John 2:1-12 “Taste and See”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace.

Join us.

We are continuing our study of John's Gospel this morning in chapter 2, where we're going

to read of one of those greater things that last week Jesus told his disciples they would

see as they follow him.

This is, as Derek said, the story of Jesus turning the water into wine at a wedding reception.

Before we read it, ask yourself if this is the way that you would have started Jesus' ministry

if you were his PR consultant.

If you wanted to introduce Jesus with a big splash, I mean, don't you think for the first

miracle, maybe like a resurrection would have been a good idea?

Something really big?

One thing scholars have observed over the years is that this reality testifies to the historicity

of this story, that it really happened, that it's not the way that someone else seeking

to promote Jesus and make him into something he wasn't, that's not really the plan they

would have come up with.

John is telling us what really happened.

And there's so many things to love about this miracle.

We can't talk about them all this morning.

It speaks to the blessing of marriage, to have Jesus' first miracle in that context.

It shows that Jesus provides for the smallest needs in your life.

This first public miracle basically removes some embarrassment from a couple of unprepared teenagers.

What a kind, kind King Jesus is to all of us, right?

But none of these are really at the heart of the story itself.

Let's read it together and think about the first taste we get of the one John has told

us has come to bring life to the world.

John chapter 2 at verse 1.

John 2 · chapter mention

On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

And when the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him,

They have no wine.

And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with me?

My hour has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you.

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification,

each holding 20 or 30 gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water.

And they filled them up to the brim.

And he said to them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.

So they took it.

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 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.

This, the first of his signs,

Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,

and manifested his glory.

And his disciples believed in him.

Thus far, God's holy, inerrant, infallible word for which we give him thanks.

Amen.

I'm so thankful there's something more, he said.

A Southwood man was recounting to me this week one of his best days,

personally and professionally.

He got an award.

He shared the celebration with people he really loves.

And then as people returned to their home,

and he was by himself,

he felt a gnawing sense of the emptiness,

of even the best days.

He had known, he'd anticipated this moment,

that it wasn't completely going to satisfy him,

and sure enough, in that moment of success,

his thought was,

I'm so thankful there's something more.

Later that same day,

another of our members said the very same thing to me.

I'm so thankful there's something more.

But she was feeling that,

not on one of her best days,

but on one of her worst days.

She was hurting.

Grieving the loss of her husband.

Not wanting to be dealing with the difficulties

that she was facing that day.

The pain felt fresh again,

and the emptiness of life in a broken world was palpable.

And her smile, through the tears,

came from a hope, she said,

for the future, a promise of reunion,

evidence all around her of God's faithfulness,

and experience that she was having

of Jesus' presence with her

on even the hardest and worst of days.

Whether it's on our best day,

or our worst day,

and most of us, most days are somewhere in between,

we know what it's like to taste emptiness, don't we?

To feel something is missing,

to long for something more.

If you are honest,

I think every single one of us,

somewhere in our lives this morning,

there's a hunger that we feel,

and Jesus comes to meet you right there.

Wherever it is you're feeling that hunger,

he promises to provide a fullness of life

that is not found anywhere else.

He gets the emptiness.

He comes to bring something entirely new

that will truly satisfy you.

That's what this story is about.

This story is about that new fullness.

You feel that hunger,

that longing,

you can begin to taste the sweetness of Jesus,

and then over time you realize

that Jesus fulfills you like nothing

and no one else.

Jesus can be yours today

and forevermore.

Look at this story again.

Jesus' first public miracle,

changing water into wine.

Certainly that is an amazing act of power, right?

I can't do that.

But he's not merely putting his divine power

on display randomly,

like he just decided to pull a rabbit out of a hat

and it would be the same thing.

No, the point of this story

is not that if you have a wedding

and you run out of wine,

Jesus might be able to help.

And thankfully, it's so much more than that.

No, John tells us at the end of this passage

that this is a sign

that points to Jesus' glory.

