Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Jan 19, 2025)

God Delivers More than We Ask, Not Less

I have a friend in San Diego who loves wine.

San Diego is a desert climate, and there is also a lot of granite. It is a challenge to cultivate the soil due to all the rock and granite.

Well, my friend—his name is Rich—built his dream home on top of a steep hill in San Diego county, and decided to put a wine cellar in his home. The granite he had to chisel into provides a wonderful insulation against the desert heat of the summer months. Rich got his wine cellar, about the size of my office, where he stores his expensive wine in this granite insulated cellar. And his wine is some of the most delicious I have ever tasted. True story.

But, those wines my friend has purchased cannot hold a candle to the wine Jesus made that day in Cana.

So, why is this the first miracle of Jesus, turning water into wine? Jesus’ miraculous provision of wine is a fulfillment of a prophesy (Amos 9:13–15). It is a sign that the kingdom of God is on its way, that this is the Son of God, that the Messiah is in the house. For Jesus is the very Son of God, proven by this miracle in that he is able to manipulate matter at the molecular level. God has shown up, right there, in the middle of a wedding in the little village of Cana. And that’s why the disciples believe!

St. John relates what happened that day for one purpose and one purpose alone: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn 20:31).

That is to say, the wedding in Cana is one of those moments when Jesus Gives Us Signs That Reveals Him as Our Salvation. These signs are here to help us and because He loves us, He continues to give signs that point to Him, while we wait for that final day—the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.

What a delight it was for the wedding party at Cana in Galilee and for us today, because God truly delivers more than what we could possibly ask or imagine.

Jesus Gave a Sign at Cana

The wedding was a joyous occasion.

In Jesus’ time, a man and woman were betrothed to each other, usually for a year, with rights and obligations almost the same as marriage; yet they never “knew the other” until after the ceremony.

The groom with his relatives and friends brought the bride and her party to his house and, after just a few words of blessing, a time of celebration and feasting began that could last up to two weeks. The couple finally “knew” each other during this time.

According to God’s ancient covenant with Israel, wine was a sign of God’s love and blessing (Dt 7:13).

Through his prophets (Is 25:6–8), God promised a future when he would “swallow up death forever” and provide “a banquet of aged wine” for his redeemed people.

But for the unfaithful who did not live within the covenant, God’s curse would result in a lack of wine (Dt 28:39).

Wine was the drink cherished above all others.

For this reason, when the wine ran out at the wedding in Cana, it was a serious problem.

Mary approached Jesus. She raised him and cherished in her heart what was prophesied about him; she knew of his extraordinary nature.

Jesus’ response was John 2:4 “My hour has not yet come.” But in reality, his time had come. His public ministry was ushered in when he was baptized by John the Baptist. But notice, Jesus did not tell his mother “NO”, he said, “NOT YET.”

And Mary put her faith on display when she said to the servants, do whatever he told them.

Jesus instructed the servants to fill six jars empty jars with water—used for purification rites—each jar held 120 gallons.

From this water, Jesus made the best of the best of wine, that would delight the most trained palate. You see, God delivers more than we ask, not less.

From this, Jesus’ first few disciples see his glory and believed in him.

The sign at Cana was the first of many his disciples would see, all pointing to Jesus as the source of eternal life (Jn 20:30; cf. Epiphany 1). Martin Luther tells us God gives signs as something visible for our faith to hold on to.

So it is that the Lord’s Sacraments, manifested in simple water, simple bread, and wine, are signs, mysteries—Sacraments.

They reveal the glory of the one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is our Delight Uncovered, as God delivers more than we ask, not less.

Jesus Gives Signs to Help Us

This is how Jesus has chosen to reveal himself to you and to come to you, in signs in which his Word resides.

But there is a problem, and the problem is not in the signs.

The problem is that these are not the signs that we would choose. The Bible says we live in perilous times, and are in an evil and adulterous generation, which seeks after all kinds of signs, BUT NOT the signs that Jesus has chosen to give.

