How Jesus Turns Water into Wine ~ John 2:1-11 ~ Second Sunday after Epiphany

On the third day of a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee, there’s a problem.  The wine has run out.

It hardly seems that a situation like this would be serious enough to involve Jesus. 

If something like this happened in our time, it would probably be a minor, temporary inconvenience; after all, Giant Eagle and Sheetz are open ‘round the clock.

But in Jesus’ day, this was a disaster.  For starters, weddings were not celebrated in the space of a few hours.  Most were massive celebrations that could last as long as a week.  Everyone in town would be invited.  Without soft drinks or clean tap water available, wine was the only available form of refreshment—so running out would be a big problem.

Yet this was also a severe social faux-pas for the bridegroom’s family.  Running out of wine was a “slap in the face” to the bride’s family, and to everyone in town who turned out for the occasion.  They could have been dragged into court and sued for such an offense.

Suffice it to say, this was not a life-or-death situation, but it was very much a crisis.

Jesus’ mother knows what a significant problem this is.  That is why she tells Jesus.

Is this what we do in a desperate situation?  Do we name the crisis before Jesus?

When we do, do we have the faith that Jesus will act?  Do we have the confidence that Jesus is more powerful than the situation?  Do we trust that Jesus will (ultimately) do for us whatever is best?

This is a case where it’s easy to say yes—but it is not so easy to live out. 

It’s easy for the situation to get the best of us, so that we see only the empty jars.  Panic strikes as we’re convinced that we’re going under.  Our heads spin out of control at all the terrible possibilities that could come to pass.

But Jesus’ mother knows that he is not powerless against the situation.  That’s why tells the bridegroom’s servants, “do whatever he tells you.” 

What Jesus tells them to do would hardly make sense from a logical standpoint: he tells them to fill six water jugs with water.  Then he tells them to draw from the jars.  They do as Jesus says, and suddenly they see his glory.  They see him for who he really is.

And when we find ourselves in such a situation, and our whole world shatters, Jesus wants to show us his glory just the same.  He wants to give us the signs by which we can believe in him.  Isn’t this what we want in times like these—to believe in Jesus? Then that we must act on our belief, so that Jesus will get the best of the situation—instead of the situation getting the best of us...

So we begin by naming the crisis before Jesus.  This is our first act of faith; for if we do this we must believe that Jesus will hear us.  We must stop the panic and replant ourselves firmly in what we believe and who we believe in...

Secondly, we do whatever he tells us to do—and we begin with the most basic acts of obedience.  We love and trust in God above all things.  We love our neighbors in truth and action.  We forgive.  And we pray without ceasing—because the more we pray, the more God’s Spirit will bring peace to our hearts.  Then, we’ll be inspired to do the will of God in ways we might not have expected.  God’s Spirit will give us the wisdom to know God’s will and the strength to do it.

Thirdly, we wait on God in trust—for as we know, God’s timing is not always our timing.  Yet we remain in obedient trust, that we will taste and see the glory of God.

And fourth, we recognize that we shall not see the glory of God if we keep to ourselves, and live only for ourselves.  The wedding at Cana shows us that the servants had to work together, WITH Jesus, and only then could they see the glory of God.  We need each other to believe in Christ and do his will. 

With Jesus, the crisis became a golden opportunity to experience the awesome power of God.  Jesus will raise us up from the depths of panic and despair, into faith, joy, and new life. 

I remember a story told by one of my seminary professors: a classmate of his, who was also a husband and father of three, was badly injured in a car accident.

As soon as the news reached the seminary community, they united in constant prayer for their friend and his family.  Against all odds, he survived.  That prayer was answered.  But he would be permanently paralyzed from the waist down.

But God was not done answering their prayers.  His family needed all the help they could get, taking care of the children, in addition to caring for their dad.  So in spite of the seminarians’ busy schedule, they all came together, taking turns in cooking meals and doing laundry and babysitting the children.  With their help, his wife was even able to go back to work.  And God was still not done answering prayers.  The Spirit continued to stir the hearts of the community, that they helped his wife with the arduous tasks of dressing and bathing their friend.  (And this isn’t something they did for a couple of weeks; they did this for years!)  Against all odds, this man graduated from seminary and became a pastor.  Together, they reveled in the glory of our crucified and risen Lord—in the love and care they showed to a child of God in need...

This is how Jesus turns water into wine. 

In our worst days, we want more than anything to believe in Jesus Christ; and that he is loving us and caring for us.  Well, God has a plan to fulfill our hearts’ desire.  When the wine runs out, Jesus turns water into wine.  When the bottom drops out, Jesus will keep us from going under.  With full faith and confidence in the love of Jesus Christ, let us name before him whatever is afflicting us—then let us do what he tells us to do.  Let us come together, as one Body in Christ, to walk in his love and wait in hope—for soon we shall all taste and see the goodness of God.