Celebrating
the freeing, supportive presence of God. So your experience of God may
become your experience of life. It is wonderful what God can do!
“When Jesus Joins Our Celebrations”
January 14, 2007
Jesus was a busy man – preaching, teaching, lecturing, answering questions, praying, healing and feeding the multitudes, defending the faith, and correcting the errors. Yes, Jesus was a busy man – but never too busy to accept an invitation to a party.
Jesus enjoyed being around people – all kinds of people, and he enjoyed watching them experience the joys of life. I believe he viewed a party as a celebration of life – the life that God had so richly created and generously given to all.
Our Scripture this morning tells of a wedding party to which he and his disciples had been invited at the very beginning of his public ministry. We can tell that Jesus was a little tense about beginning this public ministry. When his mother informed him that the wine had given out and there was none left, Jesus appears to be uncertain whether or not to get involved as he says to Mary, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”
There are scholars who say this was not uncertainty or even irritability on Jesus’ part, but rather a clear teaching, that his ministry would not be directed by anyone else other than himself – not even his mother. In any case, Mary responds very appropriately by saying to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Just as soon as Mary finishes speaking, Jesus goes about solving a serious social problem. Wine was the main drink of the day and to have run out was either socially irresponsible, or perhaps the family could not afford to have any more wine than they did. Either way, Jesus responds to the crisis and makes wine from water to fill the need. Now this was not the $2 cardboard box type, but a very good wine, at least according to the wedding steward.
You can tell that this is a party. The author and witness to this event adds humor to the story, by having the servants take the miraculous wine to the steward to taste, but then the steward goes to the bridegroom to congratulate him on keeping the good wine until last! I have often chuckled over the years about what the bridegroom must have been thinking. The steward was speaking about the good wine being held until last, not knowing that the bridegroom was unaware of any of it!
Let’s review: Jesus responded to an invitation to attend a wedding party. Jesus establishes his authority and timing. Jesus responded to an immediate need. The important result of this was that “his disciples believed in him” which was a good starting point for his ministry.
I believe we can conclude from this that (1) Jesus wanted to be there, (2) Jesus wanted to help, and (3) Jesus responded to a need without even questioning what happened.
Later in his ministry, Jesus would tell a parable about a banquet where people who were invited refused to come. In the parable we learn that if the religious people won’t respond to God’s invitation, then God will pass them over and invite those whom we wouldn’t expect to be invited.
Without God in our daily lives, all the parties in the world would be rather empty and meaningless because there is no future in them without God. So many people today struggle to find joy and meaning in their lives in all the wrong places.
As important as our employment is, without God to give it meaning, it is not much more than perfunctory. As important as education is, without God to give it meaning, it is not much more than human wisdom. As important as recreation is, without God to give it meaning, its competitiveness can not even stand the test of time. Even friendships can leave us wanting if they are not based on a common understanding of, and love for, their creator.
Out of 365 days in any one year, how many times have you committed yourself to the worship and praise of God? How many times have you prayed for others, for your church, for its leadership? How many times have you asked God to show you what he would have you to do to improve the lives in our community and our world?
Jesus was invited to the wedding party … let us now invite Jesus into our homes. Invite Jesus into our lives. Intentionally invite Jesus into our wedding celebrations, graduation and birthday parties boldly giving him thanks in prayer at each and every event.
Now more than ever, we need the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ in our daily living, in our daily working, in our daily learning, and in our daily work for God’s kingdom here on earth and in this community. In a spirit of love, pray and work for peace, truth, mercy, and generosity in all that you do. Amen.
