In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
So this year, because Easter is so early, in March, we are only going to get one normal Epiphany text. Next week it's already the Transfiguration – it's going to be a short season. So here we are – one weekend, one Gospel lesson. And in this lesson Jesus will be revealed, who He is will shine forth. So, that's going to be our approach this morning – we are going to look at this text and see what we learn about Jesus. Who actually is this Jesus, this true God and true Man. What's He like?
Before we look at the text, I want to explain why it's so important that we see from the Scriptures who Jesus actually is. In the next few months, especially on various shows, you will hear all sorts of junk about what Jesus would do, who He was, all sorts of baseless conjecture from all over the place. Back when I was in college, they released those “What Would Jesus Do” braclets – they were supposed to help one think about the love that Jesus would show. Except in the following years people seem to have taken that as a challenge to just make stuff up, to fabricate their own head cannon Jesus – where my Jesus would vote for my political party, and He'd give me a pony, and so on and so forth. And the discussions on Jesus have become less and less tethered, less and less tied to the Word of God. No – we can't do that, we dare not treat Jesus like our imaginary dream boyfriend – we're not children playing with dolls or action figures here. If you want to know what Christ Jesus, the Word of God, is really like, you have to look at the Word of God. So, let's dive in.
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no more wine.” So John gives us the setting. This is shortly after Jesus' baptism, and He's just gathered the first disciples. And Jesus shows up at a wedding – probably the wedding of a cousin, as Mary is helping out in the back to run the thing, and that's what your aunts did back in the day, and they run out of wine. This would be an embarrassment, a sadness – a sign of bad luck, as it were. And Mary does something interesting – she drops a motherly hint to Jesus. You know those, right – if mom says, “Boy, the trash can is pretty full” she's not just stating a fact, there's an implied, “so you better go take it out.” Mary sees a problem – and she knows that her son has started His ministry, that He's gathering disciples. Mary thinks it's go time, and she's eager!
And here we get to see Jesus in action. And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Okay, so what do we see from Jesus? First, He is polite. We hear that “woman” and it can throw us off – Jesus is saying “ma'am”. He's being very polite, this is a very prim response. But this response is also a denial. Mom, if you are hoping for pyrotechnics and loud flashes and everyone fawning over your Son, it's not going to happen right now. It's not the time for it. This wedding day is about cousin Sal – it's not My great day. So do you see Jesus? He's polite, but He's also grounded and level. He's not seeking glory. He doesn't seek to throw His power around – He doesn't want to steal anyone's thunder. And He is patient. Jesus is ready to wait for the proper time and the proper way to do things.
One of the things that sin does, one of the way that sin attacks us, is we can be tempted towards self-aggrandizement – where we want to make a big deal of ourselves. Where we want to steal the spotlight, where we want everything to be about us. And it never goes well, and it ruins things, sucks the joy right out of them. But Jesus doesn't get wrapped up in that sinful attention grabbing circus. Rather, He remains focused. This celebration isn't to be about Me, so I'm not going to muscle on in. It's not my time yet, so I'm going to wait, I'm not going to jump the gun. Jesus is patient, and He is not a glory hound.
But that doesn't mean that Jesus won't do anything, and Mary knows it. His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” Mary knows her Son. If there is a problem, Jesus will solve it. He won't draw attention to Himself; He won't throw a parade or toot His own horn – but He will show love, He will solve the problem, He will fix things. And how? Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. And here's the miracle. The water is changed, at some point, into wine. When the master tastes it, it will be wine. When was the change– don't know. It just happens – quietly. Without a lot of fuss. These stone jars were probably off out back, out of the way (because they weren't going to be used at the party), and Jesus has the servants fill them, then Jesus has the servants take the wine – no one sees Jesus doing anything. In fact, Jesus is quite hands off. It's subtle, it's quiet. Other than the servants (and the disciples who would have been hanging out with Jesus), no one at the wedding would have a clue that Jesus is involved.
Do you see who Jesus is? He is humble. He is focused on the task at hand. What does this wedding need – well, it needs more wine, and this is how We will do it. Quietly, simply, no body has to know, when you give, give so that your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing. And Jesus works through the servants. He doesn't sigh loudly, roll His eyes at Mary and say, “You were supposed to handle the supplies, but I guess if you want something done right, do it yourself.” Nope – servants, here's your job. It's work, but it's simple – fill up jars with 150 gallons of water – quite a bit of lugging water but not too hard. Now go give some to the master. You'll do this – you're the servants, your job is handling the wine and food, and I'll let you do that. Jesus understands vocation – that people have jobs, callings, responsibilities that He has given to them, and He has them do their jobs.
You do realize that Jesus works through you in your various vocations. Paul will even claim that in reality it is no longer Paul who lives, but Christ who lives in him. Jesus accomplishes good and great things in your life, in your home, in your community, through you. You're His servant, and He's placed you were you are to love the neighbors He has given you. If you're a parent, love your kids. If you're a kid, honor your father and mother. And in these simple relationships of service and love, great things get accomplished. We often think of Jesus doing miracles, but we can forget or neglect how wondrously Jesus works good things through us, through the normal things of life. That Jesus uses us to accomplish good things for our neighbors, and Jesus uses our neighbors to give us good things and provide for us. All very simple, and Jesus is content to remain in the background. Jesus works through means, He uses people and places and things to accomplish His good and gracious will, even when we don't particularly notice what He is doing.
When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who drew the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus makes all things good. Of course He does – that's literally lesson one from Genesis 1 – and it was good. And this master of the feast, who runs things, who oversees how food and drink would be served to the crowd, is a bit flummoxed. What's with this good wine now – you do good first, then the... poor, eh – the lesser wine. The weaker, the not so strong wine. Let people have a nice strong drink or two, and then you water things down. The master sees that the party continues on without getting too messy. And Groom, come here – you have to talk to your family serving staff – we're going to have to cut this wine, water it down. This was the stuff you should have started with.
Do you see, it's an overflowing blessing. It's wine to last for days. It's not just Jesus makes 150 gallons of wine... really He's made wine that will be cut into 450 gallons of tasty beverage for the folks at that wedding to enjoy. They most certainly will not run out now, and it all will be good. And very few people know what's going on – servants, disciples, that's it.
And you, you are a servant of Christ Jesus. You are a disciple – and this is a reminder to you. You follow Jesus, you see what He's doing... and so you'll know what is going on, how Christ is at work in the world, for the world... and the world won't understand. So be it, you pay attention to Jesus, you watch Jesus, you listen to Jesus, and see what He does. Because this humble Jesus, who isn't showy, who is patient and kind – you will see Him journey to the Cross. You will see Him fix the problems not just of a simple wedding, but you will see Him address and deal with the problems of sin and death – you'll see Him win salvation with His death upon the Cross and you'll see Him rise again to establish the wedding feast of the Lamb in the life of the world to come. That's why this first sign Jesus does happens at a wedding – that's the through-line image of the Scriptures. Creation – it's a wedding feast. Adam and Eve, you've been joined together by God, enjoy your wedding present of all creation. The End, Revelation - And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. A wedding feast, a reception and party without end is the biblical image of what eternal life will be like. And Jesus has come, not to garner praise, not to toot His own horn, not to throw His weight around. He's come simply for this – to see that the everlasting celebration where God gives you blessing upon blessing, grace upon grace, carries on. And it will be good – good like it was in the beginning, and because Jesus saves, good it shall ever be.
That is who Jesus is, and we will watch Jesus in the weeks to come as He makes His way to the Cross to win, to establish, to secure your everlasting life. And it will be good. In the Name of Christ Jesus, the Light of the World +
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