John 2: 1-12

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Jewish weddings in the first century were a big deal.

Huge.

The whole village was usually invited, and the festivities would continue for days, a week maybe.

So significant were these social gatherings, that if the hospitality was sub-standard, scholars tell us that the hosts could be taken to court.

Well, here’s the situation in John 2:

Jesus and his mother – no mention of Joseph his father who may have been dead by then, and Jesus’ friends (a party of 6 or 7, perhaps) are invited to a wedding about 20k’s away from where they live.

And a ‘critical incident’ occurs – although only a few people (and us readers) are privy to it.

Either the thirsty guests had overindulged

or the wine steward, the sommelier, had under budgeted.

Either way, the wine had run out (John 2:3).

Bad form, that.

Huge potential for offending the whole village in one fell swoop.

So, Mary, grasping both the import of the predicament, and Jesus’ capacity to address the crisis says to Jesus, “they have no more wine….”

He says (in a tone that was honoring to her as his mother), ‘dear woman – why are you telling me this, my hour has not yet come?”

The “time” or the “hour” to which Jesus refers is an event, a crisis really, that is indeed yet to come.

Later, in John 12:23ff, Jesus explains that the ‘hour’ is a reference to his coming betrayal and execution.

Jesus’ death is what is on view.

It was for this very reason, this very ‘hour’, that Jesus came, he says.

So, what he’s about to do now is simply a ‘curtain raiser’, as it were, for that main event; it is a sign that will point to his authority and his identity.

We might even render his words, “this is neither the time nor the place to fully reveal fully who I am.”

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Now, the Jewish people at that time were fastidious when it came to cleanliness; it was a part of their religious practice.

So, hand washing was commonplace and frequent.

That is why six stone water jars were on hand.

Big ones, these jars.

They held, on average, 100 litres.

John mentions the size, I think, to underscore the magnitude of what is about to happen.

Now these particular jars are empty.

So, Jesus – at his mother’s behest, does take charge and he instructs the staff to fill the jars with water.

And they fill them.

Full.

That’s 600 litres of water, isn’t it?

And it must have taken some time.

Having filled the jars, Jesus then asks them to draw some out, and take it to the wine steward.

So off they go.

The staf – who’ve been eyewitness of all that’s taken place – give the cup to the steward.

He is astounded by the quality and the calibre of what he’s just consumed.

Let me read to again you what happens next, ‘then the steward called the bridegroom aside and said, ‘everyone brings out the choice wine first, and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now”.

Too right it was the best; 800 bottles worth of ‘the best’!

Can you imagine a pallet load or two of 2017 ‘Bin 95 Grange Shiraz’ – you’d need a fork-lift to get it home?

What a wedding gift – almost a million dollars’ worth if it was anything like the Bin 95!

‘Extravagant grace’ is what one preacher calls it.

I like that, ‘extravagant grace’.

Jesus rescues or redeems the wedding banquet.

Jesus’ heart goes out to this young couple.

Such compassion and generosity, don’t you think?

A not only is he compassionate – he is also powerful.

Yes, Mary’s confidence in her son’s ability is well placed – for Jesus creates something exquisite out of nothing at all.

Did you notice that?

Sounds God-like, right?

And it is a sign (John 2:11) of that which is to come.

For you see those themes, compassion, rescue, and power – continue throughout his life and ministry.

*The compassionate Jesus rescues a twisted and paralyzed man from 38 years of misery and pain…with a word, and before a crowd, the man is powerfully healed – John 5.

*The compassionate Jesus rescues vast crowds from hunger and exhaustion when he provides them with so much food, that baskets and baskets are filled with leftovers. He powerfully transforms five loaves and two fish to accomplish this unprecedented miracle – John 6.

* The compassionate Jesus rescues his friend Lazarus from death – with a word. Lazarus had been in the grave 4 days – and before an astonished throng Jesus cries, “Lazarus comes out!” Jesus publicly exercises his power over death – John 11.

Extravagant grace, to be sure.

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There are only two incidents of Jesus engaging with his mother in John’s gospel; the first is here in John 2, when he reported that his ‘hour’ had not yet come.

The second is in John 19; his crucifixion – when his ‘hour’ had indeed come.

Using similar language as John 2, he addresses his dear mother in John 19 (vv. 26-27) and tells her that his friend John will now care for her needs and assume the role of the older son – and then he utters those memorable words, ‘it is finished’ and he breathes his last (John 19:30).

Yes – with a heart full of love and compassion, Jesus has given his life for the world.

Such generosity and kindness. 

For he has rescued people from sin and judgement by standing in their/our stead.

And as we know, Jesus then powerfully broke free from death’s grasp by rising from it (John 20).

Compassion; rescue; power.

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Did you notice the way Jesus’ friends respond when they see him transform the water into wine?

“Jesus revealed his glory (i.e., he showed himself for who he was – in part at least, anyway) – and his disciples put their faith in him” – John 2:11

They believed in him; they trusted him.

Or more accurately, they entrusted their lives to him.

Which is the reason that this information was recorded in the first place; that people like us would hear, and see, and believe.

John 20:30ff – ‘Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.’

Believers in turn, offer life, and hope, and wholeness, through Christ – to others.

Jesus’ compassion is made manifest – to the watching world, through the church – his ‘body’.

By his Spirit, he empowers usto continue that work of rescue and reconciliation; hence the gift list here in our Epistle reading from I Corinthians 12.

It is God – by his Spirit, who equips his people with various gifts and skills (I Corinthians 12:6), in order that all within the church benefit (I Corinthians 12:7).

Our community of faith – South Head Anglican Parish, as a body, has been equipped by God – through his indwelling Spirit, to continue Jesus’ compassionate and powerful ministry of rescue and restoration.

And in these next days and weeks, you will hear more – for example, of house groups, Alpha courses, Little Sheep church, playgroups, schools’ ministries, social outreach programmes, Community Lunch – all of which are opportunities for us, as Christ’s church, to compassionately share in Jesus’ powerful rescue mission.

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May we pray?

Lord, in this new year of 2022, with all of its uncertainty and instability, give us courage, like those disciples, to entrust our lives into your care – and then, empowered and equipped by your Spirit, may we become conduits of your ‘extravagant grace’ to our local and wider community.

Amen.