When the Wine Runs Out: John 2:1-11 - Second Sunday after Epiphany

¹On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. ⁹When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (NRSV)

Vignoble valaisan en hiver by Jean-Marc Linder.  Creative commons image on flickr

What would Colonel Sanders say?

Elizabeth and I once walked into KFC for lunch. The restaurant was completely empty, except for three employees standing behind the counter, doing nothing…

Immediately, we’re told: “we’re out of chicken…”  The cashier explains that the delivery truck was broken down, about three hours away…  She did, however, offer us sides and salads, which we politely declined. After all, there are plenty of other places to clog our arteries in the name of lunch…

But KFC without chicken was nothing compared to a wedding without wine. In Jesus’ day, the world ran on wine.  Naturally, it was the lifeblood of a wedding. Back then, you didn’t have clean water at your constant disposal. You didn’t have coffee, tea, or soft drinks. Wine was the beverage of choice. 

Add that to the fact that 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. So running out of wine would’ve been an even bigger disaster than a wedding I officiated where the reception hall had no running water. This was a “slap in the face” to the families, and to everyone who showed up for the occasion. You could actually be dragged into court and sued for such negligence.

This wasn’t a life-or-death situation—but it was a disaster.  It’s what we call “crash and burn…”

Wine was the lifeblood—and it failed. So what is your wine?  What does your life run on?

Most of us would say love and relationships; health and abilities; employment and income; as well as success, security, and the feeling of control…  The lifeblood of our country and communities are a robust economy and national security; good schools and safe streets; equal opportunity with liberty and justice for all… 

All of these are as precious to us as they are vital—and just like people, they are always subject to failure…

So here’s what Jesus does: he doesn’t miraculously refill the empty wine jugs.  Instead, he points them to six stone water jars used for purification rites. He tells the servants to fill the jars with water, which they do. Then he tells them to draw some water out, and take it to the chief steward—for the water had become wine.

This, we’re told, is the first of Jesus’ signs. So this isn’t a story about free wine refills. This isn’t a sign to show Jesus as a divine wine-maker or instant problem-solver.  This is God in Jesus Christ coming into our situations of need.  He comes to be the lifeblood of our existence.  Jesus comes to be the wine when everything else runs out. 

Just as he did at Cana, Jesus puts himself into our crises. Seldom is his grace the immediate replacement of something lost.  It doesn’t undo the sins we commit and the hurts we suffer.  It isn’t a simple return to business-as-usual.  Nonetheless, Jesus comes bringing God’s graciousness to us.  Jesus is the wine when the wine runs out.

So who or what in your life has failed?  Have you run out of strength or energy; time or money; friends and people who care?  Have you run out of faith?

You don’t need to do anything spectacular.  Simply pray.  Confess the sin.  Name the hurt.  Open the word and hear Jesus. 

The wine Jesus will give you is the Holy Spirit, who will give you faith to see him. 

What’s more is that you will receive the gifts of the Spirit so that you can turn water to wine.  The Apostle Paul describes them beautifully in today’s second lesson: gifts of teaching, wisdom, and healing; works called miraculous because there’s no denying the grace of God that’s behind them…  This is how we turn water into wine: Christ comes alive in our spiritual gifts as we share them for the good of all. 

This is what the Christian life is all about.  This is what the Church is all about. 

When the wine runs out, Jesus comes in.  By faith, we are drawn into the Spirit of what he’s doing.  Fear is turned into hope.  Sorrow turns into joy.  Shame turns into reconciliation and new beginnings. 

And—unlike so much else in life, Jesus will not fail us.  His grace will not run out.  When the wine runs out, Jesus is our wine.  Jesus is our lifeblood.  Jesus overflows.