundant. The inclination of goodness is to show goodness. Hence God was not constrained to show forth his goodness any more than the sun is to shine, rather it is his diffusive disposition to flow outwardly in creating…It was not need of communication or fellowship that compelled him, but rather his infinite pleasure and fullness in the existence of the Trinity overflowing as a fountain to create streams.[1]

This church in Wales is in the process of applying for a license to consume alcoholic beverages on church premises. According to the BBC article, they plan to sell beer and wine in the cafe, once the minstrels quarters. Several local establishments, including a pub and liquor store are in opposition to the church obtaining a license for two stated reasons: 1) “The church is a place of worship.” 2) It will threaten business.

The rationale for opposing St. Peter’s obtaining a liquor license are striking. Those who oppose it, oppose it “on principle,” citing that the church is a place of worship. This, of course, assumes a bifurcation of worship and drinking alcohol–wine and worship should never mix. However, this hardly has biblical backing.

The Prophets of the Old Testament repeatedly refer to the age when the rivers will run with wine (Isa 25; 55), the Psalms applaud the “gladdening of men’s hearts with wine”; Proverbs celebrates the abundance of new wine and grain, and even Pastor Paul told Pastor Timothy to mix wine and water (assuming the pastor had wine on hand). From prophets to pastors, wine is often celebrated and consumed, even in the church, as an evidence of God’s creative goodness. Wine can lead to worship, which would then undermine the business owners’ rationale. No wine with worship.

I wonder what they mean when they say the church is a place of worship, really?

We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking but they are not. They are proud of being richer, cleverer, or better looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest.