Sermon
A Wedding Made Happy
A Church Made Clean
May 13-14, 2000
Pastor Donald Sheley

Would you join me in your Bible at page, if you're using the pew Bible, go to page 714 would you? And if you're new with us today, it's a delight to have you, and we're in a prolonged study of the gospel of John. We started about the first of the year and we've finished one chapter. Now we're in chapter 2. How long will we be in John? Till Jesus comes (congregation laughs), but we're just enjoying. We just take a verse at a time, and sometimes just a word at a time. We seek to understand the rich spiritual truths in this marvelous passage of Scripture.

So we've arrived at chapter 2 today, and John writes for us these words: On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 
Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 
And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." 
Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." 
His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." 
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. It just simply says that in a Jewish home there was always water at the door to wash your guest's feet, because you walked in sandals. They did not have paved highways, so for the purifying of the feet, the cleansing of the feet, there was always water at the door. This home had six waterpots. 
Verse 7: Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 
And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. 
When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 
And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" 
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

I'm going to ask you to take your notes and let's just for a while read some of the comments. Let's go to page 2 in our notes this afternoon. And I begin the message by saying that when John wrote his gospel, he carefully selected signs or special actions of Jesus that would put His eternal glory on display. This is the reason why the gospel of John is much different than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew, Mark, and Luke write their gospels giving a chronological happening as to the events in Christ's life. John writes his gospel at the age of about 100. He lived to be an old, old man up in Ephesus. And so he has 65 years to that have gone by since Jesus went back to heaven - 65 years. And John is an old man now, he's ready to pen his gospel and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he doesn't want to go back and do what Matthew, Mark, and Luke did, and present a chronological. He wants to select from the life of Jesus happenings, events, discourses, miracles that he believes when people hear about them and read them they will believe in Jesus. This is one of the reasons why when people become new in their Christian faith often times the best part of the Bible to read first is the gospel of John, because John said I wrote these things so that as you understand them and accept them you will believe in Jesus like I believed in Jesus.

John 20:30-31 says: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." John said that's my purpose for writing the gospel. Now here in chapter 2, after John tells the beautiful story of the wedding and the water turned into wine, he makes this statement: Verse 11; "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and he manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on Him."

When we work our way through the gospel of John we're going to note at least seven, and some theologians think there could be eight, different specific signs that John selected so people would believe. He selected Lazarus coming out of the grave, the feeding of the five thousand, the man who was born blind; John said if you believe these, you'll put your trust in Jesus Christ. Now had we been asked to select the one which seemed most appropriate to stand as the frontispiece of his earthly ministry, we should have selected maybe the rising of Lazarus, or the calming of the storm, or the feeding of the five thousand - but most likely our last selection of display of His glory would have been this humble scene at a village wedding. And I'm saying there that when we analyze the great events of Jesus, to stand there at that tomb of Lazarus and hear Him say, "Lazarus, come forth!" Now if I were writing the story, I would want something dramatic, but God in writing His story concerning the Christ and His public ministry begins the story in a little village at a poor family's wedding. That's amazing to me.

So let's visit that wedding. It says that that's where Jesus first displayed His eternal glory. Cana of Galilee is so called to distinguish it from Cana near Syria. If we were looking at an old map you'd find there's a little village of Cana almost up to the top near Syria, but when you come to the place that John is referencing here; Cana was - you could just cross a little plain and about seven or eight miles out here on the other side of the plain was the city of Cana. Here's Nazareth. This is where Jesus was raised, but on a good clear day you could see the little village of Cana. And it's interesting that Jesus commenced His public ministry in the shadow of His hometown.

