January 17th, 2010

2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Texts:  John 2: 1 - 11

Dear Friends in Christ,

            A tour guide excitedly announced to his group, “And this is where they signed the Magna Carta!”  With that a tourist responded, “When was that?”  “1215” said the guide.  The tourist then looked at his wife, “Well, how about that, Edna?  We missed it by twenty minutes.”

            Most often our minds are not tuned into the happenings of life, their meanings, their impact.  For the most part, we are unconcerned with those things that don’t seem to affect us right now.  When things are planned, expected, or going well timing appears to be irrelevant.  Enjoy the moment.  When things are going bad we usually whine about it, and we ask “why me?”  Life at times can just wear us down.  Today with the first miracle of Jesus as the backdrop we find hope when our lives are . . .

“RUNNING ON EMPTY”

            In the Bible, wine is a symbol of rejoicing.  Wine or any other alcoholic beverage is not forbidden to us.  What is forbidden is of course drunkenness which can lead to a host of other sins.  Used in moderation, it is a good gift and a symbol of rejoicing.  When the wine is running on empty and when it finally runs out, the rejoicing disappears in Cana and the awful churning of the stomach begins.

            How about you this morning?  Has the wine run out of your life?  Are you running on empty?  Are you full of anguish and despair?  Emptiness is without a doubt a widespread characteristic of our society.  Everywhere, everybody seems to be in a state of want.  This is odd since we are the richest culture in the world and probably human history.  The real problem points to our spiritual starvation.

            Spiritually speaking, the vast majority of humanity is starving for the truth.  You can have everything in the world but if your spiritual cup is empty then everything is empty.  The lack of wine is more than a lack of wine.  Running on empty is the theme of our society that is caught up in everything but the rejoicing than can come only in Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins.

            A small boy was asked on a television variety show if he attended Sunday School.  When he said he did, he was asked, “What are you learning?”  “Last week,” came the reply, “our lesson was about when Jesus went to the wedding and made water into wine.”  “And what did you learn from the story?”  After thinking for a moment, the boy answered, “If you’re having a wedding, make sure Jesus is there!”

            There is a lot of truth in what the boy had to say.  Rejoicing is found not just in the wine but in the one who is behind the wine – the one who has made it.  In this life we may be running on empty, but in those moments it is vital to remember that there is a great wedding guest who is able to do everything right.  The presence of our Lord is an absolute must.  Jesus should be present every day of our lives. 

            There were in the house six stone water jars used for ceremonial cleansing.  Jesus commanded that these jars be filled to the brim with water.  We wonder what kind of remarks the servants said among themselves when Jesus told them to draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.  But the miracle of water into wine had taken place.  This was not merely an act to cause wonder and amazement.  It was a sign that proclaimed the reason why Jesus had come into the world.  This was Jesus’ first miracle and the disciples put their faith in Him. 

            The six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing were a symbol of the law.  The law reminds us that because of sin we are all running on empty.  Having more earthly wine isn’t the solution to anguish and despair.  Nothing can be done by our power to somehow create rejoicing.  Instead, Christ changes the harsh law into the sweet wine of the Gospel.  Jesus fulfills the law and sends us the wine of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation which is the real and true cause of rejoicing.  Our rejoicing is not bound in a thing, but in the one who gives everlasting joy.  He is the only one who truly knows what our needs are and his timing means salvation.

            At the wedding feast in Cana we look at Jesus with new eyes of faith, but do we see the power in it?  Christian hearts are in need of special strength in these days of distress.  That special strength comes only from the gracious presence of Jesus.  When running on empty, we need the one who can and does change water into wine.  That is a special blessing from the Lord.  Listen how one Pastor puts it:

            “Oh, that we might allow this Lord to enter our homes, not to sojourn, but to abide with His rich supply of blessings!  The jars have not been made smaller.  And there is so much water in our homes, also in our church, that needs to be changed to wine.  The waterpots so often are full to the brim.  Much of it is bitter water, briny water from tearful eyes, Marah water.  Bitterness, discord, petty bickerings, and violent outbursts prey upon domestic love and harmony.  So many unnecessary things help to fill the water jars with Marah water…so often Christians find the Marah water so bitter that, like Israel of old, when they taste it, they cannot drink it.  But when there is an Epiphany in our homes, a manifestation of the Lord, all such waters are changed into wine.  That is the Epiphany lesson:  He can do it, and He does it when He is invited to abide with us.”

            He who manifested himself at Cana’s wedding feast is the “same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Let us never overlook the fact that He manifested his glory in a home by bestowing a blessing on it, even in the midst of what might be termed an embarrassment.  His timing and work is always best for us because it always takes into consideration our salvation.  Though we may feel that we are running on empty, he fills us with the sweet wine of everlasting life.  In Jesus, we will never find ourselves empty.         

                         Amen