Preaching at both St Mary’s, Rufford and Holy Trinity Tarleton on the Second Sunday of Epiphany  Ordinand Danny Abraham says we are the servants in the story of the Wedding at Cana.

‘On the third day’… it seems so familiar doesn’t it, that little phrase. But those four small words have profound implications for all of human history, and beyond. Four words…a moment of world transformation…

 

The Sermon in full:

‘On the third day’… it seems so familiar doesn’t it, that little phrase. But those four small words have profound implications for all of human history, and beyond. Four words…a moment of world transformation…

Those same four words introduce us to the wedding feast in Cana, a village just North of Nazareth. It is a wedding of elaborate extravagance such is its significance to the community, and scheduled to perhaps even last the full week. Jesus’ mother, Mary is there, a guest at the wedding celebration; her son Jesus and his disciples there as invited guests. The air is warm, thick with the smell of the evening’s festivities, but something else too. Anticipation. It’s a real community celebration, those who live in and around the village arriving to share this joyous moment, bride and groom becoming one, united through their marital vows. Their moment of transformation…

Mid evening, the atmosphere changes. Panic descends amongst the servants; “keep it quiet, but the wine…it’s given out…we have none left”. Mary overhears the panicked whispers, sees their desperation, seeks out her son amongst the throng of guests. Mothers instinct perhaps. The anticipation in the air swirls, thickens…She carried him from the moment of her immaculate conception, has watched him grow up, but known from the beginning that  his life will be special, set apart, different. Is this the moment? The moment of transformation?

The wine has given out? What concern is that to us? My hour is not yet upon me. Jesus loves his mother dearly, but knows the authority he belongs under is not hers. Mary withdraws, forces her way through the crowd, locates the servants. Vacant faces continue to peer into empty jugs. Yet she is brim full with anticipation. “Do whatever he tells you”, she tells them. Mothers instinct. Her anticipation intensifies… The bridegroom and the bride, still unaware of the distinct lack of wine, dance on into the night.

Jesus looks around, his attention is grabbed by the exasperated servants, still at a loss as to what to do. He remembers the six stone jars, jars used for Jewish rites; rites of purification, and knows in an instant what to do. The stone jars purpose is to normally fulfill; here Jesus tells the servants to fill full.  The servants heed the advice from his mother Mary, and carry out his request; refresh the jars with ordinary water. Anticipation takes root in the servants; what is this carpenter up to? How can he transform this situation, this moment in time?

The jars now filled full to the brim, Jesus fulfills. In a simple moment, Jesus transforms plain into luxurious; water into wine; ordinary into extraordinary.

‘Take this to the chief steward’, he instructs the servants, astonished by what has transpired before their eyes. Hurriedly, they take this good news and offer the wine to the steward; the anticipation returns; what will he think? The steward tastes the wine, sees that it is good. He rejoices, calls over and lauds the bridegroom, astonished by his generosity. But the servants know the truth, the disciples too.

Once a vessel for purification, the stone jars are now vessels of grace, vessels of abundance, vessels of extravagant generosity; Vessels of Love. In a moment of transformation, everything has changed. This sign performed, a sign of who He truly is, a sign to believe, but also of what is to come.

The sign points forward, to a time a few years from this wedding. A time when He himself will speak of wine shared among friends as a sign; ‘drink this, all of you…’. A sign of the new covenant. His life given on the cross, in place of our own. He himself now the empty jug. But the debt of our sin is paid once and for all people. Purified through His blood, eternal life given to all who profess Him as Lord. Jesus, the Christ, the vessel of grace; the vessel of abundance; the vessel of extravagant generosity; the vessel of Love.

And when we are transformed by Him, we are united with Jesus, now and forever.

But what of us? We are no mere wedding guest in this story. I suggest instead that without Jesus, we are the servants in this narrative. Despairing at the emptiness and voids in our lives, we too can feel lost, scared, hopeless, willing there to be more. Jesus stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. He offers us more than the world can, real treasure that truly satisfies; his Lordship over our lives. But just like the wedding, we too must extend the invite to Jesus, the invite into our lives. It is an invite that will always be accepted, and that will transform everything. There is nothing he cannot do, nothing he cannot change, nothing he cannot transform, which includes us as well.

And when we are transformed by Him, we are united with Jesus, now and forever. We become vessels of grace; vessels of blessing; vessels of Love; vessels of Good News; vessels of Christ himself. Taste and see. The Lord is good.