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Does Jesus Really Care?
A sermon based on John 2:1-11
A sermon based on John 2:1-11
Sunday, January 24, 2010 - Epiphany 3C
True story: In June of 2008 a young couple was married in a very small town in Florida. For this particular town, it was the event of the decade and made the front page of the local news for a few days straight. The wedding went without a hitch, but after the ceremony and the photos the young couple found lines of people outside the already packed reception hall. And none of them were invited guests.
You see, the people of this small town, who knew all the details of this spectacular event (including the location and time of the reception), all showed up for the party and the free meal. As the bridal couple entered, the food was already being served. The bride panicked and told the town that the party crashers must leave immediately to make room for the invited guests or the cops (who, ironically, were also enjoying the free meal) would be called. The crowd shuffled off, but by that time it was too late. There wasn't enough food left for the real guests. The couple called a neighboring town to have pizzas delivered.
It's of a similar wedding day disaster that John records for us in his gospel. Well... almost. You see the disaster was averted by one very resourceful guest. Jesus prevented the embarrassment of a wedding day disaster when a young couple didn't run out of food, but out of wine. And in his power and in his love, he turned water into wine. Here's the story, recorded in John 2:1-11...
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
What an impressive miracle! At least 120 gallons of water turned into wine without the use of fruit, yeast, or time! In a matter of minutes Jesus provided not just some Boone's Farm or something that comes from a box, but an award winning wine that would take the blue ribbon every time! What an impressive miracle!
But don't you wonder why he did it? After all, having to serve pizza or running out of wine at your wedding reception, while embarrassing, certainly isn't the end of the world. After all, it's not like the groom contracted leprosy and the wedding would have to be halted so he could join a leper colony unless Jesus would heal him. It's not like the bride had gone blind and could never see her groom unless Jesus restored her sight. It's not like the parents of the bride and groom had just died and Jesus brought them back to life.
It's really a relatively small matter to have wine at your wedding reception. And yet, this is the way that Jesus chose to first display his power as the omnipotent God. This was the first miracle Jesus did in his 30 years of life! One that's relatively insignificant!
Why? Because Jesus cares about the little problems as much as he does about the big problems. After all, isn't leprosy or blindness, or even death a relatively little problem compared to hell? Jesus, who is not only all-powerful, but also all-loving, certainly cares about hell. But he also cares about leprosy and blindness and even the wine at the wedding reception.
And he cares about every aspect of your life no matter how big or small and seemingly insignificant. But wait a second! If Jesus is omnipotent and can do whatever he wants to prevent or fix any problem, and if Jesus is loving with the sincere desire to help in every need... well... then why doesn't he? I mean, how come some of you are still unemployed? How come some of you are still in broken relationships? How come there are wars where loved ones are put in danger? How come there are earthquakes that shatter not just buildings but lives? How come we still hurt? How come when I come to Jesus and say, "They have no more wine," or "We have no more money" or "I have no more patience" or whatever the problem is, "Jesus, fix the problem!" he doesn't fix it for me?
Maybe it's because he's not so powerful after all. He could turn water into wine then, but he can't turn strife into joy, pain into health, or poverty into riches anymore. Or maybe it's because he doesn't really love us after all. He has the power to help, but likes to watch us suffer. He doesn't really care about us that much. Or he's waiting for us to clean up our act and do more for him first. If we scratch his back, then he might scratch ours.
Or... maybe the fault isn't in Jesus, but in our understanding of how he helps us. After all, Jesus isn't my waiter. I can't just place my order with him and expect him to deliver. "Jesus, I'll take a six-figure salary... with a side of extra benefits." "I'll take perfectly behaved kids and a kind and pleasant spouse... and can I get that to go... to Hawaii?" "I just want perfect health with no more physical pain. And I want it in 30 minutes or less." Jesus is not a genie in a bottle where I just rub my Bible, ask for my selfish wish and expect him to grant it. And Jesus isn't like Burger King that advertises "Have it your way."
So why did Jesus do this miracle? Was it really just to provide more wine for the party? Not really. You see, the key to understanding why Jesus does miracles is found in the last verse of our text. First it says, "This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee." Did you notice what John says Jesus performed? He didn't call it a miracle, but a miraculous sign. A sign is not a means to an end, but something that points to something else. The sign that says Inner or Outer beltline is meant to show you the right lane to get in, the right place to go.
