"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit" ~Ephesians 5:18
This past Sunday evening, our church began a video-based series encouraging us to "Lead Beyond Our Walls." As we prepared to begin this series, I admittedly watched this week's (and the others) video several times. But one phrase from Sunday night continues to ring in my ears.
The preacher in the video, Pete Briscoe (Sr Pastor of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Dallas) quoted a commentary writer in his summary of the Apostle Paul.
The writer characterized Paul as a "Christ-intoxicated" man.
Wow. Would that be said of me.
And as I go through my week musing over this phrase- what it means, how to become one, how to apply the thought to my own life- several ideas come to mind.
One- just as with alcohol, intoxication is a choice. People seldom get drunk on accident. Oh we might start innocently, "limiting" ourselves to one or two drinks, but eventually and often, the drinker allows one drink to become two and two to become four until they are drunk. Similarly, being intoxicated in Christ
Two- drunkenness begins with one drink. This seems obvious, until the whole "it's not a sin to drink" argument starts. But skipping that argument and getting back to the one at-hand, just as drunkenness starts with one drink, Christ intoxication starts small. Those who would seek this type of life need to start somewhere- a quiet time, a bible study, something that will head you down the path to more.
And this leads to three, or my big realization yesterday. Just as alcohol intoxication requires more and more alcohol to stay drunk, Christ intoxication needs a constant renewal of Christ in us. We cannot expect to remain Christ intoxicated by "drinking" of Him once a week anymore than a drunk can expect to remain drunk only drinking once a week.
In conclusion, might we now paraphrase Christ's words of the last being first by toasting "bottoms up!"?
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