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John 2:1–11

¹ On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Gospel text begins with four words that should send a thrill up your spine, “On the third day.” John could have written, ‘a couple days later,’ or ‘Tuesday,’ or any other indication of time. But John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, “On the third day.” John wants us to see the connection between Jesus’ first sign and the resurrection because they are linked.

For the first time, Jesus manifests His glory to His disciples ‘on the third day’ at a wedding because Jesus came to end divorce. The divorce between men and women, between body and soul, between God and man. Jesus makes you, the Church of redeemed sinners, to be His holy bride without wrinkle or blemish. This miracle at a wedding feast shows that Jesus comes to reunite you with God as you were meant to be, in harmony and peace with yourself, your neighbor, and with God.

This is Jesus’ first sign. While this is the first miracle of Jesus chronologically, it is also the first sign because it is the primary sign. Jesus turning water into wine defines all the other signs of His ministry because it is an act of pure grace.

To see this, let’s get this miracle set up in its context: Jesus has been baptized. He has been in the wilderness for forty days being tempted by the devil, but not falling into any sin. Then, Jesus returns to inhabited society. Jesus has called five of His disciples. Three days later, Jesus, His disciples, and His mother are all invited to a wedding. At that wedding feast, the wine runs out.

Ask yourself, is this really a big deal? Sure, it was probably embarrassing for the new husband and wife. It was probably very upsetting for their bottle-chugging uncle, Chuck. But does it go any farther than that? The world is full of people who are sick, lame, blind, and deaf. Lepers are everywhere. So many people are cruelly possessed by demons. There are wicked rulers and wars. All these things are more important in the grand scheme of things. But here comes Mary, the mother of our Lord, and she says, “They have no wine.”

Really, Mary? You are bringing the Son of God into this situation, and you’re doing it like this? Mary, you sound like a whiny child. Parents, you know what I’m talking about. Your kid lethargically walks up to you and says in their whiney little voice, “There’s nothing to eat.” You know that they are in a very ungrateful, impolite way they are asking you for food. It is very easy to get upset when our children approach us like this. I get upset. But notice the faith of your children in this. They feel a need, and where do they go? They go to you. They know that you provide food and so they present their need to you trusting that you will translate their statement into a request. And lovingly or, maybe, not so lovingly, you give them what they haven’t asked for simply because you are gracious.

Mary comes to Jesus, not asking for anything, but simply making a statement, “They have no wine.” And Jesus responds with a phrase that is really difficult to translate. Literally, He says, “Woman, what to you and to Me?” Our translation mostly gets it – but it leaves Mary out of Jesus’ statement. Maybe, to get the sense a little better we should understand Jesus as asking, “Woman, why should we be bothered about this?”

There are all sorts of reasons for Jesus to do nothing. First, He hasn’t been asked to do anything; He’s only been rudely told that the wine, which isn’t necessary, has run out. But, secondly and even more shocking, is what we hear from the master of the feast. In v. 10 after the master tastes the water that Jesus made into wine, he tells the groom, “Hey, there has been a mistake here. This is the top-shelf wine. This stuff tastes way better than the swill you have been serving up until now. You are supposed to serve this good stuff first. Then, when the people have become intoxicated,” (not ‘drunk freely’ [every other place where this word is used in Scripture Lk. 12:45; Eph 5:18; 1 Th. 5:7; Rev. 17:2 and in ancient Greek literature it means ‘drunk, intoxicated’]), “then serve the cheap stuff because their numbed brains and taste buds won’t be able to tell the difference.”

This is the scene that the text paints for us. Jesus is at a wedding reception where at least some of the people are sloshed. It’s scandalous! This is the type of behavior of Jesus that led the Pharisees to their grumbling accusation in Lk. 15:2, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” And what does Jesus do for these sinful people? He gives them 120-180 more gallons of good wine.

Now don’t walk out on me because I know what you are thinking. “Pastor, are you saying that Jesus gives wine to drunks.” Yup, but it’s not me saying it so much as the Bible.

“Pastor, are you saying that Jesus gives not only more wine but better-tasting wine to people who can’t appreciate it because they are three sheets to the wind?” Yup; it’s what the text says.

“Pastor, this cannot be. Jesus shouldn’t give anything good to such undeserving, ungrateful, sinful people who are only abusing what God gives. Sinners like this need a fire and brimstone sermon.”

You are right. But that is precisely where the Law points its finger at you. Do you really think you are less sinful than the people at this wedding feast? Do you think that you don’t abuse God’s good gifts of grace and mercy? Do you really think that you appreciate and give proper thanks for all that God does for you? Repent.

God doesn’t save you on the condition that you, then, turn into someone worth saving. God always gives more than you ask. God always gives better than you deserve. He never holds back on giving what is right and good to you. Even though you take God’s free gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and grace and abuse them and do not appreciate them, He still gives His forgiveness, mercy, and grace freely and recklessly.

This most clearly seen on the cross. To the lost, rebellious, drunk-with-sin, unthankful human race, Jesus gives what is most precious and what should make all our hearts burst with gladness. Jesus gives His very blood and His perfect obedience to the Father.

Jesus knows we will be too numb to appreciate it like we should. Jesus knows that we will abuse this great and unfathomable gift. But He gives it nonetheless. Because of Jesus, God showers His gifts of love – not because you are worthy or will respond rightly, but because He is generous and loving to you. And because His works toward you are always, always pure and unmerited grace. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.