1/17/16 Epiphany 2 John 2
Trinity, Kent
Pr. D. Fidler
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Grace, is one of those words, a churchy word, while central to our
theological identity and vocabulary, is often hard for us to define,
let alone describe in a concrete and meaningful way.
We find grace throughout the Scriptures and often the story, the action
of God is miraculous or dramatic that we push the story out and
something back then but not going on now. I had an aunt Grace,
she was actually my mother’s aunt but she lived her name.
Generous, loving and always giving – a constant source of support
for my mother growing up. On Wednesday in confirmation class
we were discussing “Thy Kingdom Come” in the prayer as a
kingdom of power, a kingdom of glory and a kingdom of Grace—
which the young lady in our class with that name thought we were
speaking of her.
To really understand grace we need to take a look at this wonderful
gospel story before us this morning! Because John moves us
beyond the “free gift” and “generosity” sense of grace to remind
us that grace also means abundance: As in unbelievable, morethan-you-can-possibly-imagine, abundance.
Keep in mind, for a moment, the scene: Jesus and His disciples are at a
wedding and the hosts run out of wine. Inconvenient, we will
probably acknowledge, perhaps embarrassing, but is it really such
a big deal? Yes. Because in this time and place, running out of
wine too early isn’t just a social faux pas, it’s a disaster. Wine
isn’t merely a social lubricant, it’s a sign of the harvest, of God’s
abundance, of joy and gladness and hospitality. And so when they
run short on wine they run short on blessing. And that’s a tragedy.
Which is when Jesus, prompted by His mother, steps in and provides
not just more wine, but more wine than the whole crowd could
have drunk not only during the three days of the wedding feast,
but probably across three weeks. In changing the water of those
six large basins of water for purification, Jesus is providing close
to an additional thousand bottles of additional wine. And not only
that, but as the surprised steward discovered, it’s not just a cheap
bottle of Sangria, but the best wine yet served. And that,
according to John, is what grace is like: an overflowing of joy,
blessing, and the presence of God.
If we look at the Gospel accounts closely we’ll see how the first story
in Jesus’ ministry sets the tone, the theme, the theological twist of
the rest of the book. Mark tells of Jesus’ first act, the exorcising
of a demon to show His power over the forces of this world.
Luke – as we’ll see over the next two weeks – reports the first
thing Jesus did is preach a sermon of release and freedom and
healing. Restoration, a new creation come to life is a theme.
Which is why it’s significant that John describes the first thing
that Jesus does as providing more wine, joy, and blessings than
this couple – or any couple – could possibly have imagined or
deserved. The abundance, glory and reign of God is among us.
Because that’s what grace looks like.
A wedding- always a milestone event, not only for the two people
most directly affected by it, but for their families and friends as
well. Cana was no different. But a wedding had an even wider
significance back then, when marriage wasn’t a matter of finding
your “soul mate” and falling into starry-eyed love, but was an
arrangement made by your parents.
Marriage was an alliance between two families, pairing up eligible
younger members so that a new generation would be born and the
family, the farm or shop or business, and the community itself
would continue.
A wedding was a joyful time, a hopeful, forward-looking occasion. A
wedding was “pregnant” with possibility- for the new couple, for
the home that they would establish, for the children they would
have, God willing; and for the difference that their marriage
would make for the future of their families, friends and
community.
The Old Testament prophets often envisioned the uniquely intimate
bond between the Lord God and his people Israel as a marriage; as
a covenant that the lord Himself had initiated and maintained.
Like marriage, it was a pairing up with a purpose.
The relationship between the Lord and His people was intended to
make a difference not only in our lives but also in this world.
God’s people having come to know His mind and his heart, were
to model a new way of being in the world, of living in peace with
our Creator and with one another, and in loving service to our
neighbors need; to shine the light of hope in this present darkness,
and to reflect in our own words and deeds the goodness and mercy
of God.
And when the prophets want to give us a glimpse of what it will be
like when God’s purpose for us and for the world is complete,
intention fulfilled they evoke the image of the feasting and
celebration and joy of a wedding.
I don’t know that Jesus had planned it this way; in fact His verbal
exchange with His mother would indicate that He hadn’t, that
He’d simply been having a fine time eating and talking and
enjoying the occasion. And then His mom comes up and tells
Him “They have no wine.” Not, “I need you to work a miracle
here Jesus.” “Or You need to do something” She simply says,
“They have no wine.” And then gives Him the mom look. You
know what I mean? And BELIEVES that He can supply what is
needed.
