The Second Sunday after Epiphany - 01-18-09

The Church Season of Epiphany,
Second Sunday after Epiphany,
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (January 18, 2008)
One Year Series

“The First of His Miraculous Signs”

Readings:

Psalm 67
Exodus 33:12-23
Ephesians 5:22-33
John 2:1-11

Sermon Form: Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 2nd chapter of St. Matthew, especially the following verses.

John 2:1-11 (NIV)

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that (Jesus) had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

It’s interesting that our Gospel lesson should talk about signs. Because in the past few days and months, we have been inundated with the troublesome signs of banks failing, businesses filing for bankruptcy, bail outs, and tax breaks, and all too many discussions on how to get this world back on track. I say it’s interesting because at some point in the midst of the ever increasing challenges and all the bleak news, at some point we begin to shrug off and zone out what is going on around us. And when we reach the point of saturation a common phrase is often used, and it is this, “Well, it’s just another sign of the times.” In our Gospel lesson Jesus’ disciples and a few of those closest to Him received an invitation to a wedding in Cana. And at that wedding those guests were blessed to have Jesus in their midst, but they would soon learn that they would be blessed beyond their belief by the first of,

“HIS MIRACULOUS SIGNS”

Life is full of signs and promises, we see them every day. A sign tells us where to get on the elevator, where the lunch room is and even where the bathroom is. But the difference with the man-made signs that we see in our daily lives is that the promise made by the sign is not always kept. Sometimes the sign directs us to the elevator, but the elevator is out of order. Sometimes a sign directs us to drive down a certain road, but then we find that the road has been closed for construction. The signs of our lives never seem to warn us of the unexpected turns ahead. But you know if we did have some sort of advanced warning of all that was to face us in our earthly lives we probably couldn’t or wouldn’t want to hear about it. For if we were given advance notice of life’s challenges we would be tempted to stay in bed and avoid all that we knew was to happen.

There were plenty of advanced warnings of what was to happen at that wedding in Cana But, it would seem that no one knew that this wedding would be the place of the first of Jesus’ miraculous signs. However, we do know for certain that there was one person who knew what was to happen that day. For it was not by coincidence that Jesus, His disciples and His mother were invited to and attended a wedding and banquet. Jesus was there for a reason, though His time had not yet come, this was indeed the hour prescribed for the for the first miraculous signs.

And at that wedding banquet, as often still happens, something doesn’t quite go according to plans, something goes awry, something unexpected happens, and this particular banquet would be no exception. For there is no more wine, it’s all gone, the celebration was not yet over, the unexpected had happened, and the embarrassment and remorse was about to begin. And noticing the situation Jesus’ mother points out to her Son that there was no more wine. Jesus rebuffed his mother saying, “His time had not yet come”(v.4) The unexpected had occurred and Jesus certainly responded with an unexpected wedding gift. For He changes 6 jars of water into wine, 180 gallons of choice wine the quality of which even impressed a banquet master. Jesus gave royally in His gift, it is lavish in both quantity and quality. This first of Jesus’ miraculous signs shows that there is no limit to His power to give, for even the slightest need is enough to evoke His compassionate aid. But, this first of His miraculous miracles was not just a physical blessing, it was also proof that this man Jesus was both human and divine. The man Jesus attended the wedding and banquet, the divine nature of Jesus gave the man Jesus the power to perform the miracle.

Throughout scriptures there are many accounts of unexpected twists and turns in the lives of the people of God and many accounts or miraculous signs too. The Israelites were led on a wandering journey through the desert. On the journey the Israelites thirsted and unexpectedly God gave them a miraculous sign for a rock produced water. The Israelites hungered and unexpectedly God gave them a sign, for manna and quail came down from heaven.

Our lives may seem like a long winding journey, one in which we have seen and experienced either unwanted or unexpected twists. Sometimes those unexpected occurrences happen when we least expect them spoiling our plans and expectations. Signs which seemed like they pointed us to a never ending successful and unchallenged life are torn apart by the unexpected. We are faced with all the hardships life can deal us. Unexpected sicknesses, unexpected family turmoil, unexpected pain and suffering inflicts itself into the otherwise beautifully planned banquet feast of our lives. And all the pain and suffering in the world and in our lives is very real, they are not just inconveniences to be endured but rather painful realities which we face. Left to our own senses it would seem that the wine has run out and the party is over. For it seems that there is no miraculous sign in this world which can point us to the way to get ourselves undone from our afflictions. It is a hopeless and faithless earthly sin induced banquet famine.

Yet into our world steps a divine guest who was sent to save us from our sin, from our death, and from the devil. And that guest is Jesus Christ who performed His first miraculous sign at the wedding of Cana, but it was not His last sign. For many gathered around Him because they had heard and seen all the miraculous signs He had done. At Cana He changed water into wine, at Galilee He walked on the water, He rebuked the wind, He cured the sick, He raised the dead, and so much more than just those signs. For His last miraculous sign on this earth Jesus Christ went to the cross and He died there, for you and for me. And in His death and resurrection Christ continues to do even more miraculous things for us.

For in your baptism you were given the sign of the cross, and God’s Word was combined with water, and that is miraculous sign which proclaims shows that you have been made a child of God. In holy communion plain bread and plain wine are combined with God’s word and they are Christ’s true body and blood. In Holy communion you receive the miraculous sign that your sins are forgiven. So, no matter what you now face, rejoice the party is not yet over. The troubled waters of this world have been changed into unending abundance of new wine. And you will drink deeply of this new wine with Christ who will one day take you from this earthly banquet famine and bring you to His eternal banquet feast. AMEN

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