We're gonna run into several of these

in John's account of Jesus' life.

signs, pointers that reveal to us

something about who Jesus is,

that validate his claims that he's making.

They're signs to point us to Jesus.

And the result of this sign

is that his disciples see Jesus

and put their trust in him.

Again, it's not a big splash

in front of thousands of people.

In fact, some of the only people at the wedding

who even know what Jesus does,

that he's the one that's made this happen,

are what?

The servants.

They remind me of the shepherds

who hear the angelic announcement

and get to rush to Bethlehem

and see the baby in the manger.

The servants know where the wine comes from.

Jesus' entrance onto the public stage,

like his entrance into the world,

brings the lowliest,

the most marginalized people

into the center of his kingdom.

Don't you love that?

God is telling us this story

so that even those of us

who feel most distant from him this morning

might follow the sign

and believe,

or believe again,

in Jesus,

in who he is

and what he provides for us.

So let's get to it.

Let's see what is the sign,

this new life,

this fullness found nowhere else.

How is that in Jesus?

Maybe you hear that and you say,

I've already rejected the notion

that Jesus could bring that.

But I would ask you this morning,

you're here,

are you hungry enough

to listen to what he promises to bring

if you believe in him?

It may be different from what you expect.

You may meet the real Jesus

and find him not to be

what you always thought.

First, Jesus offers fullness of joy.

In the Bible,

wine is a symbol of gladness.

Yes, also at times,

its bitterness is highlighted.

Yes, there are certainly places

where we're warned against its abuse.

We should take those warnings very seriously.

But in this story,

Jesus uses his miraculous power

to provide about 150 gallons or so.

That's a lot.

of excellent wine to keep a party going.

Now listen, there is no question,

if you read the life of Jesus,

if you listen to his teachings,

he will call us to suffering

and self-denial

because if we're following in his steps,

that's a big part of what

life with Jesus looks like.

But even those experiences

come within the new life

full of joy that Jesus brings.

This kingdom I bring,

Jesus announces here,

is a feast to enjoy,

not merely a job to do.

It's a relationship to cherish,

not merely a set of beliefs

to assent to.

It's a celebration to bring you joy,

not merely work to bring you a wage.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good,

the psalmist says.

Taste the wine I bring,

Jesus says,

that I give overflowing,

filled to the brim,

the best wine of the whole feast,

and experience as you taste it,

the lavish, gracious Lord of all creation

who gives so many choice fruits

to his creatures.

Every kind that he created for you

to eat and drink and enjoy.

See, he wants us to taste and see,

not just think about.

Jeremy's already made fun

of intellectual Presbyterians,

but there's some seriousness there,

isn't there?

It's more than thinking.

That's why he often pictures

his kingdom as a feast,

an eternal banquet.

It's throughout the Bible.

Isaiah 25 pictures the coming kingdom

of Jesus this way.

On this mountain where Jesus

is gonna play out his kingdom,

the Lord of hosts will make

for all peoples a feast of rich food,

a feast of well-aged wine,

of rich food full of marrow,

of aged wine well-refined.

And he will swallow up on this mountain

the covering that is cast

over all peoples,

the veil that is spread

over all nations.

He will swallow up death forever.

And the Lord God will wipe away tears

from all faces.

And the reproach of his people

he will take away from all the earth,

for the Lord has spoken.

You wanna talk about joy?

No more tears.

Death swallowed up

in the victory of Jesus.

And then in that context,

a feast of the richest foods,

the most delicious things you've eaten,

the choice wine laid out for you

for all peoples to gather together

and enjoy with him.

That is a joy that Jesus is offering

that no one and nothing else in this world

can offer to you.

And he's giving us a taste

at the wedding in Cana

that fullness of joy

is found in him.

18th century preacher Jonathan Edwards

famously described

what I think Jesus is pointing to

with this miracle of water to wine.

Edwards says,

it's the difference between

believing that honey is sweet,

have you heard that it is?

And actually tasting

the sweetness of honey.

Have you had honey before?

