Running on Empty

John 2:1–10 NRSV

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 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 10 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.”

RUNNING ON EMPTY

MANY OF US IN HERE HAVE BEEN DRIVING OUR CAR WHEN WE SAW THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COME ON.

SOME OF US RESPOND TO THAT LIGHT RIGHT AWAY....AND AS SOON AS WE SEE A GAS STATION....WE FILL UP THE TANK.

WHILE SOME OF US IN HERE....WILL PAY LITTLE TO NO ATTENTION TO THE LIGHT AND KEEP ON DRIVING AS IF YOU HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS. SOME OF US WILL EVEN MAKE SEVERAL TRIPS AND GET WARNED TIME AFTER TIME BY THAT LIGHT....THAT YOUR CAR IS LOW ON FUEL.

MANY OF THE NEWER CARS TELL YOU HOW MANY MILES YOU HAVE LEFT BEFORE YOU ARE COMPLETELY OUT.....AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS A GOOD FEATURE TO HAVE.....SOME OF US WILL PUSH THIS TO THE LIMIT AND DRIVE UNTIL YOU HAVE 1 OR 2 MILES LEFT ....BEFORE YOU ARE EMPTY. YOU BASICALLY …AS THEY SAY......ARE RUNNING ON FUMES....

TRUTH BE TOLD....SOME OF US HAVE EVEN FOUND OURSELVES IN THE SITUATION WHEN WE HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS......

AND NOT ONLY HAVE SOME OF US TAKEN CHANCES WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS....

I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING OUR TIME, MANY OF US ARE NOT GOOD STEWARDS…!

MANY OF US OFTENTIMES FIND OURSELVES BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS… AND BECAUSE WE FIND OURSELVES NOT USING OUR TIME WISELY, WE TEND TO BECOME EASILY BURNED OUT.

OFTENTIMES….IT’S BECAUSE WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME DOING THINGS THAT REALLY DON’T MATTER……..WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING THE KINGDOM…

AND WE DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY TO PUT INTO THE THINGS THAT DO MATTER…!

… AND AS A RESULT, WE FIND OURSELVES FEELING BURNED OUT WHEN IT COMES TO DOING THE THINGS OF GOD… IN OTHER WORDS…… EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE LOSE OUR ZEAL……WE LOSE OUR WILL TO GO ON….. OUR DETERMINATION… AND IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY…!

NOW I BELIEVE THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS FORCED MANY OF US TO SLOW DOWN AND FOCUS ON WHAT’S IMPORTANT....SUCH AS THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY.....AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WORSHIP TOGETHER IN THE SANCTUARY HAS SHOWN US THE IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIPPING WITH THE SAINTS......

BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT NOW THAT WE CAN TURN INTO OUR FAVORITE WORSHIP SERVICE FROM OUR HOMES....SOME OF US GET CAUGHT UP IN DOING OTHER THINGS WHILE WE SHOULD BE WATCHING AND WORSHIPPING....AND OUR WORK FOR THE KINGDOM HAS TAKEN A BACK SEAT TO OTHER THINGS IN OUR LIVES.....

THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE GROW WEARY OF DOING KINGDOM WORK, IN TIMES LIKE THESE WE ARE TO SEEK THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD.

THIS TEXT PAINTS FOR US A MIRROR-LIKE METAPHOR OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN…

IT PARALLELS THE CURRENT SITUATION THAT MANY OF US FIND OURSELVES IN EACH AND EVERY DAY…!

THE TEXT LETS US KNOW THAT THERE WAS A MARRIAGE FEAST GOING ON, AND AT SUCH FEASTS, IT WAS CUSTOMARY TO SERVE WINE AS THE DRINK…

HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER THE FEAST BEGINS, A TRAGIC THING HAPPENS… AFTER ONLY THREE DAYS INTO THE WEEKLONG CELEBRATION…..

THE WINE RUNS OUT…! AND THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS IN MANY OF OUR LIVES TODAY… SOON AFTER YOU START SERVING THE LORD… DOING HIS WILL… WALKING IN HIS WAY… IN OTHER WORDS TURNING AWAY FROM SIN… LEAVING UNGODLY FOLK BEHIND… CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE… CHANGING YOUR MINDSET… YOUR ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY.…!

