Jubilee is God’s idea. It began as a celebration of release from debt and slavery; the word ‘jubilee’ comes from the ram’s horn that was blown to begin the party – the Jubal horn.

God loves celebrations and parties, yet His are often the reverse of ours. We have a jubilee when we’ve had 50 years or so, or a party to celebrate achievements. God has a jubilee celebrating what’s going to happen! It’s a celebration of breakthrough and an anticipation of what life will be like.

The resurrection at Easter is this kind of Jubilee. It’s anticipating all that God will give in the future, and it’s based on the fact that Jesus’ death has released people from sin, sadness, captivity and death. Is it presumptuous for us to celebrate what God will do rather than what God has done? No – it’s how followers of Jesus should live – in between what has been given to us and what we know God wants to give us still.

And a jubilee party is about many people celebrating together. That’s one of the reason Bless emphasize strategic partnerships with local churches across mainland Europe. To be a partner is to share in the spoils – the inheritance that Jesus has won for us.

Partnering means covenanting together to encourage one another. The Last Supper was a covenant between partners – not about what had been – but a foretaste of what was to come, as the disciples chose to live together for the kingdom of heaven.

So as you celebrate together with family and friends this summer let’s blow the jubilee trumpet and rejoice together in all God’s plans for the future. Many disciples made – of many nations; more gatherings of worship, friendship and mission; more creative ways of extending compassionate justice and new territory and places in which to worship and witness to the goodness of God.