“2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”  ~John 2:1-11

While I love all the Gospels, I am particularly found of the Gospel according to John. Each Gospel writer takes a different approach to describing who Jesus is and what he accomplished during his life on earth. As Gail O’Day puts it, “for John, Jesus provides unique and unprecedented access to God because Jesus shares in God’s character and identity, and it is as the Word made flesh that Jesus brings God fully to the world.” In other words, John focuses on Jesus revealing to us who God is and how God relates to all of creation.

I also find it fascinating that unlike the other Gospels who tell the story of Jesus birth, dive into his baptism and temptation in the desert, then calling the disciples, John just starts out claiming Jesus as part of the Trinity. John claims that Jesus is one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. John then depicts Jesus calling the disciples and then shares with us what happens when God shows up at a party!

Here is Jesus and his friends, having a good time and Mary comes up to him saying, “Jesus, they have no wine.” Remember, wine is a key part of the culture of Jesus’ time so not having wine is definitely not a good thing. I imagine Jesus rolling his eyes as he turns to Mary and says, “It’s not my problem!” And he’s right. It’s not his wedding, why is he responsible? Not to mention, Jesus isn’t ready to reveal all that he can do quite yet.

But Mary is persistent and turns to the servers and says, “he’ll fix it. Just do as he tells you.”

So, a frustrated Jesus, or I imagine a frustrated Jesus, looks around the room to see what he can do. He sees six 20-30 gallon containers and has them filled up to the brim with water. He tells the servants to bring some of that water to the guy in charge and that’s when they discover that it is not water, but the finest wine they have ever tasted!

We learn from John that this is the first time Jesus has done something to point to God’s power and that this is the first moment the disciples believed in him. For John, Jesus reveals God to the people around him for the first time not in the temple, not in a synagogue, not during prayer time, not using scripture, but at a celebration. A party. A moment where everyone’s guard is down. I can’t remember where but someone has done the math and equates that Jesus turned that water into some 900 bottles of wine so clearly, many are drinking.

And this is where they see God for the first time!

To me, John has included this story, not just to show God’s power. But, that God can show up at the most unexpected time, in the most unexpected place, to the most unexpected people, just as was done through Jesus at Christmas. Even if it’s at a place or in a way some people of faith frown upon, through alcohol.

I wonder how our lives would change if we started looking for God in more than just the obvious places (in church, in scripture, in prayer), and started looking for God everywhere. I wonder how our lives would change if we recognized that every moment and every place is a place to share God’s love, even if we can’t use those words to describe it. I wonder what that would do for us, and what that would do for the community around us, and the world at large.

God is real. God is here.

God. Shows. Up.

Can we live into that truth?

Comment your thoughts below!

Blessings friends,
Pastor Nicole