Download Jan-17-2016 - St. John, Redwood Falls

Text: John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was
there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the
wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet
come.”
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial
washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the
brim.
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the
banquet.”
They did so, and 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 he 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.”
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He
thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Let’s pretend for a moment. You’re Jesus. 30 years old. You’ve just been called into
the public ministry as the promised Messiah. But you have an identity problem because
people only know you as the carpenter’s son from Nazareth. So what are you going to do
to get people to know that you are the Son of God and promised Messiah? Wouldn’t it
make sense to go to Israel’s population center, Jerusalem, during one of the major
festivals when there are even more people and perform a miracle like standing in front of
the unfinished temple and saying “Be finished!” and poof, it’s done! Now that would get
people’s attention, right? Then you could tell them who you are and why you’re there.
But attention isn’t what Jesus is looking for. Instead, he begins his awesome ministry
by attending a wedding at a small village in the outer regions of Galilee. Why was it so
important for Jesus to be in Cana? Well, there were people there at that wedding, as well
as readers of this Gospel account, that Jesus needed to reach out to and show that:
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD
1. Mary learned this.
2. the wedding couple experienced this.
3. The disciples believed this.
Mary knew who Jesus was – the Son of God. 30 years had passed since she gave
birth to the miracle child of whom the angel Gabriel said: “The holy one to be born will
be called the Son of God.” Certainly, Mary hadn’t forgotten the scene in the temple 18
years earlier when her 12 year old son had reminded her he had to be about his heavenly
Father’s business. At that time we’re told that Mary “treasured all these things in her
heart.” Mary certainly knew who her son was! So that day as she was helping with the
wedding and word came of an embarrassing situation – the wedding couple was running
out of wine – the light went on in Mary’s head. My son can help them. He’s the Son of
God! He can do anything! She went to him and said, “They have no more wine.”
Jesus caught her drift and chided her: “Mother, please. My time has not yet come.”
Yes, Mary knew who Jesus was, but she forgot his purpose. He wasn’t her little boy,
grown up now, to run her errands and help her and others out of life’s little jams. He was
the Messiah on a mission of saving people from the worst jam of all – eternal death.
While Mary and Jesus had a special bond, Mary needed to realize like everyone else
Jesus was first of all her Savior. But Mary was a quick learner and said to the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Ever find yourself using Jesus like a trump card? You only pull him out when you’re
caught in a jam! “Jesus, I’m sick. Jesus, I blew it. Jesus, I’m dying. Help me get better
so I can be on my way!” Sure Jesus could do that. He does tell us to call on him in times
of trouble. But he’s not our errand boy at our every beck and call. First and foremost
Jesus is God’s Son, my Savior, who endured all the humiliation of my sin, death and hell
so that I might be his very own. That’s what matters most to me. That’s why Jesus has
my heart and life. And for all of my life’s other little problems, I leave them for Jesus to
handle when and how he pleases.
If you were Jesus, how would you have reacted when hearing of the wedding couple’s
embarrassing situation? “When will they ever learn? Typical dreamy-eyed young couple,
they never plan things right! Let’s see if they can get themselves out of this mess.”
Thankfully our Lord is more compassionate than what we ever show. On this special day
of their young lives, the embarrassed wedding couple experienced Jesus’ unbelievable
compassion. Six large stone water jars used for Jewish purification rites, each holding
anywhere from 100-150 gallons of water, stood nearby. Knowing the couples’
predicament, Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water … Now draw some out
and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did as they were told. And when the
master of the banquet tasted the water, it was wine – the best he ever tasted. The
banquet master was surprised by this good fortune. But the servants knew that good
fortune had nothing to do with it. Jesus had changed the water into wine. True to form,
Jesus had the wedding couple’s best interest in mind. And with this miracle, Jesus gave
them a precious wedding gift.
Why does Jesus do things the way he does? It’s because he loves you. He always
has our best interest in mind. We don’t know the why’s and the wherefore’s. But that’s
okay. We don’t need to know. What we do know is the depth of his love for us. Just his
names alone explain the lengths to which Jesus will go to show how much he loves us.
He is our Rock and Fortress, an ever-present help in trouble. He is our Good Shepherd
who tenderly cares for us and gently guides us. He is our Bread and Water of life who
nourishes us. He is our Savior who came to perform the greatest miracle of all – my sin
and death in exchange for his perfect life and eternal life with him. How can we doubt the
love of Jesus that has nothing but our best interests in mind?
In love Jesus solved an embarrassing situation for the wedding couple. But best of all,
he chose their wedding as the place to perform his first of many miracles. Remember that
miracles were for the benefit of those who believed in him. There were six men with
Jesus who were drawn to Jesus by the Holy Spirit and who were committed to following
him. They were new to the truth that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. The miracle
at Cana would confirm their faith in him. John says of the miracle, “He revealed his
glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” To the rest of the guests at the
wedding, Jesus looked like any normal person. But to the disciples they were convinced
that Jesus was the Savior promised by God.
The miracle is for us, too. John says later in his gospel that these miraculous signs –
like the miracle at Cana – were recorded “that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” By this
miracle Jesus wasn’t trying to “wow” us with his power: “See what I can do for you, if
you’re in my good graces.” No, not at all! In fact, Jesus doesn’t even call this a miracle,
but a sign. It points to something beyond the miracle to Jesus, the Son of God and
promised Savior. What we see in this miracle and all this other miracles strengthens our
faith and trust that Jesus is as the Bible says: He is God’s Son sent to give us life. That’s
what we believe. That’s what we live for. And that’s what we hope in!