Would Jesus Go to the Micro-Brewery Fest?

I confess...I went to the "beer-fest" in Traverse City Saturday night.  I went back and forth on it but finally decided to go with a couple friends--mostly to listen to the music of Levi Britton and Mike Moran (who, it turns out, were not playing during the time I was there).

When I entered I paid my money and they gave me an 8 oz. cup with 8 tokens for the various specialty beers.  Mind you, I'm not a big drinker.  They were small glasses, but eight of them add up.  So I did a bit of "beer-math."  8 oz. X 8 cups = 64 oz.  That's a half-gallon of beer!  On Saturday night!  The eve of worship!!!  

You'll be glad to know that I did not use all of my tokens.  I gave my leftovers to another Bay Pointer!  Rest assured, I behaved myself.  I didn't do anything illegal, unethical, ungodly, etc.  

What I did do was have fun.  It's true.  I had fun at the beer-fest.  I had fun meeting new people, talking to old friends and listening to music in the rain.  I even engaged in numerous significant faith-related conversations.   All in all it was a fun night, and I was back home at the outrageous time of 7:30 p.m.

But would Jesus have gone to the beer festival?  I don't know.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  I don't know if he liked beer--although he seemed to have an affinity for really good wine (see John 2). The fact that Jesus turned between 120-180 gallons of water into wine and hung out with some shady people earned him the reputation of being a glutton, a drunkard and a "friend of sinners."  

I'm not a drunkard.  As for gluttony, I try to behave myself but truth be told I've crossed that line a time or two (as in my wife's lasagna tonight at dinner).  But if someone  hung the label "friend of sinners" on me?  I would accept that as a high compliment.   

PS.  I even debated whether or not I should post this.  Kelly Ellis made me.  It's Kelly's fault :)