And really, the far greater miracle that Jesus performed that day is found not in the twenty gallon jars, but in the hearts of the people. Why did Jesus' turn water into wine? John goes on in verse 11: "He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." This is where the sign points.
But he doesn't say that. Instead he says, "I forgive you for treating me like a waiter." How? Because he took care of your sins on the cross. Only the all-powerful, almighty, miracle-working God could live a perfectly sinless life in your place. And only the death of the all-powerful, almighty, miracle-working God could satisfy God's own perfect justice. That's why this miracle of turning water into wine is so important to us!
It's the first of Jesus miraculous signs that the evangelists recorded for us, that we might see who Jesus is, that his glory might be revealed to us... and that through that good news the Holy Spirit might work this exciting miracle in our hearts, that we too might put our trust in him.
And we do put our trust in him. We trust that he did win forgiveness for every one of our sins on the cross. We trust that he will take us to the glory of heaven that he's prepared for us. And... we trust that in the meantime, he will answer our prayers by giving us only what's best for us at the best time, even if it's not a miracle, even if it lets the struggle and pain linger.
You see, Jesus doesn't always turn our water into wine, our unemployment into a six-figure salary, or our chronic pain into perfect health, precisely because he always gives us what's best instead. Parents could prevent their kids from facing certain pains, and in many cases they do, but sometimes they let their kids get hurt so they learn a valuable lesson -- that it's best to listen to what mom and dad say and obey them. And they do it to keep their kids from worse harm or pain.
Likewise, God could prevent every pain from ever entering your life. But he doesn't because he loves you. He wants to teach you that your sin is a big deal. He wants to draw you closer to him. He wants you to learn that it's best to follow Mary's command to "Do whatever he tells you." He wants you to continue to put your trust in him. And he does it all to keep you out of hell.
But don't you wonder why he did it? After all, having to serve pizza or running out of wine at your wedding reception, while embarrassing, certainly isn't the end of the world. After all, it's not like the groom contracted leprosy and the wedding would have to be halted so he could join a leper colony unless Jesus would heal him. It's not like the bride had gone blind and could never see her groom unless Jesus restored her sight. It's not like the parents of the bride and groom had just died and Jesus brought them back to life.
It's really a relatively small matter to have wine at your wedding reception. And yet, this is the way that Jesus chose to first display his power as the omnipotent God. This was the first miracle Jesus did in his 30 years of life! One that's relatively insignificant!
Why? Because Jesus cares about the little problems as much as he does about the big problems. After all, isn't leprosy or blindness, or even death a relatively little problem compared to hell? Jesus, who is not only all-powerful, but also all-loving, certainly cares about hell. But he also cares about leprosy and blindness and even the wine at the wedding reception.
And he cares about every aspect of your life no matter how big or small and seemingly insignificant. But wait a second! If Jesus is omnipotent and can do whatever he wants to prevent or fix any problem, and if Jesus is loving with the sincere desire to help in every need... well... then why doesn't he? I mean, how come some of you are still unemployed? How come some of you are still in broken relationships? How come there are wars where loved ones are put in danger? How come there are earthquakes that shatter not just buildings but lives? How come we still hurt? How come when I come to Jesus and say, "They have no more wine," or "We have no more money" or "I have no more patience" or whatever the problem is, "Jesus, fix the problem!" he doesn't fix it for me?
Maybe it's because he's not so powerful after all. He could turn water into wine then, but he can't turn strife into joy, pain into health, or poverty into riches anymore. Or maybe it's because he doesn't really love us after all. He has the power to help, but likes to watch us suffer. He doesn't really care about us that much. Or he's waiting for us to clean up our act and do more for him first. If we scratch his back, then he might scratch ours.
Or... maybe the fault isn't in Jesus, but in our understanding of how he helps us. After all, Jesus isn't my waiter. I can't just place my order with him and expect him to deliver. "Jesus, I'll take a six-figure salary... with a side of extra benefits." "I'll take perfectly behaved kids and a kind and pleasant spouse... and can I get that to go... to Hawaii?" "I just want perfect health with no more physical pain. And I want it in 30 minutes or less." Jesus is not a genie in a bottle where I just rub my Bible, ask for my selfish wish and expect him to grant it. And Jesus isn't like Burger King that advertises "Have it your way."
