Gathering at the Table - Catering Crisis
A Note: I have returned to the retail workforce. That will impact my writing timing to some degree but I hope not much. The biggest impact will be on Monday Morning With Jesus and when that gets published. I wrote it yesterday but also had to work. When I got off I didn’t have the energy to move through the editing process and post it, which is why this is coming out on Tuesday. Please bear with me as I adjust to the new schedule. Thanks.
I left my tablet at home on Sunday. I had to write my notes on my phone, which was a challenge because it was small. It worked out, though, because it’s a Samsung Note 9, and I turned it sideways to give me enough space. However, I didn’t get to read the scripture ahead of time, so I have no notes on that from just reading it other than this.
This is Jesus’ first miracle. He is known only to a handful of people at this point. Mary comes to Him and asks Him to help the family of the bride as the celebration is still going on, but they have run out of wine. He doesn’t want to get the ball rolling here, but He obeys His mother’s request.
First, let’s see the scripture.
1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;
2and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
4And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.”
5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
6Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
7Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.
8And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.
9When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom,
10and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”
11This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
John 2:1–11 (NASB95)
First, let me say this. Jesus is God made flesh.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was in the beginning with God.
3All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.
8He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1–14 (NASB95)
These are the open words of the Gospel of John. John leaves no wiggle room for who he believes Jesus is. John 1:1 sets the Word as God. John 1:14 takes the Word and makes it flesh. God has taken the form of Man. If you disagree with that sentiment, you will likely disagree with the rest of this week’s post as well.
Why is it important to understand Jesus was God, the Father, in fleshly form on Earth?
Because that means Jesus’ words carry the same weight as God’s words in the Old Testament. It means as Christians, we should give everything in the New Testament the same weight of authority as the Old Testament. “But Jesus didn’t say everything in the New Testament. He only said the red letters.”
That’s true, but the Holy Spirit and God are the authors of it all, which ties back to the point that Jesus was God. Jesus fully understood all of the Old Testament Scripture, so there are no contradictions in the New Testament. There are only things the Flesh doesn’t understand about the Kingdom of God.
Back to today’s passage from the sermon.
Jesus has told His mother it isn’t His time (v4), but He does what she asks Him to do anyway. I find that significant. In much of scripture, Jesus doesn’t do what His disciples ask Him to do because He knows it isn’t the right course of action. We will never know what would have happened if Mary had stepped back and simply let Jesus be in charge. Here, she says to the servants to do what He says, and He does what He knows His mother wants Him to do. We have our first public miracle, but this miracle isn’t as public as they will become. We’ll get to that later.
Pastor Kristen opened by juxtaposing the joy of an event like a wedding with the panic of a host who realizes something isn’t going as planned. It is very likely we’ve all experienced that sort of panic. Maybe not at a wedding level of panic, but a birthday or special occasion, perhaps.
I want to project the scope of what is done here. This wedding is by far not at a rich person’s house. This mother and father hosting their daughter’s wedding party have pulled out all the stops, spending as much as they can afford. Unfortunately, their guests have run through all the wine they have purchased, but the night is still young. This is not how weddings are supposed to go in that time. In fact, it is seen as an ill omen for the newlyweds. Mom and Dad do not want to send the new couple out into the world on this foot, and Mary apparently knows them. She knows Jesus can help.
Side note here. I wonder how Mary knows Jesus can help? As a small boy, did Jesus do something similar? Is this a family party trick? Did Mary and Joseph stop buying wine at some point and just let Jesus make their water at every meal into wine? All of that is somewhat irreverent, but it makes me wonder how Mary knew He could do this?
Regardless, Mary does know Jesus can turn water into wine. Scripture tells us six waterpots held “…three firkins apiece.” What is a firkin? You can read Wikipedia’s entry Here. Essentially, a firkin is 9 US gallons. These held three firkins, and there were six of them. That makes for about 162 gallons. A US gallon is roughly 3 liters. A modern bottle of wine is 750 milliliters, so there are four bottles of wine in three liters, which means Jesus turns that water into 648 bottles of wine by volume. That is a lot of wine for any party.
Pastor Lee discussed the word miracles here, likening them to signs, saying that was how her translation read them. The NASB does use signs, but the KJV uses miracles. Let’s take a look at the Greek word behind that English word.
