Our text opens with Jesus and His disciples receiving an invitation to attend a wedding celebration in Cana of Galilee. This event often leaves us scratching our heads. We picture Jesus as being a man on a mission, focused and always serious. We have a very difficult time picturing Him having fun and enjoying Himself. Perhaps the root of these feelings are found in a misconception that many people have; that is the idea that once you become a Christian, Jesus sucks all the fun out of life. Why do we view Jesus as the great cosmic kill-joy or the ultimate party pooper? Could it be because we do not know Jesus well enough to be able to dismiss some of the most common misconceptions? In the first century weddings were a big deal, in fact the celebration often lasted for a week. This was a very joyous occasion and apparently Jesus approved of these festivities because He chose to attend. Today, I want you to begin to see another side of Jesus, a side that enjoyed a good party and liked to have a good time. Today if we aren’t careful we just might find out how to recapture the joy that Jesus wants us to have in life.
I. Was it really a big deal to run out of wine?
A. Weddings in the first century were very significant events.
1. The host would invite as many people as possible, especially people of importance which would include prominent teachers.
2. In fact in a small village like Cana the entire community was usually invited and it was considered an insult to refuse such an invitation.
3. The most prominent people at the wedding celebration would be the bride and groom, the parents and the master of the banquet.
4. The wedding celebration which usually lasted seven days included feasts, processions and dances.
5. The wedding represented a covenant or alliance being formed between the two families, not just a bond between the husband and wife.
6. The families would come together in order to show their loyalty to each other.
B. The wedding feast was to be a sign of the husband’s financial stability.
1. Marriage was not considered to be a sacrament in the first century, it was a civil contract.
2. The new covenant or alliance between the families would be sealed by the exchanging of gifts.
3. The woman brought into the marriage a dowry that represented her fidelity to her husband.
4. The husband would prove through the throwing of a lavish banquet that he had the means to take care his wife and any children they would have.
C. Running out of food or drink was more than just an embarrassment it could be a litigable offense.
1. Running out of wine or food would be considered irresponsible and was clearly viewed as a violation of the unwritten rules of hospitality.
2. Failure to adequately provide for the guests was a social disgrace and would not soon be forgotten. In fact it would be a stigma that the new couple would live with for years.
3. This makes it obvious why Mary considered this to be an emergency situation.
4. Since Mary was one of the first to know that the last jug of wine had been opened reflects that she was in a role of authority for the celebration.
5. This will set the stage for Jesus to respond to a truly heartfelt need.
II. This account teaches us quite a bit about Jesus.
A. Jesus was completely at home attending festive events.
1. John shows in our text that Jesus’ presence at the wedding was intentional.
2. Jesus’ presence at the wedding and His actions indicate His approval of the celebration.
3. In fact one of the major complaints the religious authorities had against Jesus was the fact that He was often found enjoying such times of celebration.
4. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” (Matthew 11:19—NIV)
5. Jesus was accused of spending too much time with the wrong crowd, but He realized that He could never minister to them if He never spent any time with them.
B. Jesus is trustworthy and capable of handling any problem.
1. Mary presents the predicament to Jesus and there is no indication that she is expecting Him to perform a miracle but she obviously believes that He will help find a solution.
2. Perhaps Mary believed that Jesus and His disciples had enough money between them to purchase a cheap case of wine.
3. Although Jesus gives His mother a firm reminder that His priorities are different from hers, He does agree to help and Mary’s trust is shown in her statement to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
4. Jesus solves the problem by having six 30 gallon jars filled with water and changing it into 180 gallons of the best wine that money could buy.
5. As a result of the miracle, John tells us that Jesus’ disciples put their trust in Him. This should remind us of Jesus’ ability to handle our problems.
6. A great illustration can be seen in this, just as Jesus provided the very best wine, we learn that life in Him is far better than the life we can experience on our own.
C. Jesus’ life makes a tremendous case against joyless spirituality.
1. Jesus was involved in the greatest mission in the history of mankind, God’s mission to save the world from sin.
2. There is no evidence in Scripture that suggests that Jesus was a sour faced Messiah who passed judgment on everyone that crossed His path.
3. Jesus took time out of His schedule to participate in different social functions and often used them as times of ministry.
4. Participation in events such as this wedding allowed Jesus to be involved in the lives of the very people He had come to save.
5. If you pay close attention throughout Scripture you will see that Jesus was constantly clarifying the faulty views of others in regard to Him.
6. This should remind us that we should not exclude times of celebration from our efforts to represent Christ.
III. This account can teach us a lot about ourselves and our role in God’s Kingdom.
A. The Christian life should be marked by joy instead of shades of gray.
1. The question we need to ask is, “whose fault is it if there is no joy in our lives?”
2. Without a doubt our own stubbornness, weakness and rebellion can greatly reduce our ability to truly experience and enjoy God’s blessing.
3. In this fallen world, bad things do happen to good people. Even the godly have scars.
4. The greatest joy should be found in the fact that this world and all its problems is not the end. We have been promised an abundant life that is eternal.
B. The first portrait we have of life in the Kingdom of God is drawn from the image of a wedding celebration.
1. Time and time again Jesus uses the image of a wedding celebration to help us understand a little bit about the Kingdom of God.
2. Just as a wedding represents a special covenant relationship between a man and his wife it is also used to describe the special covenant relationship between God and His people.
3. As Christians we should look forward to the great wedding celebration that is being prepared for Jesus and His bride, the church.
4. Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9—NIV)
C. God desires to give us a life that is marked by joy and meaning.
1. Norman Cousins once wrote, “The tragedy of life is not in the fact of death, but in what dies inside of us while we live.”
2. True hope and joy can seem distant and unattainable in a world that seems to surround us with constant tragedy.
3. The main reason that we do not find true joy and meaning is because we search for it everywhere except in Jesus Christ. Joy will never be found until we realize that this is something that this world cannot provide.
4. God has constantly tried to help us see that even in the smallest of details, He is in control and that eternity is worth waiting for.
5. We cannot let our hope die inside of us while we live in this world. The best way to prevent this from happening is to learn to have an eternal view of life.
Former President Teddy Roosevelt was known for his love of hunting and often took safari trips into the wilderness of Africa. After killing more game than his hunting party could possibly carry home, Roosevelt and his fellow hunters decided that time had come to call it a trip and head for home. They boarded a large sea vessel and headed to New York. Little did he know, or anyone else on the ship for that matter, that an elderly man who had given thirty years of his life as a missionary in Africa was a passenger on the ship as well. It was a lengthy voyage and the crew of the ship threw one party after another to honor the President. The missionary watched and listened as people ranted and raved about this special passenger.
When the ship finally docked in the harbor of New York City, a crowd of thousands had gathered to welcome Roosevelt home. Bands played, people cheered, and ticker tape was tossed. The missionary stepped off the ship, stood nearby with his only earthly possession, a single suitcase. At that moment he truly began to feel sorry for Himself. He thought, “Thirty years I have labored for the Kingdom. I’ve battled sickness and loneliness, and I’ve watched countless people surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and not one person is here to welcome me home.” It was at that moment that he sensed a reassuring peace unlike any he had ever known. And it was as if he could hear God whispering, “But you’re not home yet. You’re not home yet.”
