The gospel in a wedding feast
Read John 2:1-11
Imagine you are the bridegroom in this story. You have just realized you made a mistake... you didn't have enough wine to serve your guests. In our culture, it is hard to imagine the implications of this, but we know it was a shameful thing to not have sufficient wine. Maybe it reflected on your abilities as a new husband, and it would reveal that your care and provision would be insufficient - or maybe it determined your position and favor in society, and if you couldn't provide enough for your guests then you wouldn't be seen as good enough to be accepted. Whatever the case, it was a problem, and Jesus came to the rescue. What the bridegroom could not do - had in fact failed miserably at - Jesus did graciously and abundantly better than the bridegroom ever could. And how did he do it? He used the least likely instrument - a symbol of the law and legalism as it had always been known - and turned it into an symbol of richness and joy, of celebration and relationship at its very best quality... filled to the brim and presented on the bridegroom's behalf. When the master tasted it, he praised the bridegroom, even though he did nothing to deserve or earn it.
Isn't this just like Jesus?! He came in the least likely way and turned the cross - a symbol of death and justice according to the law - into a symbol of life and grace and a way into relationship. He abundantly provided salvation in a way that is far more pure and complete than we ever could have accomplished on our own. And because he did that, the Master looks on us with favor and honor when we come into his presence, instead of with scorn and contempt that our shameful failures deserve.
There were about 180 gallons of the best wine available when Jesus was done with it - plenty to fill any and all the guests who would receive it. And so it is with the gift of salvation - free and available to all who will take and drink deeply, and see that the Lord is good.
"He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."
Imagine you are the bridegroom in this story. You have just realized you made a mistake... you didn't have enough wine to serve your guests. In our culture, it is hard to imagine the implications of this, but we know it was a shameful thing to not have sufficient wine. Maybe it reflected on your abilities as a new husband, and it would reveal that your care and provision would be insufficient - or maybe it determined your position and favor in society, and if you couldn't provide enough for your guests then you wouldn't be seen as good enough to be accepted. Whatever the case, it was a problem, and Jesus came to the rescue. What the bridegroom could not do - had in fact failed miserably at - Jesus did graciously and abundantly better than the bridegroom ever could. And how did he do it? He used the least likely instrument - a symbol of the law and legalism as it had always been known - and turned it into an symbol of richness and joy, of celebration and relationship at its very best quality... filled to the brim and presented on the bridegroom's behalf. When the master tasted it, he praised the bridegroom, even though he did nothing to deserve or earn it.
Isn't this just like Jesus?! He came in the least likely way and turned the cross - a symbol of death and justice according to the law - into a symbol of life and grace and a way into relationship. He abundantly provided salvation in a way that is far more pure and complete than we ever could have accomplished on our own. And because he did that, the Master looks on us with favor and honor when we come into his presence, instead of with scorn and contempt that our shameful failures deserve.
There were about 180 gallons of the best wine available when Jesus was done with it - plenty to fill any and all the guests who would receive it. And so it is with the gift of salvation - free and available to all who will take and drink deeply, and see that the Lord is good.
"He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."