YOU SEE THE FEAST REPRESENTS THE CELEBRATION OF OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST…

REMEMBER (DEACON LEWIS)….. WINE WAS THE CUSTOMARY DRINK AT WEDDING FEASTS, AND JUST AS A MAN AND WOMAN ARE JOINED IN MARRIAGE OR UNION, SO ARE WE WITH CHRIST AT THE TIME OF OUR SALVATION…

WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT YOUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST OUGHT TO BE LIKE A FEAST (HONEYMOON) THAT NEVER ENDS…!

AND AT THIS FEAST, THE WINE THAT IS BEING SERVED IS SYMBOLIC OF YOUR JOY, YOUR PEACE, AND YOUR HOPE IN JESUS CHRIST…

THE WINE IS SYMBOLIC OF WHAT EVERYBODY WHO IS IN THE BODY SHOULD HAVE… BUT FOR WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE……

WE ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY…! WE’VE RUN OUT OF JOY… WE’VE RUN OUT OF ZEAL……… YOU SEE….

WE LOOK GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT ON THE INSIDE, WE’RE EMPTY…WE’VE RUN OUT OF HOPE… WE’VE BECOME SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT….

…… DEPLETED……WORN DOWN AND EXHAUSTED… AND THERE’S NOTHING LEFT IN STORAGE… NOTHING LEFT FOR US TO PULL FROM…

AND AS A RESULT……..OUR PRAISE HAS BECOME PASSIVE… OUR TESTIMONY IS TIRED…

OUR WITNESS IS WEAK…!

WE’RE RUNNING ON EMPTY…! AM I SPEAKING TO SOMEONE THIS MORNING……

NOW IF YOU RESEARCH THE CUSTOMS OF FEASTS AND CELEBRATIONS, AND THE USE OF WINE, YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS OFFENSE FOR THE FAMILY HOSTING THE FEAST TO RUN OUT OF WINE…!

IT WAS UNTHINKABLE FOR THE FAMILY TO RUN OUT OF WINE… IT WAS SO SERIOUS THAT CHARGES COULD BE BROUGHT UP AGAINST THE FAMILY…..

AND

LET ME SUGGEST TO YOU TODAY THAT IT’S A SERIOUS OFFENSE AGAINST THE CHURCH AND THE BODY OF CHRIST TO RUN OUT….. OF JOY, HOPE, AND PEACE…TO RUN OUT OF ZEAL…….

YOU OUGHT TO HAVE SO MUCH OF CHRIST IN YOU THAT YOU NEVER RUN OUT…JOY……SO MUCH CHRIST IN YOU THAT YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF HOPE……SO MUCH CHRIST IN YOU THAT YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF PEACE!

YOU SEE….. WHEN WE RUNNING ON EMPTY (SISTER CAROL),….. ALL OF OUR PREACHING, TEACHING, SINGING, AND SERVICE IS OF NO VALUE BECAUSE WE’VE RUN OUT OF THE JOY….WE’VE RUN OUT OF ZEAL…! SO WE FIND OURSELVES ASKING THE QUESTION… WHAT DO WE DO WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING ON EMPTY?

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T GO ON…?

HOW DO YOU RESTORE THE JOY THAT WAS ONCE THERE…?

WELL I BELIEVE THIS TEXT GIVES US THREE POINTS WE CAN GLEAN FROM WHEN WE ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY……

LET ME SUGGEST…….

I. FIND THE SOURCE

MARY KNEW WHERE TO GO... SHE KNEW WHAT SHE HAD TO DO.... SHE DIDN’T WASTE TIME FOOLING WITH EVERYTHING ELSE...

SHE KNEW HOW TO FIND THE SOURCE...! LIKEWISE, WE HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO FIND THE SOURCE...! AND JUST LIKE MARY……WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GO TO GOD IN OUR TIME OF NEED... HOW TO GO TO HIM WHEN WE ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY...

FOR INDEED HE IS THE SOURCE...

JUST LOOK AT GEN 1:1: “IN THE BEGINNING….. GOD CREATED THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH....”

THEN JESUS TELLS US IN REV 1:8: “I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, SAYS THE LORD, WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY...!”

BROTHERS AND SISTERS…….THAT’S PROOF IN ITSELF THAT HE IS THE SOURCE....!

