Brad Paisley wrote and sings a song which I am borrowing the title from today.
“Letter to me” speaks of a desire to send a message to his own past self.
It’s a note of encouragement…words to the wise and hope for the future.
From the moment of our birth, we begin a lifelong collision course with eternity.
And if I accomplish my goal today, someone…
maybe several will never look to the future quite the same.
I’m not sure I could convince you that… the future is so bright, you need to wear shades…but I do want you to take a glimpse at a brighter tomorrow.
I know in the Holy Ghost there is at least ONE person under the sound of my voice that has all but given up on their future.
You go through the motions, wondering if you’ll make it one more day.
Today’s lesson is a letter to you…NOT about your past…
This message is about the future…a brighter day…your hope for a better life.
Have you ever given any thought to the “future you“?
A Yale University graduate student has developed a website called www.futureme.org.
Anyone can go to this website and write a letter to their future selves and have it emailed to yourself up to 30 years in the future.
I’m not promoting this by any stretch of the imagination but I did read a few of the letters there that are open to be read by the public.
For instance, in April of this year, a guy named Greg received an email from his past self. It reminded him that he is his own best friend and own worst enemy.
It tell him, in case he has forgotten, that he once dated a woman named Michelle and that he had at one time wished to have a major in computer science.
> Some write to themselves in the short term, one year or less…
Another quite different letter goes like this:
“This is from yourself so you better not delete it. Hey girl, this is the past checking up on you. First thing I need to know is, Are you still with Chris?
Please say no…please tell me you got out…Are you happy? That’s the real question. Even if you’re still with Chris, please say no. Please say no…Are we still fat? Are you wearing a size 4 or smaller now? What’s up with the Bachelor’s degree? I think that’s probably enough harassment from a ghost of your past.
P. S...Maybe you’ll learn to love me a little by the time you read this…
I hope somebody does.
One last letter written by a 14 year old girl to herself when she turns 30.
“Its you…me…us from 16 years ago. Dude, how’s my life? Are you a big time lawyer or a big time actress? What are you? I attempted skateboarding…Did I ever get good? I better have. It’s weird because I’m asking you all these questions but in the end, I decide the answers.
>Before you exit the doors you entered today, I hope YOUR hope for a better day…a brighter tomorrow…an eternity with Jesus is what you look forward to.
Today message title is :
A Letter to Me.
John 2 : 1 - 10
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee;
and the mother of Jesus was there:
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him,
They have no wine.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
mine hour is not yet come.
His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water.
And they filled them up to the brim.
And he saith unto them, Draw out now,
and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;)
the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine;
and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse:
but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
John happens to be my favorite of the gospel accounts…it is also the only one to record Jesus’ first miracle…the turning of water into wine.
Its almost funny…its one of the most remembered miracles and yet was not as amazing as MOST of the others…It can hardly be compared to commanding the wind of the storm or the healing of the 10 lepers.
Its importance is often missed entirely…I for one have never even taught using this portion of the scripture, a fact that I am not proud of.
It was again His first miracle…one He seemed less than excited about working.
Maybe it was the occasion…a wedding.
Maybe His lack of enthusiasm was the fact the need was JUST for more wine.
And yet, as insignificant as it may seem, Jesus chose to provide this miracle.
Now whether or not THIS wine was the alcoholic type I cannot say.
But for a brief moment, I pause to mention the DANGER of liquor consumption.
>Brother, this is a Pentecostal assembly, there is NO need to waste time on something like perils to be experienced by those who drink strong drink.
Do NOT kid yourself…the evil of this world has brought down MANY a champion and the enemy would LOVE to convince you and I there was no worry of it ever happening within OUR ranks…it has happened…hear me this morning.
Solomon said it best…
Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
The Word of God warns over and over against liquor.
Count them… 17 warnings against the abuse of alcohol.
Documented 19 different examples of its destruction.
Churches are even cautioned 3 separate times NOT to elevate anyone who has a tendency to drink excessively.
Countless families have been destroyed by the use and abuse of alcohol.
The point in our text, however, is that Jesus took something ordinary, and turned it into something extraordinary…something common and made in into uncommon…something in the background of small value transformed into something to celebrate its worth.
By doing so, He demonstrates once and for all that the future can be SO MUCH better than the present…
For just ONE Touch of the Master adds great value to EVERY thing and everyone.
One thing that arrested my attention this week as I studied this portion of scripture is the specifics and details that are documented.
If you are a student of the 4 gospels, you know it is the Book of Mark that is FULL of details…much more than the others.
Let’s examine the particulars that the writer documented:
We have the number of vessels - 6
The vessels composition - stone
The vessels contents - water
The vessels capacity - 20 to 30 gallons
Why so much detail?
