Epiphany 2C 2025

Text: John 2:11 “11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

A few years ago Betsy and I were going through the Christmas cards we had received, reading all the letters, getting caught up on the news in everyone’s lives— all the happy events and all the challenges that they were willing to share. Each of them was a joy. But there was one card that stood out. It was from a woman we know who was fairly young. She had been a doctor and she had cared for a lot of people very well and faithfully. But, a few years earlier, a serious illness forced her to give up her practice. In fact, by the time she wrote the Christmas card we got from her that year, her illness had progressed to the point that she could not even care for herself; she could not feed herself; many days she could not speak for herself any longer. She was dying. And, by the time that Christmas came around, it was not going to be long. Although, from an earthly perspective, it was not soon enough, given all that she was going through.

She could have just written “Merry Christmas” and signed the card. She would not have even needed to send out a card. No one would have given it a thought! But she did send out cards. And she did not simply write “Merry Christmas” and sign it; she included a letter. And not a short letter, either. Two pages of fairly small type. To be honest, the fact that she was able to write it all was really impressive. But that was nothing compared to what she wrote. She went on for two full pages describing what she had been through in the previous year. Her disease had progressed rapidly; she had had to leave the home she had lived in for years; she required more and more intense care. She recounted it all, step by step. And her point was how blessed she was. Blessed by neighbors. Blessed by old friends. Blessed by the love of her nurses. Blessed by God every step along the way.

That’s what this miracle of turning water into wine is all about. We live in a world where the “wine runs short,” so to speak. Your hopes, your plans, even the most joyful experiences of this world are cut short, turning your hopes, your goals, your aspirations into disappointment; turning your joy to sorrow. Sin, death, and all of their effects in this world cast a shadow upon everything in your life, especially the parts that are good, true, and beautiful. That dear woman seems like a perfect example of that.

Remember, when the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes declares everything to be ‘vanity’? When he declares everything to be ‘vanity’/‘meaningless’— he is not just talking about those driven by greed who end up with nothing in the end. He’s talking about everyone. Yes, he declares self-indulgence to be vanity. But so is living wisely. “There is more gain in wisdom than in folly,” he wrote, “as there is more gain in light than in darkness” (Ecclesiastes 2:13). And yet, “20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return” (Ecclesiastes 3:20). No matter what you strive to build in this world, what gain is there? “Naked you came from your mother’s womb and naked you shall return” (Ecclesiastes 5:15). All of it— both the foolish and the good, both the times of suffering and the times of joy— are cut short by death.

That dear woman may have seemed to be the poster child for the book of Ecclesiastes, if you will. Her medical practice was closed. She had served so many people so faithfully and so well. And it was cut short so cruelly. She did not even have any family to leave anything to. But the One who was there at a wedding feast for a forgotten couple in a little town called Cana millennia ago, was still at work in her life through the promise He made to her by water and His word. He caused His blessings to flow— not just through the happy times— but through her suffering, as well. Because the shadow of sin and death were removed from her life.

Here at Cana, Jesus begins His ministry to a world where the “wine” runs short, both literally and figuratively. With a word, He is able to restore wine— and joy— to their wedding feast, pointing to an even greater gift in the process.

As the prophet Isaiah described it so beautifully, on mount Calvary— on Golgotha, where our Lord was crucified— there, on that mountain, the Lord of hosts made for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. He swallowed up on that mountain the covering that is cast over all people, the veil that is spread over all nations. He swallowed up death forever. He took away the shame— the embarrassment— of His people (Isaiah 25:6-9).

To restore your joy— both in this world and in the next— He became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; He has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows; He would be poured out like water to pay for your sins; His heart would melt like wax within His chest; His strength would be dried up like a potsherd to the point that His tongue stuck to His jaws with thirst; and He was laid in the dust of the death that you and I deserved, according to His the Word that He had spoken to our Fathers of old.

There is so much to Jesus’ ministry that goes beyond this first sign. But all that He did, all that He taught, all of it was, arguably, an extension— a continuation— of what He did that day in Cana. “11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). Your joy may be full because the shadow of sin and death, the covering that is cast over all people, the veil that is spread over all nations has been removed by the blood— by the death and the resurrection— of your savior Jesus Christ.

