Experience New Wine

Experience the New Wine

John 2:1-11

November 13, 2011

Morning Service

Illustration: Kim Kardashian and the 72 day marriage

We live in a society of disposable relationships

In the past week, I have heard of strained relationships with married couples, strained relationships between siblings, strained relationships between friends and strained relationships with the church family.

Strain in relationships is nothing new

• Cain killed Abel

• Abraham parted company with Lot

• David was mocked by his brother Eliab before he killed Goliath

• Peter openly disagreed with Jesus

• Paul and Barnabas went separate ways after a disagreement

It’s been said that Cain had a problem with God and took it out on his brother

What causes all of this strain?

James gives us an answer that I want to look at for just a moment before we get into the main text.

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. James 4:1-2

James makes it clear that the cause of quarrels and fights is the desires that battle within us. What is James talking about? James is driving at the problem behind the problem. The real cause of stress, strain and division is our human nature. Our human nature is marred and mangled by the power of sin. The nature that is at war within us is simply nothing more than carnality. Our carnal nature is of the flesh and it is constantly battling the spiritual nature within us that is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

What is the answer to these issues in relationships? Where can we look to find some answers? It might surprise you but the answer is revealed in the first miracle of Jesus. If you have your Bibles, please open them to the second chapter of John.

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 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 10 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." 11 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. John 2:1-11

Wedding – relationship

Wonder – redemption

Wine - restoration

Experience the Wedding: We were created for a relationship with Christ

The relationship was created at the beginning of time

The Garden of Eden was the place of intimate relationship between God and humanity.

We were created to enjoy this intimacy with God but the fall of Adam and the introduction of sin has destroyed the intimacy.

Jesus is the groom and the church is the bride

The theme of a wedding flows through the whole of scripture

• Adam and Eve were the first marriage – The bible begins with a marriage. Marriage is a union between a husband and wife that is bound together by the relationship with God. Is it any wonder that we see so many failed marriages in a society that refuses to embrace Christ?

• Jesus chooses the first miracle to be at a wedding to redeem the metaphor of weddings

• Revelation describes the final victory celebration of Jesus as the wedding feast of the Lamb.

The metaphor is one of enjoying a relationship with God. The wedding is not the end of the relationship but the beginning of the relationship. Jesus is using this opportunity to engage the people and us today in an intimate relationship with God.

The experience of the wedding is one of relationships. No one goes to a wedding for someone they do not know. Weddings are a place for relationships. Weddings are the place of beginning a new relationship – bride and the groom start a new life together.