Untitled Sermon

How many people like to fellowship or party with friends and family? How many of us go to events and plays that happen in our community? Who among us have ever been in charge of planning and hosting an event or party? There is a lot of work that goes into planning the event or party that the host often times does not get to enjoy themselves as everyone else.However, there are people who are gifted with planning and hosting parties. They will tell you that it is just as fun planning these events as it is to attend for them.

Do you know that many weddings cost on average 28,000 dollars nowadays? Wedding planners will tell the Bride and Groom to come up with a budget, ensure proper ways to secure funds from themselves and their parents before ever making any decision on any details for their wedding. Every detail comes with its own set of questions and cost when planning a big event like a wedding. It seems like it has been this way for thousands of years across the world.

Pray and read John 2:1-12

John 2:1–12 NRSV

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.

Mary was most likely an important guest at this wedding and therefore was able to secure the number of Jesus’ followers as additional guest at this wedding. We know this because of two details of the passage. First, John says that she was there as in there before the ceremony began. Seconds, she is made aware of the fact that the caterers had ran out of wine which is the drink of choice at a wedding. Truthfully, there weren’t any caterers as we understand today, but those who would provide wine for events and servants to ensure the food and wine were served at the right times. There was also a designated host who acts as a Master of Ceremony for the order of how things would transpire. It was common for wine to be the only drink at a wedding, with water to weaken the wine as necessary.

So when Mary is told that there is no wine, she knew she needed to help solve this embarrassing problem for the family as soon as possible. Who else would she ask to help in such a situation but her precious son who also happens to be the Son of God? However, Jesus was just beginning His time in ministry and His most important goal at the time was to find those people who would support and help spread the good news. So when he says essentially, “ma’am, that does not concern me, and it is not the right time to be working miracles,” He was really thinking about “His time” as being the revealing of His true identity as the Messiah. He was not ready to do that just yet. To do so would start the course for the fulfillment of his Fathers plan. Which is exactly what happens. Mary doesn't back down, nor does she go against the wishes of her Son. Instead, she faithfully leaves the situation in His hands when she tells the stewards to do whatever Jesus says to do to procure more wine. Remember,even when it is unlikely, God’s timing is perfect.

In the room away from the celebration stood six stone jars used for water purification as well as Jewish purification rituals. Like with their sacrifices, they would have to perform an action to be made pure or clean. Washing their feet and their hands before a religious observance was required. The priest had to make themselves clean and stay clean to perform their duties. These jars where big stone jars that could hold up to 120 liters of water. Jesus tells the servant to fill them to the brim, make the amount around 720 liters of water that would soon become wine. This was a crazy amount of wine to be delivered in the middle of a ceremony. There was more than enough now. Even the master of ceremony would comment on how the best wine was being saved for last instead of offering the best first and the watered down wine towards the end of the celebration.

There was something more happening at this time than Christ performing a miracle to bless a wedding. There is always a greater, deeper meaning for everything that is done by God. We read in Amos 9:13-14

Amos 9:13–14 NRSV

The time is surely coming, says the Lord, when the one who plows shall overtake the one who reaps, and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

The time of the Lord would bring about restoration of God’s people, were God’s people would be made clean and abundantly blessed. Remember what I said that God’s timing is always perfect? For so long, God’s people had to work to make themselves clean. but God always has a plan. Jesus makes us clean. Jesus redeems our dire circumstances. Through Christ, we are transformed in a way that we could never do for ourselves. Just when we think we have nothing left to give, and there is nothing that we can do, God come through. All our work to make our lives right and perfect pale in comparison to what God can do through and for His people.

What was clean and ordinary, has now become pure and extraordinary. What had to be made clean and kept clean, has been made pure by Christ. When Mary said, “Just do what ever He tells you,” she was giving up control and placing the situation in the hands of the Savior.

Story of an addict:

you have to want to give up the addiction

you may do what it takes to seek help in giving up like rehab and recovery groups.

The habit may be impossible to let go of until you let it go in the arms of Jesus. Surrender your addiction to Christ.

Nothing we can do can wipe away our sin and shame. We cannot completely fix our broken selves. We cannot fix our broken world completely. But we have a Savior whose time is now and is to come. Jesus is still changing water into wine. He is taking our ordinary and making it extraordinary. He is taking our work and giving us rest. He is taking our strive for cleanliness and through His grace, giving us holiness. This is who our Savior is.

During this time of Lent, as we prepare to celebrate Easter Sunday, let us lay down our struggles and sins at the feet of the One who have given His blood for our wine. We observe Lent over 40 days not counting the Sundays which equals six nd a half weeks. Sundays are not counted because every Sunday is another opportunity to celebrate His Resurrection. So you don’t have to plan a big ordeal to celebrate Jesus. Just let go of your cares, your struggles, and your sins and He will give you abundance of blessings for you to celebrate for all of eternity.

In the Name of God the Father, Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

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