In fact, His glory is manifest in your life in much the same way as it was that day at the wedding in Cana: by water and the Word. He joins His Word to the water of baptism so that you were buried with Him into death in order that, just as He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, you, too, now have been born again to a new life. You have been united with Him in a death like His, so you are also united with Him in His resurrection.

He comes to you offering far more than any man can offer; more than just making your life a little bit better for a moment; more than helping you to avoid a moment’s disappointment: Offering you eternal life by His Word. His word had the power to transform water into wine that day. And it is still just as powerful when it is preached to you today. What did the angel instruct John, the apostle and evangelist, to write? “9 [T]he angel said to [him], “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”” He extended that invitation to you by suffering and dying for you on the cross.

His glory is manifested in your life in a way that can’t even be limited to just the happy times. Death no longer loomed over our friend’s life like a vicious beast, waiting to devour her, waiting to devour everything she had, waiting to devour everything she had meant. Death was still an enemy for her, but it was a defeated one. To paraphrase the hymn: Death could not end her gladness; she was baptized into Christ. “When I die I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes, faith’s assurance brightly flashes, Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine.” Solomon looked at this life and declared that everything was meaningless because death wipes it all away. It erases whatever mark you and I might have hoped to leave on this world. Even your best efforts are swept away as this universe cycles on without you. But that was no longer true for her. That is no longer true for God’s people. That is no longer true for you.

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth, for their deeds follow them (Revelation 14:13). What that dear woman did in her life was not wasted.

He has chosen to be there in your life, as well— whether you invited Him or not. He has chosen to be there in your life in that same way. He has taken away the shadow of sin, death, and all of their effects and He is giving the work you’re called to as a husband or wife, as a parent or child, as a brother or sister, as a citizen, as an employer, as a worker— all of the callings of your life— even greater meaning. Life never goes the way you intend it to. So many plans are thrown out the window. So much of what we hope for turns to disappointment. So many moments of joy turn to pain and ashes. But, in Christ, both the joys and the sorrows of this life, the plans that you make which come to some sort of fruition and those that fail— they all matter far more as He weaves even your broken hopes and dreams into His perfect plan of salvation to accomplish far more than you could have asked for or imagined.

Yes, you have this treasure in a jar of clay— it’s even true that death is at work in you right now!— but through it all, the life of Jesus is being manifested in your mortal flesh. The joy of a wedding, for example, grows exponentially because it points to something even greater; to a greater feast: the wedding feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom which will not end. “...a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6-7)— wine that never runs out— because your savior has swallowed up death forever.

You are a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You will never be termed ‘Forsaken’ or ‘Desolate’, you will, from this point on, be called ‘My Delight Is in Her’. As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God rejoices over you (Isaiah 62:4-5)

Sin and death and all of their effects in this world can no more cut short or contain your joy than they can contain you. And they can more contain you than they had the power to contain your Savior.

Hopefully, at the end of your life, you’ll be able to look back with satisfaction on a life well lived, on real achievements that will benefit people long after you. But, in the glory of Christ, you are also able to look ahead to even more. You’ll be able to look ahead to the day when your King— when your Heavenly Father— reviews the results of your life and says, “Well done.” Blessed will you be on that day for your deeds will follow you. You will proclaim with the psalmist: “1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you” (Psalm 128:1-2 ).

God willing, you’ll be surrounded, on that day, by a good, solid family. And, in the glory of Christ, you are able to look ahead to even more. You’ll look ahead to the day when you will stand before God’s throne among a multitude that no one can count, from every tribe, people, and language— including, hopefully, your earthly family, as well. In fact, among that number you will, God willing, see your children’s children’s children. And together you will see your Heavenly Father face to face.

God willing, you’ll be able to pass on to your family the good, solid home that you’ve built— both literally and figuratively. And, in the glory of Christ, you will also hear your Brother, Jesus Christ, say, “Enter into the inheritance that I have prepared for you from before the foundation of the world.”

This was, indeed, only the first of His signs that Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, manifesting His glory. Believe in Him.