We pray for additional signs from God instead of relying on the signs he has already given.

Then there are times when we wonder if Jesus will not do what he has promised unless we see or experience some sort of miraculous sign.

Because of that fear, we can’t find comfort in what Jesus has already given. In some way it becomes dull and unimpressive.

Then there are times we seek Jesus in the Law—“If I can turn this situation around, then I’ll know this is God’s will for my life.”

But just like the empty barrels at at the wedding feast, the Law is empty. Keeping the Law, or doing things the right way cannot save; they only accuse and destroy. They place us on a pendulum that swings back and forth between PRIDE and DESPAIR.

Just like the water jars for purification are empty, as a result we only find pain, despair, sickness, and death when we expect some sort of miraculous sign.

Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Just as there were six jars to be filled, so Jesus on the sixth day of the week fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets.

Just as man was created on the sixth day, so our Lord and Creator re-creates his creation on the sixth day with his holy body and blood.

On the sixth day, Jesus died on his cross and was placed in his grave. It is finished. His hour had come.

Jesus has fulfilled the Law to the brim, now your cup runs over.

Jesus Continues to Give Signs

As He did in the past, Jesus continues to provide signs that point to Him.

He has provided to you mysteries in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

There, Jesus is hidden in lowly water and simple bread and wine. In these miracles, he is revealed to you.

In the Sacraments, Jesus, who revealed at Cana that he is Lord of the elements, continues to reveal himself as Lord over all creation.

In the waters of Baptism, for example, Jesus makes you his own.

What makes Baptism baptism is Jesus has added his Word and command to it.

He also gave water the power to redeem you. There’s nothing unique about the water in Williston that makes it better than the water in Minneapolis. But what gives the water the power to redeem you is Jesus added his Word and commanded us to do it.

For it is written, “Baptism . . . now saves you” (1 Pet 3:21).

Baptism is a “washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5).

Baptism is a re-creation of that which was dead in sin. Baptism re-creates you in newness of life in Christ Jesus.

Likewise, the Lord’s Supper is a sign of your redemption in Jesus Christ.

It written that the blood of Jesus cleanses you from sin, as St. John records in his first letter: 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

The miracle of Jesus’ true body and true blood under the elements of bread and wine uncovers the delightful mystery of your salvation in a blessed and holy sacramental union with Jesus.

It is as though Jesus takes you as his bride and the two become one flesh.

What is fascinating about this wedding celebration in Cana is just like the bride in those days, Christ’s church would see her groom leave her behind in order to prepare a pace for her. Jesus said,

John 14:1–6 NKJV

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

And just like a bride, she will see him eventually return with angel attendants to usher her with him to his heavenly wedding banquet.

Notice that Jesus’ first sign came not in a hospital but at a wedding. Why? Because he wants to give you a foretaste of what is to come for you and proof that it surely will. He wants to show you that he is here not just to make problems go away, but to make sure pleasure never would. You see, God Delivers More Than We Ask, Not Less.

And now you can take this knowledge with you throughout the week, especially if you have ever felt isolated at work. Remembering the significance of the Lord’s body and blood given and shed for you can help you build communion with your colleagues. For example, you might consider approaching someone you’ve never engaged deeply with and invite them for coffee. Use this time to genuinely ask how they are doing and listen intently. This one-on-one time can create meaningful connections and can reflect Christ’s love in workplace interactions, fostering a spirit of fellowship and support that goes beyond mere professionalism.

But I digress because today, at this hour, we are here gathered here at the Our Redeemer’s wedding party that is given for you. Jesus is the groom, the wine steward, and the wine. You are the bride and the honored guest.

So now let us do as Mary has advised, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Jesus says, “Take eat, take drink, for in this humble bread and wine I have hidden myself to give you life.” Do this and hear Jesus say, “I forgive you all your sins.”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.