Jesus has come

so that we can actually

taste

fullness

of joy,

life

to its fullest,

the things we

long to

experience.

Is there a hunger

somewhere in your

heart today?

Maybe you've

tasted a lot

of what the world

has

to offer.

But there's this

gnawing ache

for something

more than that.

or maybe you've

been sitting

in church

your whole life

but you've

just kind of

started to realize

that

I've never

tasted this

myself.

I didn't know

I was invited

to the feast.

You've just

watched

and listened

to others

talk about

the feast

and thought

about whether

you might like

or whether

you ever

could be able

to actually

experience

these things.

You hear other

people talking

about relationships

with God

walking with

Jesus

talking to

him

and you're

thinking

is that

for me?

Would you

give Jesus

a taste

today?

See if he's

not just

sweet and

delightful

also

fulfilling

eventually

deeply

fulfilling

as well.

See I think

the problem

for many of us

maybe for

you

is that

you've been

told

Christianity

is not

honey

it's not

wine

it's

broccoli

kids

who wants

broccoli

for lunch

hands up

broccoli

for lunch

a big

good

some of you

have good

parents who

have taught

you to eat

your vegetables

vegetables

most of us

aren't excited

about broccoli

you've been

told though

that it's

something you

should eat

but you don't

really have to

like it

I mean it's

good for you

but you won't

enjoy it

I've talked

to enough

of you

to know

that many

of you

grew up

in church

and experienced

Christianity

as a somber

rule following

restrictive

don't smoke

drink

chew

or go

with girls

who do

that was

what it

meant

to be a

Christian

you were

told you

needed it

but you

weren't

expected

to like

it

to be

honest

if that's

your

experience

you

may well

have been

offered that

by someone

who only

knew

Christianity

in that

way

that that

was the

only thing

they had

experienced

of it

please hear

me this

morning

that's

not

what

Jesus

offers

I'm

so

thankful

there is

something

more

young

people

please

don't

think

that

the

idea

is

I've

got

to

get

to

college

to

go

find

real

life

out

there

somewhere

and in

the

meantime

I'm

supposed

to sit

in

church

because

I

need

to

get

into

heaven

because

that's

important

eventually

but I'm

going to

have to

go

searching

somewhere

else

for

real

life

and

true

joy

that's

a

lie

Jesus

invites

you

to

feast

with

him

now

a

feast

where

you

eat

deeply

and

you're

really

satisfied

he wants

you actually

to taste

it

to experience

living

with him

because

life

in his

kingdom

in relationship

with him

is an

adventure

of

pain

that has

a purpose

it's a

journey

where you're

never truly

alone

where you're

always

ultimately

safe

and where

you're

never

without

hope

no matter

what

happens

it's a

celebration

with joy

that never

ends

and people

don't have

to leave

and be

gone

and tears

don't come

back

don't you

want your

friends

to have

that kind

of joy

on their

best days

and on their

worst days

you might

need to

share a

taste

of it

how does

that develop

where do

you get

that

fullness

of joy

let's

notice

the details

of the

sign

that point

to how

Jesus

gives us

that life

there's

this

confusing

interaction

here

between

Jesus

and his

mother

right

it's

hard

to

understand

Mary

comes

and she

highlights

the need

of the

hour

Jesus

they

have

no

wine

problem

and the

best ways

that we

translate

his

response

sound

like

and have

always

sounded

to me

like

nope

I will

not

help

anybody

else

read it

that way

that's

a

misunderstanding

okay

let me

show you

we know

that

because

Mary

understands

what

Jesus

say

to mean

that he

will

help

just

do

whatever

he

tells

you

she

says

always

a good

posture

toward

Jesus

right

and

we

know

it

because

Jesus

immediately

does

help

right

he

must

not

be

saying

the

opposite

so

