WATCHWORD:
1 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, 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. 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. John 2:1-11
20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:20-24
Meditation:
New Wine
A story I am writing follows a dishonest merchant, Shimon, who meets Jesus and the impact gradually changes him. In this excerpt, he is explaining his smile to two people he has just met:
“… that (smile) may seem like a simple thing, but for me it caused a flood of thoughts and wonders. I started paying closer attention to what I was doing. I began to realize that I was almost happy. I mean, I became aware that I was smiling and while people noticed that, I came to understand something else. That story of the man turning water into wine made me realize that it was important for me. It wasn’t the miracle, if that actually had happened, it was the message of that story. The more I thought about that, the more I wondered if, symbolically, my life was changing from the water of my old life, into the rich wine of a new life that I was becoming.”
That bit of writing was an epiphany for me, and I am keeping it in the story because I believe it holds true. When we accept Christ, embrace all that it means to commit, we are leaving our old, sinful life behind (that is the water) and putting on a new nature, righteous and holy (New Wine). In one way, this has nothing to do with religion, but it has everything to do with spiritual faith.
Remember that passage from 1 John 4:4b — greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. The “he that is in the world” are all the pressures of secular life away from our faith. These are all the influences that pull us away from living a life in Christ.
For my character, Shimon, the pull of the world, was his old life, which focused on making a profit, even dishonestly. A neighbor noticed he was smiling and wondered what he was up to, it was so out of character for him. Having been touched, unaware, by a story of Jesus, his old life, contaminated water, was undergoing a change to a new life, new rich wine, the symbol of Christ’s blood.
I have a vivid memory of a Christmas, years ago. Earlier that year, I had a powerful born again experience, and had accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. One of our children said to me, “Dad, what has happened to you? You are different, you seem calm, at peace.” I was totally unaware that I was changing. It would be a while before I could really answer that question.
How about you? Can you recall in the distant past, a time when you felt you were putting on a “new you”, and the quality of your life changed based on your faith alone? It does make me wonder what my children saw, back then. How about you?
Bulletin Board:
Psalm 118 is a song of faith and commitment. Tradition has it that Jesus and the disciples sang this at the end of Last Supper. Can’t you just hear that chorus, echoing in the upper room?
Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Let all Israel repeat “His faithful love endures forever.”
3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
4 Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Closing Prayer:
Lord Lord, we wandered in desert wastes; hungry and thirsty, our souls fainted within us. Then we cried to you in our trouble, and You delivered us through Jesus. We thank You, Lord for Your steadfast love, for Your wondrous works to us! Help us to cross seas in faith that we may be used by You for Your glory. We pray in the name of Jesus Amen.