Consider this…
The creation of the cosmos, galaxies, solar systems, quasars, nebulas and pulsars just to mention a few are reduced in the scripture to 5 simple words…
”He made the stars also.”
Yet in our text we have so much detail concerning 6 stone water pots.
Ponder this… 6 - the number of man. Man was created on the 6th day.
Stone - Man too was made from the earth.
Water - some estimates are that 66% of the human body is made of water.
Weight - the heaviness of 20 - 30 gallons of water in from 165 - 250 lbs…
which is the weight of a healthy man and a well nourished man like me.
>Could it be that these water pots were designed and described as they were to try to tell us something?
When we look at each water pot we see the image of mortal man.
Our Lord’s first miracle was NOT so much to prove He could turn water into wine
But that Jesus could transform ordinary vessels into those fit for the Master’s work…No matter WHO you are…God’s restoration power is in YOUR future.
Many of us are have been changed all ready, and WE await a MUCH better change in the future…Today I hope YOU will join us. In fact, YOU qualify for a change this morning…a better future…Changed to be Changed for eternity.
In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, from mortal to immortality.
People in general are compared to vessels throughout the scripture.
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about the Holy Ghost within US…
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Again Paul writes to a young Timothy, comparing different kinds of vessels…
2 Timothy 2:20
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
In modern terms,
he would to be saying it takes ALL kinds of people to make a world.
And to the church at Thessalonica, how we are compared to vessels…
1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
Our cup can be running over…Or our cup can be empty.
Life like a vessel, can be broken…
Psalm 31:12
I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
The prophet Jeremiah took a trip to the potter’s house and watched him recreate a marred vessel…
Our lives, like a vessel can get marred.
And like a vessel, our lives can be made OVER again.
Perhaps, this is about how you feel this morning.
Somewhat used up…blemished and imperfect…like Life has gotten the best of you…you feel abused and cast off, of little value to anyone.
This message asks you the same question that God asked Jeremiah that day…
“Can I not do with you as the potter does with the marred vessel?”
Let me answer for you…OH yes he can.
You are surrounded by lives that were once on the trash heap headed for destruction and THEN Jesus made a GREAT change in each of them.
We were not born the first time into God’s family…it was our 2nd birth that afforded us that privilege… and its AVAILABLE for you today.
HOW you were born the 1st time makes no difference…
OH but WHAT a difference being Born Again makes.
It doesn’t change your past, but it releases you from it.
It will change your present and make you brand spanking NEW.
But that’s not even the best part…
The transforming power of His spirit in your life today is JUST the down payment…its just a taste of what will someday experience all the time.
We are in this world, but not of this world and the gift of the Holy Ghost makes living in this present world doable…but one day in the NEAR future…
Those who have been born into His kingdom will dwell in a land that is fairer than day…There will be NO more sickness…NO more pain…No more sorrow.
My friend do NOT miss this opportunity of a Lifetime…Its yours for the asking.
In our text we find Jesus at a wedding…
Something always seems to go wrong at a wedding…always.
>The bride was so visibly nervous that her pastor decided he would chose a verse of scripture to bring comfort to her. And so he asked the best man to read the verse in 1 John 4:18 which talks of perfect love casting out all fear.
The best man read aloud St. John 4 :18 instead which says…”you have had 5 husbands and the one you have now is not your husband”.
No such thing as a perfect wedding…
Not even the one Jesus attended…They ran OUT of wine.
You know, Life can grow quite EMPTY.
It’s a paradox of our modern lives…people’s lives are so full…yet so empty.
Busy running here and running there…
Racing a break neck speed trying to cram every possible activity in each day.
Putting out one fire and another breaks out…
So many modern day conveniences and yet we still can’t get it all done.
And sometimes, when we lay our heads down on the pillow at night, too tired to rest…we stare at the ceiling and ask ourselves…
Is this what life’s REALLY all about?
Our lives are so full and yet soooo empty…sound familiar?
Mark Morrison-Reed said it like this :
“We need not fear death, but life: empty lives, fruitless lives, lives that do not build upon the gifts that each of us have been given, lives that never take the time to savor and appreciate. Today, just remind me that I am dying that I can live, savor and love with all my heart.”
Is this life you have today, the future you planned in the past?
Today, if you opened a letter you wrote to yourself , how would your life measure up?
Are you living the life you dreamed of, what you hoped for, what you planned?
Surely you hoped things would work out…
You hoped things would get better…
Do you say now things like…How did I ever get here?
Have you become the person you imagined you would be?
Maybe at this point in your life, you’ve come up rather empty…
It happened in our text…They ran out of Wine.
The party and the celebration was coming to a grinding halt.
What was planned and hoped for was about to end prematurely…
Ever feel like that my friend?