go

back

and

look

at

what

Jesus

is

contemplating

here

he

says

my

hour

has

not

yet

come

we

are

going

to

read

through

the rest

of

John's

gospel

over

the next

several

decades

and

what

you're

going

to

see

is

I

love

that

y'all

are

excited

about

that

me

too

when

this

word

hour

is

used

over

and

over

it

is

referring

to

the

hour

of

Jesus

death

Jesus

is

contemplating

his

death

best

I

can

tell

what

Jesus

is

saying

is

no

wine

that's

not

hard

today

no

big

deal

because

this

is

not

yet

the

hard

day

when

the

wine

needed

will

be

my

blood

don't

agree

with

me

that's

okay

watch

what

happens

it's

going

to

get

us

there

anyway

we're

told

that

these

stone

water

jars

were

there

for

the

Jewish

rites

of

purification

this

is

ritual

washing

that

God's

people

would

do

over

and

over

often

multiple

times

a day

every

time

they

entered

the

temple

for

example

to

make

them

clean

for

God's

presence

so

that

they

are

able

to

be

in

relationship

with

him

that's

what

the

jars

are

there

for

but

those

six

jars

are

empty

seven

in

fact

is

the

complete

number

that

system

is

incomplete

not

bad

but

incomplete

Jesus

comes

to bring

true

cleansing

that

fully

and

finally

once

and

for

all

brings

peace

with

God

that

the

repeated

washings

and

sacrificings

and

law

abidings

could

never

fully

and

finally

bring

when

Jesus

produces

wine

what does

he do

he

covers

the

shame

of

this

groom

and

he

gives

him

credit

that

he

doesn't

deserve

isn't

that

awesome

do you

see

the

goodness

and

the

grace

of

this

sign

what

it's

pointing

to

what

Jesus

does

for

us

now

we

know

what

Jesus

was

contemplating

right

he

does

all

this

through

his

death

cleansing

us

from

all

our

sins

welcoming

us

into

relationship

with

God

making

peace

for

us

with

God

when

we

were

God's

enemies

unable

to come

into

his

presence

can you

imagine

living

where you

always

needed

to be

cleansed

again

to be

with

God

to

talk

to him

in

prayer

to feel

at home

with

him

maybe

you

can

maybe

you're

thinking

gosh

well

that's

that's

the only

way

I

imagine

God

and

relating

to

him

constantly

my

whole

life

it's

it's

been

keep

clean

or

keep

your

distance

and

I've

gone

back

and

forth

trying

to

figure

this

God

out

I'm

so

thankful

there's

something

more

than

that

way

of

relating

to

God

Jesus

says

fullness

of

life

with

me

means

trust

me

to

have

washed

you

once

and

for

all

and

taste

the

grace

of

God

fullness

of

peace

with

him

in

such

a

way

that

you're

no

longer

ashamed

can

you

imagine

know

God

so

closely

that

you

come

to

trust

his

heart

his

sovereign

wisdom

tastes

sweeter

to

you

it

makes

your

worry

and

control

feel

empty

in

comparison

relate

to

God

so

personally

that

you

bring

your

anxiety

and

your

hurts

and

your

confusion

and

even

your

anger

to

him

and

you

pour

it

all

out

and

at

the

same

time

know

that

you're

at

peace

because

the

blood

of

Jesus

brings

you

to a

God

who

has

tasted

your

pain

who

has

entered

into

it

who

hasn't

left

you

alone

there

and

who

washes

all

your

sins

away

so

that

you

can

be

near

to

him

so

there's

fullness

of

peace

that

you

can

never

ever

be

separated

from

God

actually

taste

the

wine

that

brings

you

peace

you

can

come

to

him

today

maybe

you

never

have

and

you

can

drink

with

God

in

the

midst

of

real

life

and

honest

emotions

you

can

rest

in

him

forever

taste

and

see

that

close

intimate

relationship

with

God

is the

last

piece

of the

full

life

I

want

us

to

see

Jesus

providing

here

I

believe

one

of

the

reasons

that

Jesus

introduces

himself

with

this

miracle

is so

that

we

will

know

he

has

not

come

merely

to be

king

or judge

not

