Jesus takes our servant hearts and turns them into the wine of blessing for others.

(Sermon Based on: Isaiah 62:1-5/Psalm 36:5-10/1 Corinthians 12:1-11/John 2:1-11)

This morning’s readings are so full of symbolism that we could spend hours just going through each different train of thought.

I just want to highlight one or two things as a way of encouraging us as a congregation to respond to the love of God and grasp how deep and how high and how wonderful the love of God is for us.

Anybody who has attended a few weddings in their lifetime must have heard this story of the wedding at Cana. It reminds me of a story told by the wife of a renowned American Pastor who spoke of how she got sick of hearing the story of the prodigal son. It seemed that the text was used everywhere she went. And on the way to a women’s talk one day she literally prayed that God would spare her another talk on the Prodigal son. To her dismay the speaker stood up and used the prodigal son as her text, but something happened because for the first time she realized that she was the prodigal son –she had always stood at a distance from the text and the narrative -  and it was as if God was plugging away repeating his point until finally she got it.

I will always encourage you to look at a text from every side – put yourself in the place of every character and see what God is saying to you. At the wedding in Cana – Mary is there, the servants are there the Master of ceremonies – at times in our lives we are each of those characters and we need to play our part.

·         If Mary had not spoken up – there is no story

·         If the Servants had not done what Jesus said – there is no story

·         If the Master of Ceremonies had not spoken up – there is no story.

What is God doing in the world today – that never manifests into a story because we are not playing our part?

I’d like to highlight –

1)     Mary’s statement – in faith and expectation she called on Jesus to address her need.

2)     The use of the washing jars as opposed to the wine bottles

3)     The relationship between the wedding of Cana and the use of Spiritual gifts.

There are many reasons why Mary would have asked her son to help out when the wine ran out. But the theological significance of what happened is more important than the historical one.

As we read in Isaiah – the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of the promises of God to his people – and Mary saw every opportunity as an opportunity for God to restore Israel.

We need to be the same – every life event is an opportunity for God to restore the Kingdom.

Secondly Jesus says a seeming strange thing but lets keep it in context  - Jesus is saying I am not going to restore the kingdom at this point but I am going to continue to affirm the promises.

Unless we are prepared to accept this our faith journey is very difficult.

Then Mary accepts whatever it is that Jesus is going to do  - in faith:

She had never seen him perform a miracle – she had no idea how he was going to address the problem and I think that if she heard what he said to the servants there would have been a moment that she regretted asking him at all.

Like Mary we must bring our concerns our lives our events our problems to Jesus and ask him to address them in the faith that the promises of  God  will be fulfilled in our daily lives – At Cana we learn that each day is a reminder of the promise that the Kingdom is to be established Jesus will come to Judge the world in righteousness and in Truth.  

What Jesus does is then the most amazing thing.

All around the room are empty wine jugs. Every table has an empty wine bottle on it, and as we hear later these jugs had contained quality wine…

And in the corner of the room are the empty foot washing jugs ….

Amazing why did he not get the servants to fill the wine jugs – why did he use the washing water jugs – only the servants and possibly Mary and the disciples saw where the servants drew the wine from..

At Cana we see one of the most profound statements of God saying – see I am doing a new thing.

This miracle was saying – the Messiah will not simply do what the ancient Kings did  - he will be the servant King – and the servant will do great things – he will restore God’s people to be something greater than could ever be imagined –

Mary called on Jesus – in faith

Jesus did the unexpected and showed us that he was to be the servant king

And lastly the servants were obedient – Just as St Paul speaks to the Corinthians about using their God given gifts as opposed to their pagan ideas that led them astray – the wisdom of the servants said bring the Wine jugs filled with water – but they did as they were told – they did it God’s way –

What does your wisdom limit you from doing because God has other plans?

  Man they must have been nervous – imagine being a servant at an important banquet and you draw washing water and give it to the Master of ceremonies – that took courage.

Have you got that kind of courage? in your hand you have gifts from God – a ministry, a calling, a blessing – but it feels to you that it is nothing of value – washing water…

Be like the servants at Cana and offer that in the world – for as you pour it out  - Merlot from the best Vineyard in the world will flow out and bless the receiver..

And so be of good courage  -

Expect God to act like Mary did –

Be obedient in faith like the servants were –

And allow God’s mercy and grace to flow from you into the world that His name may be praised.

Amen.