What happened then…can happen for you today…
Jesus Happened…by the way, it is not happenstance that you are here.
Its no accident…not a coincidence…it was a divine appointment.
If your present doesn’t match up to your hopes and dreams,
There is a brighter day awaiting you…in fact He was waiting for you when you got here today…Hope for a better life…and much better future.
A Better life awaits you…and its here today.
YOU don’t have to get yourself straight first…because you CAN’T.
When Jesus arrives on the scene, leave it up to Him to change you.
Because When Jesus comes in, things ALWAYS get better.
In our text, what Jesus did was shift the focus from the empty wine vessels and pointed toward the 6 stone water pots.
He wants to forget the old life and embrace the life he transforms for us.
Notice he didn’t say fill the empty wine vessels with water…
He doesn’t make a change in someone and they LOOK the same afterward.
Oh no…When Jesus changes a life…OLD things are past away, ALL things become as NEW! A Great change is coming your way…a change for the better.
My message today is NOT to impress you…
It is not designed to entertain you…
Its not even given to amuse you…
My goal is to IMPACT your life today.
Regardless of your past…the failures and short comings you’ve experienced.
A Better Life awaits you…a Brighter Future…
I want to encourage you to quit rummaging through the empty vessels of yesterday and OPEN the windows of your soul to a NEW way of Life.
Fill that empty life with Jesus…Fill it with His word…His promises
Fill it with His goodness and Mercy and a Better day IS coming!
If you’ve been blinded by this world, CRY out to Him Now because Jesus is near.
Maybe your surrounded by so Much you can’t see Him, Climb a tree if need be.
Run to Him… Move toward Jesus today…Tear off the roof or Whatever it takes!
My friend YOUR opportunity to be forever changed is HERE today…
Don’t YOU let it slip away…Right now is the Right time to be Changed.
A new day is dawning for you…a new a LIVING way is her for YOU.
I refuse to talk to the old you…
I decline to address the old life full of misery and emptiness…
I speak to the NEW YOU…the future you…
I will not speak to the failures of the past…they are gone.
I call unto the champion that is within you.
That’s right…I’m calling on the man or woman you are with Jesus inside.
Let God arise and his enemies be scattered…
I speak to the hero in the making…
I’m calling out to the good wife…the good husband in the making.
I’m speaking to the soul winner who WILL be mightily used of God.
I’m calling to the person who is sick and tired of being sick and tired.
YOU know there’s GOT to be MORE to life than what you have now…
That experience is Right Here Right now…A better Life… A NEW YOU.
Corrie Ten Boom said it like this:
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
My friend the Best is Yet to come…do NOT miss out on this!
Hear me today…YOUR life can get better FAST…Today in fact.
Your future looks brighter JUST because you are here to HEAR this.
The miraculous can happen to you…Oh yes it can.
And ALL will see the transformation.
Your neighbors will see it…Your family will see it…
Your friends and EVEN your enemies will see it.
YOU can EXPERIENCE a new life like you’ve always hoped for.
The life you’ve lived so far MAY HAVE come up short from what you planned.
No Matter…the Best is Yet to come…Today can be YOUR day.
A man from the backwood mountains of Tennessee found himself one day in a large city, and for the 1st time in his life standing outside an elevator.
He watched as an elderly lady stepped inside and the doors closed. A few minutes later the doors reopened and out stepped a young attractive woman.
The father grabbed his son by the arm and said…”Go get your mother.”
A change is coming…and that change can do you a whole NEW world of good.
I don’t believe in evolution…
But I do believe in Transformation because I’ve seen it in Action.
What God touches, He changes into something Better by far.
It’s a change you can’t hide and won’t even want to.
The Gadarenes saw the change to Legion are were amazed.
The former demoniac was NOW clothed and in his right mind.
The priests saw the change in the ten lepers and could not deny it.
My friend, what a great new Life awaits you, when you allow Jesus to come in.
Everyone will see the what God does in your life.
The change is gonna do you good!
Did you notice that Jesus turned water into wine…an emblem of His blood?
When we take communion we take wine as a tribute to His blood that was shed.
Perhaps that is a key to a transformed life…the Blood of Jesus Christ.
For its His blood that cleanses us from EVERY sin…
Its His blood that makes us a part of HIM…
Its His precious blood that paid the price for you and for me…for a new life.
Jesus sees the future you.
He knows who and what you CAN be…
He knows your hopes and dreams and what YOU are longing for…
He also knows that in a few moments of time, He can transform YOU.
Let Hope live in your heart again.
Someone wisely said, “There are no hopeless situations, there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.”
Please don’t lose hope.
Don’t give up, give in or give out.
Your letter is not finished yet…Your future is NOW.
Let Jesus turn an ordinary life into an extraordinary one THIS morning.
