Sydney, weddings and turning water into wine
Landed in Sydney four hours ago, where I have been invited to speak at Presence Conference 2013 of C3 Church Global. Marie and I will also be speaking on marriage at the Every Nation church here. Here is part of the message we will be sharing. It is our hope that it will encourage you in your own marriage.
"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding." John 2:1
Theologians have often referred to this incident as Jesus's very first miraculous act (see verse 11). What that tells me is that to Him marriages and families are vitally important.
"When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, 'They have no more wine.'" John 2:3
In some ways marriage is like wine. Lively, sometimes light, fruity and carefree, other times deep, tangy and intense, all told wine represents spirit and fun.
Wine in marriage is like the special times in the midst of the mundane. They flavor the dull and humdrum and bring excitement to the boredom. In this story however, the couple ran out of wine. Life has it's challenges.
A final point about wine and marriage is that both are meant to get better as they age.
"His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'” John 2:5
As in everything in life, Mary knew that for things to work the way they should - one needs to do whatever Jesus tells you.
"Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons." John 2:6
As I read this verse I was reminded of the six days most people in the world work in. The day in and day out of life: the commute, the eight hours, cleaning of the house, cooking, grocery, paying bills, breakfast, lunch and dinner...over and over. And just like the six days of the week that have 24 hours these were filled with somewhere between 20 to 30 gallons of ordinary water.
"Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water'; so they filled them to the brim." John 2:7
It's true that our days can be filled to the brim with the ordinary, monotonous and the common stuff like water. But as disciples we must keep to what Jesus tells us each day. Water also represents God's word that washes us the bride of Christ and presents us as radiant and wrinkle free without blemish (Ephesians 5;26-27).
In short keep filling yourself with His word everyday - to the brim. Though it may seem like ordinary it is daily shaping us and preparing us. One day He will turn all that water into wine.
"Then he told them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.' They did so, 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." John 2:8-9a
That's because Jesus can (and desires to) turn our ordinary day to day water into wine: lively, spirited, deep, colorful and one that gets better over time. Some may not realize what Jesus has done to our lives but others who draw from our day to day lives will know why our lives, marriages and families have turned from water to wine.
"Then he called the bridegroom aside 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.' John 2:9b-10
But even though others don't realize what a difference Jesus makes, they will know that our lives are not just water that has been turned to wine rather an endless supply of choice wine. The best wine that has been saved up for last.
This weekend give your water to Jesus and have Him turn it into wine. Trust Him that He desires to save the best for last...life keeps getting better when we do whatever He tells us.
Have a great weekend!
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