So let's view the wedding. At the wedding feast, it seems that Mary had a special place. She had something to do with the arrangement, for she was worried when the wine began to run low and she had the authority to solve the problem. Now some of the later gospels, which never got into the New Testament, add certain detail to this story not mentioned by John. And what I'm suggesting that when you go back in ancient writings, there's a lot of literature that surrounds the events 2000 years ago. And some of that, one of them I think was the Coptic Gospels from Egypt which tells us that Mary was the sister of the bridegroom's mother. And it's suggested in other documents that the bridegroom was none other than John himself! These observations, of course, are unprovable from John's gospel. I'm just suggesting there are a lot of documents that gives evidence to the fact that Mary was at that wedding because she was an intricate part of the family, and she had the responsibility of making sure that little wedding ran as smoothly as possible.

Now in the story, Mary alone is mentioned and there is no reference to Joseph and the explanation given by most Bible scholars is that Joseph had died before this event took place. When we go back in our Bible and we find the last time that Joseph is mentioned, it's the time that he took his family when Jesus was twelve years of age down to Jerusalem, and that's when Jesus stayed in the temple for three days. His mother and father had to come looking for Him. But that's the last time in Holy Scripture that we have reference to Joseph. So Mary is there alone, in fact, it is reasoned that Joseph died when Jesus was quite young. His remaining at home until He turned 30 years of age was due to His responsibility of supporting the family. That was under Jewish custom.

Now in Palestine, a wedding was a really notable occasion. It was the Jewish law that the wedding of a virgin should take place on Wednesday. So all of the first marriages took place on a Wednesday. Now if you were a widow, you got married on Thursday under Jewish law. The virgins were married on Wednesday. Now this is interesting because it gives us a date from which to work back. And if this wedding took place on a Wednesday, then it must have been the Sabbath Day when Jesus first met Andrew and John, and we talked about that last Sunday, and when they stayed the whole day with Him. Now in Palestine, the wedding festivities lasted for more than a day. It lasted as long as your wallet lasted. I mean, if you had a lot of funds it's documented that there were some wedding feasts that lasted two weeks. You just took off and everybody celebrated for two weeks, but it was determined by how much money you had to spend. The wedding ceremony itself took place late in the evening after a feast. Then, after the ceremony, the young couple were conducted to their new home. Now that's the setting that Jesus uses in Matthew 25 when He talks about the five foolish and the five wise virgins, and it's the picture of the wedding taking place late in evening, and look at what happens. By that time it would be dark, after the ceremony the couple was conducted to their new home, and by that time it would be dark. And they were conducted through the village streets with the light of the flaming torches and with the canopy over their heads. They were taken by as long a road as possible so that as many people as possible would have the opportunity to wish them well in their marriage.

In Palestine though, a newly married couple did not leave for Hawaii immediately following the wedding - honeymoon. They stayed home for one week and their home became an open house where they were constantly entertaining visitors. How would you like that galls? They wore crowns and dressed in their bridal robes and were treated like King and Queen. In fact, they were dressed as 'King' and 'Queen'. It was a happy time like this when Jesus shared in the home and in which John, under divine inspiration, chose to use as Christ's first display of His glory. Let me pause here. Isn't it an amazing thing that Jesus chose a home, a domestic setting, a marriage festival in order to commence His ministry. Do you know what this tells me? God gives high priority to marriage. I believe that. God has a very sacred sense to marriage and the relationship within a home, and the relationship of husband and wife, and Christ chose to commence His public ministry in a domestic setting.

Now there's another historical observation that like to share with Him. For a Jewish feast wine was essential, but drunkenness was, in fact, a great disgrace and they actually drank their wine in a mixture composed of two parts wine and three parts water. So their wine was quite diluted. Now here's the problem: the wine began to run low and Mary was deeply concerned. At any time the failure of provisions of wine would be a terrible shame, for hospitality in the East is a sacred duty. And many of you folks come from countries where hospitality, the first thing that you are confronted with when you visit at home is they want you to have something to eat. It's a sacred duty of hospitality. Now years ago as we were doing some missionary work and going from country to country, that was difficult because it was hard for me to adjust to all the foods of these various countries, but I knew that I had to be gracious because it was a sacred duty that they were fulfilling towards me. And when you travel you understand that; the first thing they want to do is provide you food. And so Mary was deeply concerned, and there are some ancient records that indicate that lawsuits were not uncommon if guests were shamed by a feast which did not provide sufficient wine and food. Now that one blew my mind. Can you imagine going to a wedding and not liking the stake nor what they gave you to drank, and turn around and sue the people who invited you? (Congregation laughs) Now we talk about a litigious society, I mean that's one in Jesus' day, but ancient documents show that that frequently happened.

