Quietly Lending a Hand
Knox, Port Carling & Zion, Torrance Presbyterian Charge
Sunday July 26, 2020
Sermon Series: The Ministry of Jesus ‘The first miracle of Jesus’
Message: Quietly Lending a Hand
Reverend Glynis Faith
ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Did you know that Canadian Blood Services are still operating and in need of donors. To book an appointment to donate, call 1-888-236-6283 or book online at blood.ca
* Lectio Divina via Zoom, Thursday July 23th @ 7:30 p.m.
* REMINDER: Both Knox and Zion church buildings remain closed until further notice. The Sessions will meet again the third week in August to consider current Health Canada and provincial guidelines, and if it is advisable to do so, a reopening plan will be put in place and the congregation will be notified.
*Lawn Chair Visits: If you would like a visit at your home, please contact me and we can arrange a day and time that works for you. Social distancing will be taken into consideration, and visits are best outside (porch, patio, deck, dock, under a shade tree)
SCRIPTURE
John 2:1-11 (NIV)
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[b]
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 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.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
MESSAGE
This week we peek in on a wedding celebration. The celebration feast is not nearly at an end, but the wine supply has run out. The servants fill the water jugs, as they have been asked to do, and then they take a pitcher of this water to the person in charge of the event.
What the organizer tastes is not water, however, it is wine. Not just any wine, but the very best wine!
This is the first miracle of Jesus. The glory of the son of God revealed to those follow His instructions.
* fill the jars with water *
* present some to the steward *
Jesus transforms the water into wine – no hands on – no transforming words – nothing added – nothing stirred.
Two simple instructions: 1) fill the jars and 2) present a sample of what is in the jars to the steward of the wedding.
What goes into the jars is water, simple H2O, but what comes out is the finest of wine…..
But how can this be? How did this happen?
The servants knew what happened – sort of. Hard to say how they made sense of what had occurred. How would you make sense of something like this if it were you?
Mary knew – after all, it was she who encouraged them to follow Jesus’ instructions. She may not have known exactly how Jesus would care for the needs of their hosts, and since there is no written accounts of Jesus performing miracles before this, it is unlikely she expected an actual miracle, but she knew her son – God’s Son – and she knew He would provide.
Jesus knew what happened – and His disciples knew; although we can only imagine the questions they had for Jesus following the realization of what had occurred. Perhaps the same questions we modern day disciples have – how did you do that? Is it really a miracle, or is there some other explanation?
What strikes me about Jesus’ first miracle is how quietly it occurs. There is a stated need (the wine has run out), Jesus gives instructions (fill the jars, give the steward a taste), the instructions are followed, and because the instructions are followed, the need is met (the water becomes wine). Jesus doesn’t seek credit for saving the day, He simply instructs the servants on how to fulfil the need. His actions set an example to us today.
Running out of wine before the celebration ended would bring shame on the groom’s family – poor planning – cheap – or both.
Imagine inviting 100 guests to your wedding but accidently only ordering meals for 75 meals. 25 guests are going to be unhappy and 100 guests will be talking about your blunder to another 200 friends and relatives and your wedding photos might have a whole lot of ‘thumbs down’ dislikes on Facebook. Shame on you!
Imagine, however, someone realizes what has happened and makes sure the other 25 meals are taken care of. Your wedding goes off without a hitch and you are none the wiser that you have been spared from the wrath and ridicule of disgruntled family and friends, or worse, being shamed on social media. That is exactly what Jesus did.
Quietly, Jesus supplies for the needs of the people and saves the honour of the family. This is how Jesus conducts much of His ministry, quietly lending a hand – seeking no attention or praise – loving His neighbours and pointing all glory to God.
Throughout His ministry Jesus saw where there was need and instructs people on addressing the need. When people listened and responded to Jesus, miracles occurred.
We see this in other examples of Jesus’ ministry. When thousands gathered to hear Jesus speak and the day was getting on, Jesus saw the need to provide food for the people, so He instructed His disciples to bring food. After some blundering about whether they should or could feed all the people, they manage to listen to what Jesus is asking and round up one person’s lunch, which Jesus turns into a miraculous feeding of thousands.
A man whose hand is disfigured listens to Jesus’ instructions to stretch out his hand, and when he does, he is healed. And when Jesus sees a man in need, He instructs him to ‘pick up his mat and walk,’ and when he does, he is made well.
Jesus sees the needs of people and He instructs us how to address those needs. When we listen and do what He asks us to do, miracles happen, and the glory of God is revealed to the world.
The first miracle of Jesus gives us a pattern to follow in our ministry. First, we need to be attentive to the needs around us and pray to Jesus about what we observe. Secondly, we need to prayerfully listen to what Jesus is instructing us to do. Thirdly, we must obey what we are called to do. And finally, we should humbly observe Christ working a miracle in that person’s life and give all praise and glory to God.
All around us there is need – someone needs a hand – encouragement – prayer – healing – answers – financial assistance – direction.
When we put our faith in Jesus to lead us, He will instruct us through Scripture and prayer. When we listen and put our faith into action by doing what He calls us to do, miracles will happen. Through these miracles, Jesus Christ is revealed and glorified.
AMEN
Please pray with me:
Lord Jesus we praise You. You are wonderful, You are awesome, and Your Word is food for our soul. We give You thanks for coming to show us the love of God through Your teachings and Your actions.
All around us there is need. We lift these needs up to You and ask that You instruct us in how we might respond to these needs. We know that You still work miracles and we trust that You will work miracles through us when we listen and respond to all You call us to do.
Bless all we do in Your Holy Name. May all glory and honour be Yours. AMEN