"whatever Living"

Scripture: John 2:1-12; John 14:15

Theme: Obedience

Title: “Whatever” Living

This sermon focuses on Mary’s five words to the servants – “Do Whatever He tells you” – this is the basis for a life of obedience which will lead to a life of victory and celebration!

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

I want to talk to you today about the subject of Obedience.

In particular, how vitally important it is for as Christ followers for us to live a life of obedience. If we really think about it, the only way to truly live the Abundant Life is to be totally committed and consecrated to the One who is able to make the Abundant Life a reality. That is to say, that they only way for us to experience the fullness of what it means to be Born Again is for us to be a person of obedience and faithfulness. The only way for us to live a life in which we see God show up and show out is to be a person of obedience and faithfulness.

The passage we read contains what is called a 1st Principle. What that means is it is a story that deals with something that is a first in the book of John. And when we see a 1st Principle in a book of the Bible it is usually vitally important.

And in this case we see that the story of the wedding at Cana is vitally important. For in this story, Jesus not only performs His first miracle (the first of seven signs) but we also see the first glimpses of what it means to see Jesus as Messiah and Lord.

Throughout the rest of John’s Gospel what is shared here crops up time and time again. In almost every encounter Jesus has with a person you are drawn back to what you see revealed in this passage.

Now, for some the wedding at Cana speaks overwhelmingly about the importance of marriage. And as you look at the passage it is possible to draw such revelation. Many marriage ceremonies contain a reference to this wedding.

Example: Dearly Beloved: We are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that exists between Christ and His Church. This holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence and fist miracle that He wrought, in Cana of Galilee ….

For others, they like to see it as a great example of how Jesus wanted people to enjoy their lives here on earth. There is a wedding, there is a party and there is a great celebration of life. They like to focus in on the fact that right at the beginning of his ministry; Jesus is not hiding away but is mixing in life. He is dancing and celebrating the beginning of a couple’s new life together.

For others, it is simply a great story about wine. They see it as nothing more than a supernatural endorsement of having a bit of wine every now and then.

This morning, I believe that the Holy Spirit is directing us away from those aspects of the story and instead wanting us to focus on the words that Mary shares with those servants that day. Words that if we allow them will open up for us the way that we can always be assured that we will live a victorious and successful life here on this earth and on the New Heaven and New Earth some day in the future. Words that if we will allow them, will point us to the way that as a church we can make sure that we will always be a reflection of God’s Glory and Grace.

Those words are found in John 2:5. In my version of the Bible (ESV) they comprise only five little words. Five little words that if we will take them to heart, if we will allow them to become our central focus then we will experience a life with God that can only be called “AMAZING”.

Those five words – “DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU”

They are words of action and mystery. They are words that center on Jesus. They are words that speak of being able to communicate with the Lord. And they are words that are personal as they are directed ultimately to all of us.

The story is a rather simple one.

+There is a wedding taking place near Nazareth in a town that is called Cana of Galilee

+In some way, Jesus’ mother is majorly involved. We do not know if she was one of the wedding planners or was just a close relative of one of the people getting married? Some have theorized that it perhaps it was one of her own children that was getting married.