So now you've got the picture; here's this little wedding. It's the occasion in which the entire little village is involved, and the happy couple and the whole responsibility of providing, and all of a sudden, you're out of something to drink. And now you've not only brought yourself to embarrassment, but you are legally probably going to be at risk if somebody doesn't like the fact that you didn't serve them. Now you can understand. Mary's in charge of all of this, and that's why she turns to Jesus and she says, Jesus, we're out of wine. Now it's not implied in the original text that she expected a miracle from Him, but let me give you the setting. Jesus has remained at home now for 30 years. Mary could depend upon Him; when the dishes needed washing, Jesus washed the dishes. When the lawn needed mowing, Jesus know the lawn. And it was most natural for her, she's confronted with a problem, she needs her son, and so she says, Jesus, we're out of wine.

And we'll not get too far beyond this part of the story, and I'll finish it the next time we're together, but we come to a very, very sensitive moment in human relationships. Jesus turns to His mother and He does not call her mother. He says woman. Now some think that that's a little harsh, but in reality what He was saying - He was using a title that was very respectful. It would be the same way if I did not know you, and I said Lady. I would do that with respect, with graciousness. So to call His mother, woman, was a title of respect. But it's uniquely placed there because the next thing Jesus said in the text, He says, woman, what does your concerned have to do with Me? Now that sounds harsh, doesn't it? It's sounds almost cold. In the original it's known in the language study as an elliptical phrase. Here's the way it reads in the original text; what to Me and thee? Or if you extend that out, this is what Jesus was saying, woman, your concern and mine are no longer the same. What he was saying is, woman, you have been my mother for 30 years. Our relationship within the domestic setting was one where you could speak to Me and I would respond, but I want you to know that something dramatic - woman - has taken place.

My public ministry has begun, and from now on I'm on a divine timetable. My hour has not yet come. That's repeated eight times in the gospel of John, and finally you get to chapter 12 and Jesus said, My hour has come. What is the His hour? His hour was His appointment at the cross, and what Jesus was saying to Mary; Mary, our relationship now is going to be entirely different. I'm not going to be home. My assignment comes from My Father in heaven, and now I must fulfill His purpose and go to that cross. And I look at that moment in our text as the moment when parents release their child to adulthood. That's an interesting moment in the life of a family. And what Jesus was saying is, He didn't use the term mother, He said woman, in the past I lived in your home, but from now on I'll not be there. I'll be about My Father's business and ultimately I'll go to the cross. That's My hour. And as I thought that through, I thought isn't it interesting that John said delicately placed that scene within the opening moments when Christ commences His public ministry. It's that moment when the family now separates.

You sit here, and I see many of you have gray hairs like I do. We've raised our children, and there has come that moment when we had to release them to adulthood. It's hard because the natural thing for us as parents is to hang on to our children, and have that close affinity, that close relationship as long as possible. But there comes that moment in life when you must realize they are adults. They've got an assignment in life. They've got goals to reach, and you've got to, even though it hurts deep inside, you let them go. You release them. I raised my three boys and I know exactly what I'm talking about. I wanted to be a part of everything. I helped them make all their decisions, and then one day came and my middle son was 18. He had worked hard, saved his money, and without asking his dad he went out and bought a car. And when he got that car home I ripped him apart. I told him what a terrible car it was, that he should have asked me, and finally after I made an absolute fool out of myself, because frankly, that car has been in the family for about 15 years - it's the finest car we ever had - (Congregation laughs) I had to turn to my son and say, Son, I'm sorry. It was your choice. You made the money. You had the right to make an adult decision, and I'm sorry I stuck my big nose in.

