The messianic reign is a reign of overflowing blessedness - Holy Spirit rain down!

Rev. Dr Scott Murray/Memorial moment - Ascension of our Lord. Drunk Preachers.

"the gracious gifts of God overflow to us with an overabundance that depends on God. The messianic reign is a reign of overflowing blessedness. The abundance of grapes means that there is abundance of wine."

"Luther commends drunk preachers. Oh, before you get too excited, not the way you think. While lecturing on Genesis he is considering the blessing of Judah by Jacob (Gn 49:8-12), which is a reiteration and intensification of the promise of the Messiah and His salvific ministry as mediated through the family of the patriarch, Judah. Included in that text there is the promise of abundance so plentiful that even beasts of burden could be fed upon choicest clusters of grapes (Gn 49:11). The church's preachers must believe this abundance. They neither see it nor feel it. The preachers agonize over budgets so tight they squeak, reduced contributions to health care costs from congregations, and even the expenditures for Eucharistic wine are carefully managed. There is an overabundance of nothing, or so it seems. We should not judge the abundance we have on the basis of how we feel or what we see (or think we see). No, the gracious gifts of God overflow to us with an overabundance that depends on God. The messianic reign is a reign of overflowing blessedness. The abundance of grapes means that there is abundance of wine.

No wonder then, that at the birthday of the church those who heard the apostles preach thought them drunk. At Pentecost the crowd who heard Peter's preaching considered him to be a drunkard (Acts 2:13). And maybe he was. Think of whom he was going up against! He had the temerity to name the Messiah and proclaim Jesus to be the Christ. Peter did this in the face of those who had crucified Him. He named names; both the perpetrators and Messiah. He did the unthinkable by coming into the presence of the people of Jerusalem with the name of whom they hated upon his lips. He was defying both the civil authorities and the spiritual. However, drunk on the Spirit, Peter could not be silent about what God had done in Christ and could not keep the overflowing abundance of God's grace to the church from flowing out to the people of Jerusalem; even to those who had abused and crucified the Lord of glory. He was so intoxicated with the generosity of God that he had to preach this message to those who had been ungenerous to the Messiah.

How this kind of intoxication changes the meaning of everything. Ignominy becomes a glory. Suffering becomes a joy. Brutality at the hands of others brings a blessing. Sober-mindedness turns out to be true intoxication. The threats of enemies offer a true gift of the Spirit. Sometimes our pastors seem a bit out of step with the world and its views. They stumble over the world's ways and sometimes bumble their way into trouble. They may look even like they are a bit drunk. "What's he saying now? Has he been drinking?" He doesn't know trouble when he sees it. He calls sorrow joy!" But like Peter, maybe this is what he needs to be so that we can hear of that overflowing generosity of God proclaimed to us. Maybe we need drunk preachers; intoxicated by the Spirit of Christ."

Rev. Dr Scott Murray



Martin Luther:

"I understand this passage (Gn 49:11) to mean that in Christ and in the time of Christ we must become drunk by the abundance of His house; that is, we are to receive the Holy Spirit from the Word and hearing. This causes us to become other men, just as an inebriated man conducts himself far differently from one who is fasting and famished. For the former laughs, rejoices, exults, sings, and shouts for joy; the latter snarls and is sad and complaining.

"On account of that abundance Jacob congratulates himself and all his descendants. He says, 'Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes' (Gn 49:11). He is showing that 'Such will be the kingdom of Christ and my Shiloh. He will not reign by law or the sword which is an instrument of the law and makes men sad, lean, bloodless, and hopeless; but He will fill them with His good things. He will inebriate and gladden the subjects of His kingdom. They will become altogether different; they will be completely changed. They will not graze on chaff. No, they will eat grapes, and indeed the most excellent ones, until they are completely filled up.' But they will be spiritually inebriated, so that men think of them and see them just as they judged concerning the apostles, namely, that 'they are filled with new wine' (Acts 2:13).

"Isn't it foolhardy on the part of Peter and the rest of the apostles to stand up and teach without having asked for the permission of the lawfully constituted authorities, whether spiritual or civil? But they are full of the Holy Spirit. Therefore they burst forth and rush through all the broad streets of Jerusalem and preach Christ crucified, whose name was odious and intolerable to the whole people. Indeed, they reproach the authorities with the unjust violence and cruelty which they had practiced by crucifying that righteous One. Nor are they afraid of anyone; and they do not fear the power of the priests, the elders, etc. Finally, when, after flogging and mocking them, the authorities ordered them not to speak at all in the name of Jesus, they depart from the presence of the council rejoicing, because they had been deemed worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41)."

Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis 49:11-12

"Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen"

Eph. 1:15-23

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A15-23&version=ESV

Memorial Moment 9 May 2013,  Rev Dr Scott Murray




"Soon and very soon - we expect you":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=APytqHyFZrU 


"Let it rain" - on the pastors! Lord, we need drunk preachers; intoxicated by the Spirit of Christ! Standing on the Word of God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AG7v8jJKAOk

"Holy Spirit rain down"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SI_HRWooA






 Foto: KL (Mässkär, utanför Jakobstad)