merely

the

healer

or the

provider

but

truly

our

bridegroom

who

loves

us

more

personally

and more

perpetually

than we

can even

fathom

look at

verse 9

when

the

master

of

the

feast

tasted

the

water

now

become

wine

and

did

not

know

where

it

came

from

though

the

servants

knew

who

had

drawn

the

water

they

knew

the

master

of

the

feast

called

the

bridegroom

and

said

to

him

you

get

the

credit

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

the

master

of

the

feast

didn't

know

the

source

of

the

good

wine

so

credit

goes

to

the

bridegroom

except

we

know

Jesus

is the

one

who

has

really

provided

the

best

wine

Jesus

is the

true

bridegroom

who

at the

end

to

complete

what

is

needed

is

going

to

bring

out

the

best

wine

listen

this

day

at

this

wedding

in

Cana

was

not

his

hour

it

is

not

the

full

and

finest

wine

he

will

provide

but

what

would

it

take

at

his

wedding

as

Jesus

starts

to

contemplate

this

what

would

it

take

at

his

wedding

for

his

bride

to

be

there

and

be

clean

for

him

to

have

wine

at

his

wedding

feast

we

know

now

what

Jesus

knew

then

it

would

be

his

blood

that

would

be

the

best

wine

he

would

say

the

cup

of

the

covenant

relationship

it

brings

us

clean

into

relationship

with

God

Jesus

is

telling

you

with

this

miracle

right up

front

from the

outset

that

he

loves

you

and

he

wants

you

to

taste

his

love

to

drink

deeply

of

its

fullness

in

relationship

with

him

he

wants

you

to

know

that

because

we

were

empty

unclean

unworthy

to drag

ourselves

to the

altar

for the

wedding

but

Jesus

instead

of running

off

to find

a more

beautiful

bride

Jesus

came chasing

after us

at the cost

of his

own

blood

to make

us

clean

to dress

us in

white

to pledge

himself

to us

forever

to embrace

us

passionately

and then

to come

to the

reception

and put

the

wine

of

gladness

in

our

hands

that

reception

is the

wedding

feast

of the

lamb

it's what

God's

eternal

kingdom

is

pictured

as

we read

it earlier

in

revelation

together

we heard

it promised

in Isaiah

the feast

to end

all

feasts

you don't

want to

miss this

one

our

bridegroom

swallows

up

death

forever

by dying

and achieving

victory

over death

rising

from the

grave

so that

even

death

itself

will never

separate us

from him

and his

love

forever

amen

love that

perseveres

in sickness

and in

health

for better

or worse

in joy

or sorrow

it's the

kind of

love

that we

look

desperately

for in

human

marriage

isn't

it

maybe

you're

feeling

hunger

right

there

maybe

you're

coming up

empty

there

Jesus

offers

fullness

unmarried

friends

Jesus

frees

you up

from

looking

to

marriage

the

marriage

that

left

a bad

taste

in your

mouth

or the

marriage

you've

never

tasted

either

way

you're

freed up

from looking

to marriage

to fulfill

you

there is a

fulfilling

relationship

with him

that you

can know

now

and that

will never

end

because

even

death

will not

part you

too

it already

tried that

it didn't

work

married

friends

Jesus

frees

us

up

not

to look

to

marriage

to

fulfill

us

and

to

enjoy

the

best

moments

of the

best

marriages

as

foretastes

of

love

that

sees

you

at

your

worst

and yet

embraces

you

that

holds

you

tight

and

wipes

away

your

tears

that

gives

itself

to

you

sacrificially

for

your

joy

and

your

flourishing

and

all

of

us

in

Christ

will

get

to

taste

that

love

fully

and

forever

married

or

unmarried

here

that's

the

kind

of

love

that

you'll

get

to

experience

I

had

known

about

Jesus

for

a

long

time

before

actually

tasting

the

sweetness

of

that

love

it's

not

the

sugary

sweetness

of

Kool-Aid

which

I

confess

I

really

like

both

the

drink

itself

and

the

quick

shot

of

good

feeling

that

you

get

the

praise

of

man

can