I've talked with a lot of families; that moment comes when you release your child to their adulthood and God's assignment for their life. That was the moment that happened at this wedding. It's a tender moment. I started thinking about the tender feelings that go on in motherhood all the way through life. A young lovely lady gives birth to a child, and as a pastor I have the joy of dedicating those babies. There's delight, there's happiness, dirty diapers don't make a bit of difference. Love takes care of it all. And then they grow into rompers, and finally they're walking, and then comes time to release them to school.

The other day a beautiful young mother brings in her children, if I'm correct, she had three of them. One for the infants care, one for the toddlers, and one for the preschool. And I watched that mother lovingly place the child there, and then the other child here, and then the last child here, and then try to walk down that mall and just weeping, just weeping. And I walked up to her and I put my arm around her and said, Mother, it's really rough. And she said, they're my babies and I've got to spend eight hours away from them. I said it's hard isn't it Mom? The emotional roller coaster that parents go through in being parents, and moms being moms, is immense. And then that young little baby grows up, and now she's met someone and it comes time for the wedding, and I watch mother's sit here in the front row and ball like a baby. Not that she doesn't like the guy that her daughter is marrying; it's just that all of a sudden now there's going to be a new relationship. She's going to live in a different home, and soon she'll be coming home with her babies, and she will be a mother, and the whole relationship changes.

Why do you say this Pastor? Because I think as men, let me talk heart to heart with you, women are far more sensitive about these emotional moments that go through these transitions with families, and sometimes we as men are very, very hard and crusty. And I say on this Mother's Day, men, understand that being a mother has with it tremendous tensions and tremendous emotions. And be understanding, be gracious, be helpful. And I come back to that wedding scene and Mary has to accept the fact that from now on it's never going to be the same. It's never going to be the same. Her son is going to be gone.

Take your notes and go to Page 4 and let me show you another scene. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Up at the top of the page, Matthew 12:46 says, "While he yet talked to the people. Now Jesus is out in His public ministry. Now He's already left the wedding and He's started His public ministry. Behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. You didn't know that Jesus had brothers and sisters? Matthew 13 says He had at least four brothers; Joses, Simon, I forget the other one [James], Judas, and He had two sisters. In other words, after Jesus was born from a virgin, Mary and Joseph had additional family. And so in our story here the family plus mother comes to see Jesus. He's been away from the house for some time now, and they're standing outside where He's preaching, and they want to see Him. Then one said unto Him, behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee. To well you'd think the natural thing for Jesus to say is, praise, that's good, that's good. I haven't seen mom for a long time and brothers, but what does He say? But he answered and said unto them, Who is my mother? and who are my brothers? That's cold, isn't it? It almost seems that way, but you know what Jesus was showing is that now His human relationship to His family is not the priority. His divine assignment to go to that cross is His priority now.

Look at what He says; he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whoever shall to the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and my mother. That's as far as we can go in the story, but I want to make one final observation. I have great admiration for Mary because she handled that moment with a delicacy and an eloquence that's absolutely profound. She got the message. She understands even though her heart is hurting, her son will no longer be at home, but her words were words that were gracious. It shows submission and acceptance. Verse 5: Mary said to the servants, whatsoever He saith unto thee, do it. Isn't that beautiful submission from the mother of Jesus? Submitting her son to His eternal work of becoming the Savior of the world. I admire Mary for that, and I'm sorry that we Protestants don't give her more honor than we do, because she really deserves it.

Let pray. Lord Jesus, these stories are so full of human insight. We were able today to go beneath the feelings and the joy of a wedding festival and the embarrassment of a lack of wine, to realize that this became a moment of separation of a mother from her son. And with such dignity and submission she accepted that. There are a number of parents sitting here who wrestle with this whole matter of releasing their children to adulthood. Some of us hang on too tightly and we build walls between us because we resist allowing them to be adults. Would You give us great wisdom in being good parents dear Jesus? Thank you. Amen. God bless you.