This past Saturday I was part of an outreach event at my church where we simply gave away free hot chocolate. We were given permission to set up a table inside the entrance of a local retail store and give away cups of hot chocolate to anyone who accepted. 10 gallons of hot chocolate later, we were done!
This simple exercise is a great way to be a blessing to you local community. We were able to display our local church logo on the table, as well as put in as a sticker on each cup. Many folks asked if we have any Bailey’s for it, but a few people took the time to notice our church logo and commented that how nice it was for a church to do this. Our response was always, ‘we want to be a blessing.’
In our desire to live the resurrected life of Jesus in the here and now, I believe we need to find ways to bring a cup of hope to others. When Jesus was in the upper room with His disciples, they most likely were having a Hebrew meal called a seder. This Passover meal has four different cups that are drunk throughout the evening. They are: the Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of Thanks, the Cup of Redemption, and the Cup of Acceptance.
Typically the third cup (Cup of Redemption) is drunk after supper. This is precisely the cup that Luke says Jesus took and declared that from that moment on it would be the cup of the New Covenant. Jesus took this third cup of the seder, the Cup of Redemption, and declared that this cup filled with wine would now represent the redeeming blood that He was about to shed[1]. As followers of Christ, we too are able to offer this same cup of Redemption to others.
Regardless if the cup you offer is filled with hot chocolate or wine, remember that we are here to bring hope to those who are hopeless. Whether it be through baked goods, a kind word or a smile, find a way to bring hope to someone today.
Take a step forward in your journey with Christ. He will open doors for you to be a blessing. He will work through you in supernatural ways via Holy Spirit. Jesus, who is your Hope, desires for you to bring Hope to your friends, family and community.
It is literally in our hands now. May we find ways to bring the cup of Redeeming Hope to others.
Maranatha!
[1] Joe Amaral, Understanding Jesus, Faith Words Publishing: New York, NY. 2011. Pg. 149
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