BIBLE READING: John 2:1-11

SERMON

This is one miracle that ought to endear Jesus to the hearts of many Australians. Not only is Jesus having a good time at a party, but he also supplies the grog! I’m sure there are many people who would like to perform the trick of turning water to wine!

Back in Jesus time the wine was not as strong as it is today. They would mix their wine with water: 1 part wine ... 3-4 parts water. Water was not sanitised like it is today - no fluoride, chlorine or other health preserving chemicals. Wine acted as a sterilising agent that killed the bugs that swam around in the water. However, wine was also very important for more symbolic reasons. It represented to the Jews a sign of God’s favour and the land’s fertility. God’s blessing on the land, that then produces crops of grapes and corn and figs.

While they frowned on getting drunk, Jews saw wine as a social lubricant, and as such it was used on all occasions, from the evening meal, to special parties and religious celebrations. It was so important that if you were hosting a special occasion and the wine ran out, you were liable to be heavily fined - plus experiencing shame and embarrassment due to the scorn of the community.

It was a disaster for the newly married couple that they ran out of wine. Parties back then were different to how it is today. They went on for days. To supply the food and wine for such a feast was a heavy financial burden. It is quite probable that the couple were not well off, as they could not supply the extra wine So the diminishing reserves must have been a worry - to be embarrassed in front of their guests, and the possibility of fines.
When Jesus comes to the rescue, he not only saves the day, but gives the couple a solid stake to begin their married life - 500 litres of fine wine would have amounted to a fortune!

The way Jesus made the wine was special too! He transforms water into wine. The wine was extraordinary - the water it came from was significant too! This water was symbolic water, used for ritual cleaning. Throughout the feast people would have ritually cleansed themselves with water taken from the stone water jars.

People were considered to be unclean not necessarily because they had dirt on them, but because they were always doing wrong things. The water was a symbol of cleansing. This cleansing was especially important at a wedding which was itself a symbol of purity and love.

So Jesus had at least two things in mind when he turned water to wine.
1] He wanted to show God’s love,  favour and blessing in some concrete way.
2] He wanted us to realise that when we trust in him, we don’t have to keep on trying to be good. The rituals we perform, those things that we feel we should do, are no longer things that need bind us.

As we experience God’s love, favour and blessing, we begin to see the world from a different perspective. No longer bound by our compulsions to be good and not be bad, we are freed to live our lives in a state of grace - where we do good because we take pleasure in it.

I know a woman who is bound by a deep sense of obligation and guilt to visit her parents. She doesn't enjoy going to see them, but she feels she should. Whenever she goes they either ignore her or criticise her and put her down. Jesus wants to save us from these unhealthy obligations and the guilt we carry. Over the years I have seen this woman with God’s help stop her compulsive visits, and now she is in control. She still goes to see her parents, they still act terribly towards her, but she recognises that she loves them and want them to know how much God loves them. Once we have enjoyed the favour and blessing of God, anything we do is done in love and because we want to do it. there is no compulsion. This is what that lady found with her parents. While their actions still hurt her, she counters this hurt with love - love modelled on the love Jesus has for her.

Baptism is all about turning water into wine. For the water in baptism symbolises the amazing act of God’s grace and love shown to us in Jesus his son. Like the couple at Cana who ran out of wine - we are overwhelmed by the generosity of God who gives us his love, and offers us freedom from guilt and fear and obligations that pull us down.

Communion is about another transformation. This bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we remember, as we eat and drink, we are also transformed.

Do you carry around a lot of should’s - actions you do because you have to - is life full of numbness, dullness, helplessness. Jesus can transform your life. He wants you to experience the blessing and favour of God. Allow him to turn your guilt, your shame, your obligations into joy and freedom. Hear the Good news - Jesus wants to give you more than you could possibly imagine. Turn to him, rely on him, he will not let you down!

Acknowledgement: Sharla Hulsey