So why did Jesus do this miracle? Was it really just to provide more wine for the party? Not really. You see, the key to understanding why Jesus does miracles is found in the last verse of our text. First it says, "This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee." Did you notice what John says Jesus performed? He didn't call it a miracle, but a miraculous sign. A sign is not a means to an end, but something that points to something else. The sign that says Inner or Outer beltline is meant to show you the right lane to get in, the right place to go.
And really, the far greater miracle that Jesus performed that day is found not in the twenty gallon jars, but in the hearts of the people. Why did Jesus' turn water into wine? John goes on in verse 11: "He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." This is where the sign points.
Jesus performed this and subsequent miracles as a testimony to who he is: God; the all-powerful, almighty, Creator of the universe and Master of its elements. His power shows that he is not just a magician, but true God in the flesh. You see, unlike the prophets and apostles who also performed miracles, Jesus made that bold claim that he was, he is, true God. And his miracles backed it up.
Why is Jesus so concerned that you know who he is? Is he just an arrogant show-off who needs to make it know that he's more powerful than you and that he can beat you up if he wanted? No. It's so you can put your trust in him... not as your waiter, your dinner show, or your genie, but as your Savior from sin.
You see, for treating Jesus like our waiter, demanding he do this or that, fix this problem or that one, and then complaining when he doesn't deliver our way in our time, we deserve to have God say, "Fine! Have it your way. Have all the wine you can drink. Get drunk and forget about the cross. Fine have the perfect job... that will destroy your family, your church involvement, and finally your faith. Fine, do things your way. I'll give you whatever your selfish nature desires and let you end up in the hell you deserve."Why is Jesus so concerned that you know who he is? Is he just an arrogant show-off who needs to make it know that he's more powerful than you and that he can beat you up if he wanted? No. It's so you can put your trust in him... not as your waiter, your dinner show, or your genie, but as your Savior from sin.
But he doesn't say that. Instead he says, "I forgive you for treating me like a waiter." How? Because he took care of your sins on the cross. Only the all-powerful, almighty, miracle-working God could live a perfectly sinless life in your place. And only the death of the all-powerful, almighty, miracle-working God could satisfy God's own perfect justice. That's why this miracle of turning water into wine is so important to us!
It's the first of Jesus miraculous signs that the evangelists recorded for us, that we might see who Jesus is, that his glory might be revealed to us... and that through that good news the Holy Spirit might work this exciting miracle in our hearts, that we too might put our trust in him.
And we do put our trust in him. We trust that he did win forgiveness for every one of our sins on the cross. We trust that he will take us to the glory of heaven that he's prepared for us. And... we trust that in the meantime, he will answer our prayers by giving us only what's best for us at the best time, even if it's not a miracle, even if it lets the struggle and pain linger.
You see, Jesus doesn't always turn our water into wine, our unemployment into a six-figure salary, or our chronic pain into perfect health, precisely because he always gives us what's best instead. Parents could prevent their kids from facing certain pains, and in many cases they do, but sometimes they let their kids get hurt so they learn a valuable lesson -- that it's best to listen to what mom and dad say and obey them. And they do it to keep their kids from worse harm or pain.
Likewise, God could prevent every pain from ever entering your life. But he doesn't because he loves you. He wants to teach you that your sin is a big deal. He wants to draw you closer to him. He wants you to learn that it's best to follow Mary's command to "Do whatever he tells you." He wants you to continue to put your trust in him. And he does it all to keep you out of hell.
Maybe Jesus will turn your water into wine. Maybe he will answer your prayer in the way you want him to, but his answer is like the one he gave to Mary: "My time has not yet come." Or maybe he won't. Maybe the worst is yet to come in this short life. But either way, you are forgiven. You can trust him to do whatever is best for you. And so, you can continue to pray boldly, and ask for anything in his name, that is, trusting in him, not as your waiter or your genie in a Bible, but as your Savior from sin, who loves you so much he'd die in your place, who loves you so much he'll only give you what's best, in his own time and in his own way. For we who have seen Jesus' glory revealed, can put our trust in him. In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.
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