Water Into Wine

Great sermon this morning about Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding at Galilee. Our minister, Judy Brain, spoke to the notion that some would consider this miracle a bit showy, not terribly serious, a bit beneath Jesus, especially for his FIRST miracle. What kind of a show biz trick was this -- being invited to a wedding and turning water into wine when the guests were running out. Not exactly healing the lame or parting the waters? What was he up to?

She gave us a whole new way to look at it. She reminded us of the lovely weddings in those days -- some as long as five days -- with feasting and dancing and families joining together over long distances, happy to be reunited. She asked us to imagine the group dancing and feasting and then the word starts to spread through the crowd, at this early point in the festivities, the first day, the first evening -- the host was running out of wine!! Very bad news.

So what does Jesus do? He saves the day. He makes sure they can keep partying. He makes sure the feasting and dancing and joyfulness continue.

Still sounds pretty trivial. But what if the wine isn't wine. What if the wine is the symbol of love and abundance and joy that a spiritual life affords. Perhaps you can get drunk on the abundant joy of Jesus' and God's love. Perhaps the simple joy in every ordinary day can give a Christian a reason to party. Perhaps that's the miracle of a life full of love, joy, God and nice dancing shoes?