Second after The Epiphany: Wells of Wine

John 2:1-11

Sermon at St. Andrew's by the Rev. Daniel J. Isadore, Deacon Assistant

Another translation of our Gospel is in order for this morning...

Here goes...

-   Helgermann and the Isadores threw a “whopper” of a celebration at 1115 North Euclid in the East End of Pittsburgh, and the mother of Jesus was there...

-               Fresh bread, smoked meats, and even some first-time bourbon glazed bacon and salmon wraps made an appearance on the appetizer tray...

- The bash was such that even Jesus and His weirdo disciple-friends were invited...

- Here's the thing: the residents of 1115 got in over their heads when they told invitees to "bring whoever you want"

-   For the first time in history, both apartments in the "golden house" of Euclid ran dry...

-               Not a drop could be found anywhere...

-   And the party was really only half way over!

-               Frankly, it was embarrassing, and we're still recovering from that...

- And so, when Jesus' mother heard about it, she turns to her son and was like, "They're dry!"

- And He looks at her and goes, "uh, what do you want me to do? It's not my time yet." (We're still trying to figure out quite what He meant)

- And His mother, without another word, like only a mother can do, seemed to know what was about to happen, and told us to do whatever Jesus said.

- So get this: the guy told us to fill up the bathtubs and sinks with water (huh?)

- And then He tells us to turn on the faucet, fill up a wine bottle, and take it to George Knight, the "head dude" at this party...

- So we fill up a bottle for George. he takes a swig, and asks, "what kind of gig are you guys running? Who saves their best stuff until now?!"

- This was the first of the signs that Jesus did in the East End.

So there’s three things we need to understand in order to get a handle on our Gospel text for this morning...

1.    We need to realize what, exactly, happened

2.    We need to see how it happened

3.    We have to recognize how it happens today

So first, what happened?

-   Traditionally, it’s thought that Jesus filled up some jars with water and turned the water in them into wine...

-   But at least one Biblical scholar takes a different angle...

-               D. A. Carson says this...

-                               The Greek word behind the English word translated “draw” was not associated with dipping a cup or a pitcher in some water...

-                               Instead, this word was used regarding getting water from a well, as in “drawing” water from a well...

-   Implication: It wasn't simply a jar or a bottle of water that turned to wine; it was the whole water supply.

-               This is not just some “trick” that Jesus did; this is Amos 9:13 stuff: the hills were literally flowing with wine!

-               Imagine it: Highland Park reservoir brimming with the fruit of the vine. Stop drooling!

Second, how did this sign take place?

-   Notice: Jesus didn't step up at the party when we thought we had it all together....

-               He let us do our thing..

-   Jesus only got to work when we realized we were at the end of our abilities...

-               When we saw that we came to see that we were in lack and couldn't do a thing about it...

-   We didn't give Him a plan, or demand that He make things work out...

-               It was out of our hands and beyond our minds...

-   In fact, when He told us what to do, we, as was likely the case at the wedding in Cana, thought His directions didn't fit the situation...

-               How does telling us to turn on the faucet have anything to do with replenishing the wine supply?

-               We had no idea where He was going with this, or even if He was going anywhere at all. All we knew was that we didn't know.

But there’s more to how this went down...

-   Not only did the people recognize the lack and their inability to supply more wine; but when Jesus told us what to do, we did it.

-               No questions asked; we just did what He said.

- And we didn’t do it alone; we worked together, just like those in Cana.

So the water supply was turned to wine when we realized our lack, did what Jesus said, and did it together.

So what? What does this story have to do with us this morning?

-   Here’s the thing...this isn’t simply the story of what happened at North Euclid or in Cana two thousand years ago...

-   This same Jesus who showed up in Cana still shows up today, to bring the wine of joy and abundance where we can see only embarrassment and lack...

-   And He does His work today the same way He did it in Cana: He meets us as we come to see our inability, give up on our ways, and simply do whatever He tells us.

- What will He tell us? How do we know when it's Him?

-   I don't know the specifics, but John does give us some help later in the Gospel...

-               From John chapter 13...

-                               Jesus leaves us, right before He goes to the cross, with what He calls "a new command"...

-                               He says this: "Where I am going, you cannot come. I give you a new commandment, that you should love one another. Not any old way, but just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

-                               Just as Jesus has loved us, going out of His way to do whatever it took to be with us and to care for us, so, says Jesus, this is what we should do for each other.

-                               Not on our own, mind you, but together...

-               Let's combine this "new command" with something else Jesus tells us in the next chapter, John 14...

-                               Jesus continues: "They who do what I say (who obey this "new command") are those who love me; and those who love me will experience My Father's love and I will love them and show myself to them."

Alright, so now we can put it all together: How do we know what Jesus will tell us to do? How can we be sure it’s Him?

-    Well, when the call is to step into those places of lack and despair, and to love in the same self-sacrificing way that Jesus has loved us, doing, together, whatever it takes to be with and care for those who are suffering...

-    Then we know that it’s Jesus-stuff...

-   And As we do this, John's report is that He promises to show up.

-               Not automatically; this isn't a button, but a promise. This isn't about controlling and manipulating God.

- This is instead about trusting Jesus, and doing so by placing ourselves at His service for Him to work through us at His timing and in His way.

So, where are those places and those people that we know of where we can go and do what Jesus says to do together?

- Where is there lack and despair? (Pause)

- How can we discover these places and people? (Pause)

-   Maybe some of us are in those places... (Pause)

-               If so, let somebody know...

- Or maybe we can begin a conversation oriented around figuring out where we ourselves can spend some time obeying in eager anticipation of Jesus turning the broken into something beautiful...

-   However we do it, let's not let this text go.

-               Because the Lord is alive. And He's filling empty bottles with the best wine from deep wells.

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