A Wedding at Cana


The second chapter of John's Gospel begins with Jesus and his disciples attending a wedding in Cana. Jesus' mother was there, too.  I'm not sure how big Cana was, but today the city is Kafr Kanna, an Arab city in Galilee with a population of 17,600. 


In this familiar story, Jesus performs the first of seven signs, or miracles, in John's Gospel.  It may seem a bit strange that the first one takes place at a wedding in a small Galilean town and doesn't involve a healing or evil spirit being cast out.  In this sign, Jesus changes water into wine so the wedding feast can go on.


Interesting too, is how Jesus was brought into the situation.  The wine ran out, and Jesus mother came to him and simply said, "They have no more wine."  Jesus replies in a rather startling way; he addresses his mother as "Woman" or as some translations out it "Dear Woman."  He goes on to say, "Why do you involve me. My time has not yet come." Undeterred, Mary tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."


Already in John's Gospel, Jesus has looked into the hearts of others.  He looked intently at Simon when Andrew brought him to Jesus, and changed his name to Cephas - the rock.  Likewise, Jesus recognized that Nathaniel was genuine, real and true.  Jesus sees the hearts of everyone.  This account tells us something about Mary as well.  She knows her boy - even though he said it is not yet his time, she has faith that he will do something.  What great instructions from Jesus mother, "Do whatever he tells you." - be obedient to Jesus.


The vessels used in the miracle are six large stoneware jars, each holding 20 or 30 gallons.  These were not wine vessels, they were used to hold water for purification rites.  When filled with water and then changed to wine by Jesus, they yielded 120 to 180 gallons of wine.  And not just any wine, the wine steward declared the best wine of the evening.  Would we expect anything less?  Jesus offer us the best! The amount is significant too.  Not j ust a little wine, but lots of wine! There will be more than enough, certainly more wine than can be consumed by the wedding guests.  In the "Word became Flesh" prologue in John 1, verse 16 reads: For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  Not just grace, but grace upon grace - limitless grace!  


Jesus used water and some stoneware jars to display His glory - the Glory of his Father.  He does the same with us.  In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul writes, But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are those jars of clay - easily broken and cracked, but we have this treasure. Like the purification jars filled with water, we are filled with Living Water - the Holy Spirit.  Like the water at the wedding in Cana, we too are transformed by the Holy Spirit.  And it all starts with "Do whatever He tells you!"


         

Easter Reflection

Christmas and Easter are high holy days in Christianity.  In both popular culture and in the church, Christmas seems to get the most attention.  Both have parallels, but the case can be made for Easter to have the greatest importance to Christians, because the Resurrection of Christ is the defining event in Christianity.

Christmas is preceded by four weeks of Advent, a time of anticipation for the birth of the Prince of Peace.  With Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the promise of salvation.  On the night of his birth, the “multitude of the Heavenly Host” heralds Jesus coming into the world.  Those who witness the birth were Mary and Joseph, a number of shepherds in the vicinity of Bethlehem, and later the Magi who came from the East.  There was interest in Jesus’ birth from Herod, but only out of self-interest and protecting his rule.  Later, Simeon and Anna, who were present at the Temple when Jesus was presented and named, both testified to Jesus identity as Messiah.

One wonders what became of those who witnessed Jesus’ birth and early days by the time of Jesus public ministry and the events of Holy Week.  Given the life expectancy of the time, many of the the shepherds had probably died before Jesus began his ministry.  The Magi had returned to their realms in the East.  After Simion saw and proclaimed Jesus as Messiah he was free to “be dismissed in Peace”, and Anna the prophetess was advanced in years as well.  It is presumed that Joseph had died during Jesus’ childhood.  That leaves Mary, the mother of Jesus, who Scripture records as being present at Golgotha where Jesus was crucified.  By the time of Jesus death, most who knew of the birth of the Prince of Peace were out of the picture. 

Perhaps Christmas has grown as the popular secular and religious holiday because it focuses on birth, a new beginning and the promise of deliverance.  Advent is a time of looking forward and preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  It is also a time of shopping and preparing for dinners and celebrations that are a part of the Christmas season. 

Easter is preceded by six weeks of Lent.  It is a time of introspection and reflection, beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating with Holy Week.  Lent is about sacrifice and “giving something up for Lent.” It is also a time for wandering in the wilderness, clearing spaces in one's life, and reflecting on one's spiritual journey.  Holy Week services remind us of the Passion of Christ, - his betrayal, trial, punishment, and crucifixion. Perhaps we are not as comfortable with Lent as we are with Advent and Christmas because it asks us to look at ourselves as we are.

But Easter is all about victory over death.  The Resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate triumph over sin.  While the Nativity is all about a new hope for humanity, Easter is all about the assurance of that hope.  Our promise of eternal life began with the birth of Jesus - when “the Word became flesh.”  That promise became hope through the ministry of Jesus.  Disciples followed Jesus and throngs of people heard about a new way to live, love and act toward one another.  Jesus taught that He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”  That hope became our assurance with the empty tomb.  We are reconciled with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Promise, hope, and assurance are ours through Christ.

Happy Easter.

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

Off to Belize

Our annual mission trip to Belize is almost here.  As the snow fell across the mountains of Western North Carolina today I packed shorts and T-shirts for a week and a half in Belize.  Now if the weather cooperates we may get to Charlotte tomorrow and our 6:00 AM flight on Wednesday will not be delayed or cancelled.

Our usual contingent of doctors and nurses are going to conduct medical clinics in villages around Belmopan, the capital of Belize. Several support staff go to help organize and get the people registered to see a doctor.  Our construction project is at the school in the village of Camelote, where the Baptist Training Center is located.  We have worked on houses in the village in the past couple years, and painting and doing maintenance at the school should benefit the children of the village.  We also have some of our hand bell choir going to work with the hand bell choir we helped form last January.  Our agriculture ministry will hopefully result in a lot of pregnant cows.  Two of our team will work with the Ministry of Agriculture on improving the cattle at a farm by breeding American bull genetics with Belezian cows.

This will be my 10th mission trip to Belize with Marion First Baptist Church.  We have grown from nine on the first trip in 2005 to 33 going this year.  We have built relationships with many people in Belize and we hold our medical clinics in some of the same places from year to year.  Over the years we have added new sites for our clinics and our construction projects have ranged from working at churches to building and refurbishing houses in the local village.

We are blessed to stay at the Baptist Training Center located just west of Belmopan.  We have stayed there every year.  Eric and Julie Maas are CBF field personnel who direct the BTC.  There are comfortable rooms and dining and kitchen facilities on well maintained grounds.  We now try to work in the village where the BTC is located to be a good neighbor to the people there.

While we are on mission in Belize we will post pictures and comments on a blog for the trip. The link is
http://fbc-belize.blogspot.com/.  Check in to see what we are doing and to see a little of the country and people we so enjoy visiting each year.