Greek Strong’s Number: 4592
Greek Word: σημεῖον
Transliteration: sēmeion
Phonetic Pronunciation: say-mi’-on
Root: from a presumed derivative of the base of <G4591>
Cross Reference: TDNT - 7:200,1015
Part of Speech: n n
Vine’s Words: Miracle, Sign, Token
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
sign 50
miracle 23
wonder 3
token 1
[Total Count: 77]
neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of <G4591> (semaino); an indication, especially cerimonial or supernatural:- miracle, sign, token, wonder.
James Strong, “Σημεῖον,” Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (WORDsearch, 2020).
Where this particular entry is made in the King James, we have the article ton/ho/or o ho (Strongs 3588), which all are there to lend weight. I have always read it, lending a divine weight to whatever word it is attached. I am not a Greek scholar, so feel free to see it in another light.
Regardless, the word used is there to tell us the actions Jesus takes are a sign, an indication, something that distinguishes. In this case, it distinguishes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry but not just like standing on a soap box and making an announcement on a street corner.
Notice that no one at the party knows what Jesus did except the disciples and the servants. The guests don’t know. The hosts don’t know. The bride and groom don’t know. Only the disciples and those working at the party know.
Pastor Lee went on to say that not only did Jesus turn water into wine, but He turned it into the best wine any of them had tasted. That’s from the man in charge of the party, who ensured the quality of everything served was up to par with what he expected the guests to receive. He even complimented the hosts on this in verse ten.
Jesus didn’t just turn the water into acceptable wine. He turned it into the best wine. Pastor Lee started using the term extravagant abundance at this point, meaning God’s actions don’t just meet the needs but provide over and above what we need. Our cup runneth over.
1The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:1–6 (NASB95)
Pastor Lee used two other scriptures.
13“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When the plowman will overtake the reaper And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills will be dissolved.
14“Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, And they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them; They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, And make gardens and eat their fruit.
15“I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land Which I have given them,” Says the Lord your God.
Amos 9:13–15 (NASB95)
She used just verse thirteen to get to the mountains dripping with wine, but I liked the last two also, so I included them. Her point was that an abundance of wine at a wedding festival like this was a sign of “more to come,” meaning abundance in the new life of the happy couple that is to come. She quoted a second scripture as well.
17Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no more.
18And in that day The mountains will drip with sweet wine, And the hills will flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of the Lord To water the valley of Shittim.
19Egypt will become a waste, And Edom will become a desolate wilderness, Because of the violence done to the sons of Judah, In whose land they have shed innocent blood.
20But Judah will be inhabited forever And Jerusalem for all generations.
21And I will avenge their blood which I have not avenged, For the Lord dwells in Zion.
Joel 3:17–21 (NASB95)
Her quote was 3:18 only, but I liked what surrounded it and included extra passages.
Jesus does His first miracle here in front of just His disciples and the servants. This does two things. First, it solidifies the disciple’s faith in Him as they witness what cannot be. Second, it provides witnesses outside His group of supporters so others cannot claim His people are just telling lies. His disciple’s stories will be corroborated by other people, giving another witness and lending credence to the story for those who weren’t there. Finally, the head waiter has no idea what has happened as the “water” is brought to him for testing. When he not only finds it acceptable but stops the party to praise the host and hostess, it only confirms and lends more weight to the miracle. Even Thomas cannot claim it didn’t happen at this point or was something it wasn’t.
Pastor Lee went into her closing statement about us letting Jesus turn our lives into “extravagant joy.” She highlighted the second aspect of East Cobb United Methodist Church’s motto, “Gather, Grow, Go,” to tie it to extravagant joy: we should grow in faith, love, and joy through abundance. I contend that we should do that through the lens of the Kingdom of God verse the Flesh of the World. Not everything that is an abundance of God is tied to our fleshly bodies, like the wine and the party. However, when Jesus’ hand moves in our lives, we should look for that extravagant joy and abundance and see how we might use it to grow our faith, love, and joy, but not just for us. Let’s see how we can repurpose and redirect that to the people around us, too, as Jesus did for the guests at the wedding celebration. He not only blessed the host and hostess by being honored by the head waiter for their perceived extravagance, but everyone at the party got to drink the best wine instead of something else.
Pastor Lee closed with a question. She asked this. Can we be that same miraculous sign of extravagant joy growing in faith, love, and joy? I contend that we could use the word abundance interchangeably with joy in there, too. How can we be “extravagant joy/abundance” for ourselves and those around us as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday? God bless and Godspeed.