W.I.N.E -sermon Epiphany 2C

I was given an old book for Christmas containing a series of sermons by Lutheran pastor and professor, Helmut Thielicke.  I have been reading one each night before I go bed.  Thielicke had a unique way of turning parables upside --- always seeking to determine what in the world God was up to in Jesus’ words; he sat with each parable long enough to come up with poignant thoughts that applied directly to his context --- and to the context of today. Oft times these sermons from the 1950s seem directed at me.  His thoughts have coloured mine. 

This sermon pauses to delve into the reading of Jesus changing water into wine.  In this event, what in the world was God up to in Jesus’ actions?  What do we learn about God and applying Jesus’ example to our lives today?  I am going to focus on four take-aways for reflecting on and applying today’s Gospel reading.  Consider the acronym: WINE, W.I.N.E.

W. is for WELCOME:

It is a wedding.  To be more specific it is a middle-eastern wedding, in a town, in the countryside.  This wedding is the event of the week ---  nothing else is going on, things are put on hold ----  everyone shows up; those who live in the town, those from the neighbouring countryside, people visiting from farther afield.

I was watching “Say Yes to the Dress,” on TV Friday night and a young Ethiopian woman came to buy a dress, with an entourage of 20 other women to help in the picking of the dress.  The host commented, “It takes a whole community to find a dress.”  The wedding itself ---- the family was expecting upwards of 800 people over the multiple day event.

Jesus and the disciples are at a multi-day event that will welcome many hundreds of people.

Some of us grew up in rural towns – towns where you know of everyone and everyone knows of you; for good and ill. The town comes to the wedding. At the wedding there will be those of whom we approve; the ones having received proper invitations from the parents of the bride, and extended curtesies by the parents of the groom; but, at such a wedding the whole town is there: those belly-ached about, the brunt of jokes, those under watchful eye, the scapegoat, the town drunk, the show-off, the eccentric, the lunatic, the better-than-thou-tea-tottler, the one who talks too much, the couple with the wild-children; the please-do-not-let-me-be-cornered-by-that person;…. When the guests arrive at the door, all are welcome to come in to celebrate, to eat, drink, and make merry.

The wedding celebration of the church is celebrating the Eucharist and offering to all the invitation to come. Come celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry. People are not turned away from the rail, told that they cannot come, or made to jump through hoops to receive the gifts of Christ’s body and blood.  All are welcome for a blessing. The richness of the event is giving thanks.  It is sharing together in communion --- a wine that binds us together not just in this space, but, in the celebration of Eucharist in other Christian communities around the globe—in celebrations today, yesterday, and tomorrow.  In our prayers the prayer is not just over bread and wine, but, also the community.   Together in celebration we experience the welcome of God, receiving us as we are, a townsperson not entirely approved of by other townspeople.  We ask in one of our communion prayers, “O God, you are wine: warm our hearts and make us one.” And this is the grand welcome! We are welcomed and made one through Jesus, on God’s behalf.

I is for INPUT:

To think -  that perhaps the miracle of wine may never have occurred, is written about in many a commentary.  Writers suggest that without the nudge from Mary, without her input, Jesus may just have been like any other guest -welcomed to the celebration, to eat, drink, and be merry --- to return home filled with food, drink, and warmed by community fellowship. In God’s vision and understanding of kingdom, there was potential for far more. It was Mary’s input that had the celebration continue on, with new wine – fantastic wine -  that celebrated the revelation of the glory of God to those present in that day and to us who hear the story today.

The importance of input is that input shakes Jesus, shakes us, from the comfort of our regular operating procedures.  Input interrupts our thinking patterns and opens opportunities for communal miracles.  Input pushes the foundations of who we are and what we believe. Sometimes input kicks us in the behind and reminds us that life is short: get on with living and sharing and being whom God created you to be; get on with playing out the kingdom of God.

Input can act along the lines of last week’s sermon, commending us to open ourselves to bearing the Voice of the Lord, to those who are in need of hearing words of life and hope. Input from outside ourselves, urges us and others to act now, so that everyone may hear the invitation ---that all may be invited to the celebration and welcomed to the feast.

Input potentially changes everything.  It did at the wedding.  It was no longer a common affair, a typical wedding; Mary’s input, aroused Jesus’ input, and God’s input comes as an abundance of wine. 

And the purpose of wine… the wedding celebration lasted longer – people stayed until the wine was consumed … extended time means there is time for others to be invited, for others to still arrive.  With extra time we can give more invitations to come and celebrate.  It takes on average seven invitations to church before a person says yes.  So get inviting.  In the big picture the winner is the community, fellowship, and relationship; where all are equal, all are fed, all share in the joy.

N is NEW BEGINNINGs –

Weddings are a new beginning: in the way a couple relates to each other; in the way that others relate to the couple.  This wedding is a new beginning for Jesus as he ventures into public displays of miracles.

For the church, weddings are times when new beginnings occur as someone walks into church for the first time and hears the Word of God; or a wedding guest has a positive experience with a minister/pastor; or a guest puts their own stuff aside (like a divorce, broken relationship) for the sake of a child getting married.  The wedding becomes a time for a new beginning, a time of transformation for the heart.

And talk about transformation: Helmut Thielicke refers to Jesus as, “a storm in a Galilean tea cup.” –one man, in a tiny region, who through word and action puts not only others in motion, but, realizes God’s vision. This miracle is just the beginning of God breaking into the world in provocative ways.

E. is for EPIC: 

Seriously, the thought of this miracle illustrates that Jesus bears God’s CREATIVE POWER and JOYFUL PRESENCE in the world.  Jesus turns an enormous amount of water into wine.  One commentary suggests the amount works out to 700 bottles. This is epic extravagance!

One might argue about the necessity of such extravagance. One might comment that wine is a ridiculous waste of miracle power --- a group of people happy and drunk--- when there are hungry, and poor, sick and in imprisoned.  Why waste time on wine when there are worldly kingdoms to overthrow and justice to be brought?

Why? Because …. In the sharing of wine, in the sharing of Christ’s suffering and blood, all are welcomed, all are equal despite the townsperson they are, all commune together and celebrate an abundance beyond imagination.  This story is not about a simple wedding at Cana in Galilee, it is a description and symbol of the fullness of God and God’s want for creation. One’s experience of the grand celebration brings joy, hope, a willingness and wanting to invite others to come – to input, to nudge, to speak, to act – to prolong the celebration so that the late comers are not forgotten.

This miracle shows who God is; God is a God of great abundance.

Helmut Thielicke doesn’t usually suggest prescriptions in sermons, however, he offered this one, “Faith is nothing but being quiet and receptive when God speaks, being still when God acts.  What I have to say, then, applies only to this quiet receptiveness.  Or, to express it in a different way, it is suggested only in order to help us stop putting ourselves in the limelight and asserting ourselves when God wants to turn on his light and enlighten us.

When we are sitting in a train or bus or the backseat of our car, when the telephone is silent for a moment and secretaries and appointment books are gone for a time, we should try for once not to reach for a radio knob or a bell push.  Then we should try taking a deep breath and saying, “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.” This will give a sense of distance and peace.”  

And I would add that the pause, the moment of quiet receptiveness, is the moment to drink in the wine of heaven.  It is a moment to accept the invitation to the celebration, to attend the wedding and be filled with welcome, input, and a new beginning.   This is epic!  God’s miracle of abundance extravagantly showered for you, for all! Thanks be to God! Amen.