Maybe it was one of those times when a mother knows her son better
than He knows Himself, or at least is able to size up an
opportunity just a spit second before He’s realized that it’s there.
Because the next thing that happens is Jesus quietly, without
fanfare or even a wave of the hand creates more wine.
What a better setting could there be than a wedding for Jesus to launch
the mission that He had been born to do, that is, to reconcile us to
God—all of us, Jews and Gentiles alike, and to join us together
with Him to make up a new family, God’s family.
What better place to begin unveiling the Good News that in the person
of Jesus, God’s eternal Kingdom now is at hand, close enough to
reach out and touch?
Could there be a more fitting context than a wedding in which to
proclaim that the life for which god created us is one of
hopefulness, of joy and of self-giving love? And what a delightful
way for Jesus to demonstrate that so long as we stick with Him,
those precious, spiritual gifts never will run out?
I’m always intrigued at the fact that in the original Greek, John says
that “the wine failed.” Lots of things fail us, and people ail us
too, sometimes by giving out from under us just when we need to
lean the hardest, and sometimes by giving up on us over the long
haul.
Life in this world take courage, and perseverance; energy and
flexibility, and sometimes those things seem to be in short supply,
or in danger of running out entirely if something doesn’t change,
or if we don’t get restocked real soon!
But that’s where the grace in this Gospel event comes pouring out!
The unbelievable abundance is Gospel grace which seems like a
timely message to share, particularly as it is so incredibly countercultural. The message we hear all the time is scarcity. We don’t
have enough money or food or security or power or privilege. We
even lack a championship team. Perhaps it’s like this normally,
but especially during an election year it seems like candidates
revel in telling us all the things that are wrong in order to win our
vote by vowing to make it better. And the reason they do this is
simple: we’re disposed by our human nature to pay attention to
scarcity and fear.
Too often, we look at Scripture in the same, limited ways. What we
lack is God’s righteousness, Jesus came to take our place, fulfill
all things and now God can overlook our misdeeds. Now don’t
get me wrong, the forgiveness of sins is a central and important
element of our faith. But too often we’ve spoken of it as the only
element of faith, as if Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were, as
someone one once said, “a kind of divine white out for the check
marks against us on St. Peter’s ledger.”
Which is why I’m grateful for John to remind us that grace isn’t only
about making up for something we lack, but also providing more
than we’d ever imagined or deserve. I mean, Jesus could have
provided just enough wine for the party to go on, and, given that
people have already been drinking a few days, even an ordinary
bottle would have been gratefully received. But He went way,
way beyond expectations to provide more and better wine than
they ever could have expected.
Why? Because that’s what grace looks like. As we look around this
place called Trinity – I’ve heard words of scarcity; fewer people
attending, less money, smaller groups, not able to do what we
“use to do”, lack of involvement and then I begin thinking about
our ministries. If there is a lacking it is on occasion of space or
time. The number of people we feed and touch through the Food
Vouchers, Lord’s Pantry, Lord’s Lunch, Food Bank is enormous!
The ways I’m able to reach out with assistance because of gifts
from spaghetti dinner and kettle corn is abundant blessing. We
provide quilts and blankets to those in need overseas, we built a
home in Nicaragua, we host AA groups and beginning next week
English as a Second Language classes, we reach out to a number
of our local agencies partnering with them AS A “Local mission”
month after month. We have a campus ministry that continues to
grow and reach people around the world. Our prayer chain brings
the power of prayer to so many throughout the week. Trinity is
filled with gifts of so many talented people I frequently stand in
awe. The evangelism card each week, seems insignificant, small,
lacking in anything huge until you receive one on your sick bed,
alone in your home and it is grace upon grace extravagant love
jumping off the card as a virtual hug! I could go on, the ministry
we do is endless… another sign of abundance!
Grace is a free gift of God’s generosity…and it’s also the abundance
of joy and blessing and life that are ours through Christ. Grace
happens here!
As we enter into 2016 and the ministry that awaits us and the new
opportunities yet to be revealed it would be good to stick close to
Jesus… no, wait, when we remember how near He is to us, every
minute of every day; how dear we are to Him, no matter how
many times we have failed and are lacking—we’ll find a steady
supply of all that we need to live out our calling faithfully,
persistently, joyfully… and I think we’re likely to find, as did the
guests at the wedding in Cana, when Jesus is the supplier, the
sweetest and best is ALWAYS yet to be. … in His most precious
name. Amen.