WHEN YOUR WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE-DOWN...

WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING ON EMPTY AND PRETTY MUCH RUNNING ON FUMES…..

WHEN YOUR PRAISE HAS FIZZLED OUT!

WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE RUNNING ON FUMES, GO TO THE SOURCE...! PSALMS 46:1, “GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE...”

IN OTHER WORDS……WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WHEN THINGS LOOK SHAKEY AND I’M ON EMPTY, I KNOW THAT HAVE TO GO BACK AND FIND THE SOURCE....

BECAUSE PAUL TOLD ME THAT (ACTS 17:24-28) “GOD MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT (THAT INCLUDES WINE!),(AND BECAUSE) HE IS LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, HE DOES NOT DWELL IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS;

(AND BECAUSE) HE GIVES TO ALL LIFE, AND BREATH, AND ALL THINGS...

AND HAS MADE FROM ONE BLOOD EVERY NATION OF MEN TO DWELL ON ALL THE FACE OF THE EARTH...

(AND BECAUSE) HE HAS DETERMINED THEIR PRE-APPOINTED TIMES AND THE BOUNDS OF THEIR DWELLINGS;

SO THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, IN THE HOPE THAT THEY MIGHT GROPE FOR HIM, AND FIND HIM, THOUGH HE IS NOT FAR FROM EACH ONE OF US:

FOR IN HIM WE LIVE, AND MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING...”

I KNOW HE IS THE SOURCE...! TELL SOMEBODY, “HE IS MY SOURCE….. HE IS MY SOURCE…..

HE IS MY SOURCE….. ARE YOU RUNNING ON EMPTY?

BUT I BELIEVE THE TEXT GIVES US ANOTHER POINT WE CAN TAKE WITH US…… AND I KNOW THE CULINARY KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS…..

LET ME SUGGEST THAT WE MUST……

II. FOLLOW THE RECIPE

NOTICE WHAT JESUS SAYS IN VERSE 7: “FILL THE WATERPOTS WITH WATER...” THEY HAD RUN OUT OF WINE, BUT JESUS SAID, “FILL THE WATERPOTS WITH WATER...!”

YOU SEE BROTHERS AND SISTERS……THE WATERPOT REPRESENTS A VESSEL (THAT’S YOU AND ME) HARD; EMPTY VESSELS READY FOR USE...

AND LIKEWISE, THE WATER IS SYMBOLIC OF THE WORD OF GOD... JESUS SAID, “FILL THE WATERPOTS WITH WATER...” WHEN YOUR WINE RUNS OUT, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RECIPE THE JESUS HAS PREPARED FOR US.... WHEN YOUR WINE RUNS OUT, YOU’VE GOT TO FILL YOURSELF (THE WATERPOT) UP WITH WATER.... (THE WORD OF GOD)

IN OTHER WORDS……YOU’VE GOT TO FILL YOURSELF WITH HIS WORD...!

IF YOU’RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RECIPE, CHECK OUT SOME OF THE ADDED INGREDIENTS FOUND IN PSALM 1:1-2... "BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, AND IN HIS LAW… HE MEDITATES DAY AND NIGHT....”

ONE WHO FILLS HIMSELF WITH THE WORD IS ONE WHO IS “FULLY SATISFIED…”

ONE WHO IS FILLED WITH THE WORD IS COMPLETELY FULL WITH IT……

TO THE POINT THAT IT PERMEATES AND SATURATES THEIR VERY BEING…

THEY’VE GOT SO MUCH WORD ON THE INSIDE, THAT IT LITERALLY RUNS OVER AND POURS OUT IN THEIR EVERYDAY WALK WITH THE LORD…!

WHEN WE FILL OURSELVES WITH GOD’S WORD, IT BECOMES A PART OF OUR INNER PERSON… IT INFILTRATES US… AND WHEN IT BECOMES PART OF OUR INNER MAN…… WE SAY WHAT DAVID SAID……."YOUR WORD HAVE I HID IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU…!”

AND AS WE FILL UP WITH HIS WORD…… IT WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME A PART OF US…

HIS WORD WILL BECOME MORE THAN JUST MERE WORDS PUT TOGETHER ON A PAGE…

BUT IT WILL BECOME A LIVING, BREATHING, AND LIFE CHANGING WORD…! THAT WILL HAVE DEEP ROOTED MEANING TO US…!

AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS……

ONCE WE START TO FILL UP ON HIS WORD… ONCE WE BECOME FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH HIS WORD…

WE’LL BE ABLE WITHSTAND THE ATTACKS OF THE ENEMY WHEN HE COMES OUR WAY…!

YOU’LL EXPERIENCE A REJUVENATION OF GOD’S GOODNESS...

WHEN YOU ARE FILLED WITH THE WORD, YOU WON’T HAVE ROOM FOR ANYTHING ELSE...

WHEN YOU’RE FILLED WITH THE WORD, YOU WON’T HAVE ROOM FOR ANY FOOLISHNESS... NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHEN YOU’RE FULL WITH THE WORD, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS...

ARE YOU RUNNING ON EMPTY?

THEN YOU OUGHT TO……. FIND THE SOURCE.... FOLLOW THE RECIPE...!

BUT THERE’S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN GATHER FROM THE TEXT……

III. FEAST ON THE GOOD WINE

AFTER JESUS HAD THE SERVANTS FILL THE WATERPOTS UP WITH WATER…..THAT WAS USED FOR CLEANSING…….WE SEE THAT JESUS CHANGES THE WATER INTO WINE…….THAT REPRESENTS HIS BLOOD THAT WOULD BE SHED………THAT PURIFIES US…..AND POINTS TO THE HOLY COMMUNION….

THE GOOD WINE…….

AND WE ARE TO FEAST ON THE GOOD WINE

THE WORD FEAST (IN THIS CONTEXT) MEANS TO CELEBRATE, TO PRAISE, TO EXALT, TO GLORIFY...

IT MEANS TO TAKE PLEASURE IN... TO ENJOY...!

YOU SEE, WHEN YOU HAVE FOUND THE SOURCE... WHEN YOU HAVE FOLLOWED GOD’S RECIPE.... WHEN YOU HAVE FILLED YOUR WATERPOTS THE BRIM WITH WATER... NOT JUST ANY WATER, BUT THE LIVING WATER…

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FEAST ON THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD... YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FEAST ON THE HOPE RESTORED UNTO US...

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FEAST ON HIS EVERLASTING MERCY...!

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FEAST ON HIS GRACE...!

ARE YOU RUNNING ON EMPTY?

WELL….. JUST GET A HOLD OF THE GOOD WINE...!

BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET HOLD OF THE GOOD WINE...

YOU’LL NEVER THIRST AGAIN...!

YOUR JOY WILL BE FULFILLED...!

YOUR FAITH WILL BE RENEWED...!

ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS... HE IS THE GOOD WINE...! SO COME AND DRINK... OF THE GOOD WINE...

COME AND DRINK... OF THE WINE THAT GIVES YOU LIFE…..

ISAIAH SAID, “COME, ALL YOU WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS; AND YOU WHO HAVE NO MONEY, COME, BUY AND EAT! COME, BUY WINE AND MILK WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST.”

AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS…..

THE MORE YOU FEAST ON THE GOOD WINE, THE BETTER IT WILL ‘TASTE’ TO YOU... YOU’LL BEGIN TO SAY, “EVERYDAY WITH JESUS IS SWEETER THEN THE DAY BEFORE...”

THE MORE YOU FEAST ON THE GOOD WINE, THE MORE YOU’LL BEGIN TO SAY, “HE’S SWEET I KNOW... HE’S SWEET I KNOW…

DARK CLOUDS MAY RISE... STRONG WINDS MAY BLOW…

BUT I’LL TELL THE WORLD...

WHEREVER I GO…

THAT I HAVE FOUND A SAVIOR

AND HE’S SWEET.........!

ARE YOU RUNNING ON EMPTY?

FIND THE SOURCE…….FOLLOW THE RECIPE….AND FEAST ON THE GOOD WINE……

THE GOOD WINE……WILL BRING YOU JOY

THE GOOD WINE……WILL BRING YOU PEACE

THE GOOD WINE……WILL RENEW YOUR FAITH

THE GOOD WINE……WILL QUENCH YOUR THIRST

THE GOOD WINE……THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE

THE GOOD WINE……PURIFIES YOUR SOUL

THE GOOD WINE.......HE’S SWEET I KNOW