Alcohol - Should A Christian Drink Series

Alcohol – Should a Christian Drink?

We are continuing our series entitled, “Too Hot to Handle” and today we are going to be talking about the Hot Topic of Alcohol and the Bible and whether a Christian should Drink.

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Even as we did last week, we see a wide discrepancy between what some churches that would categorize themselves as Christian teach on this subject.

Some churches – Abstain to be a member

In some churches you will find that to be a member, you need to sign a covenant that you will not drink alcohol probably along with a list of other “Thou shall nots” that you commit not to do. You will probably also hear preaching that even the slightest bit of alcohol is a sin to drink.

Other Churches – Beer tent

At the other extreme, you will find churches that have a beer tent or a full bar when you go to one of their functions.

Now before you say, “tell me where those churches are so I can join,” we want to see what the Bible teaches and says on this subject and what we should do in light of the teaching of Scripture.

As I studied the Scriptures this week, I found some things that may be surprising to some of you.

First,

Drinking Alcohol in moderation is not a sin

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How do I know this? We see this in a couple of ways.

First we see that

God provided wine

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Throughout Scripture, we see that God’s provision of wine is not considered a bad thing.

Psalm 104:14-15

14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,

and plants for man to cultivate--

bringing forth food from the earth:

15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine,

and bread that sustains his heart.

His provision of wine is also often associated with His blessings.

Isaiah 55:1-2

"Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

We see that wine is used in a positive way to symbolize His blessings when we come to the Lord.

Wine consumption part of Normal life

And in fact there are many instances where wine is just consumed where no positive or negative connotation is given, it is just a part of the normal every day life that people partook of on a regular basis because it was something that God provided.

Not only did God provide wine, but

Jesus Drank Wine

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Jesus himself, admits to this in

Matthew 11:18-19

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ’He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ’Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ’

Was it only grape juice

There are some who will say that he only drank grape juice and not alcoholic wine, but it would be hard to reconcile the fact that he was being accused to be a drunkard, even though we know definitely that He was not.

We also see that his first miracle is turning water into wine.

John 2:9-11

the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

This wine was alcoholic as indicated by what the master of the banquet said about people usually bringing out the cheap wine when people’s senses have been dulled by too much alcohol.

So, if Jesus drank and his first miracle produced alcohol, then there must be nothing inherently sinful about having a drink.

So, right now you are probably in one of 2 camps.

Some of you may be saying, this sermon is great!

Others are probably saying “What kind of message are you giving.”

Well, hang on a minute.

I have no interest in advancing a set of taboos of the Conservative Christian culture that creates a new set of rules for us to follow. Rule following has a way of trumping relationship with Christ as we can see with the Pharisees.