January 20 2019 LIght-Filled Gatherings

January 20 2019 Light-Filled Gatherings Isaiah 62.1-5, *John 2.1-11 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Weddings are always special, always meaningful, always talked about and always a focal point on our calendars. Weddings bring to mind the song sung by Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. known to us as John Denver. He co-wrote the song “Sunshine.” [slide # 1 John Denver]

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high…

Weddings are a time we are happy, we weep for joy, we see the lovely, and we get a spiritual and emotional high. [slide # 2 wedding ]

So it is when we remember the wedding at Cana. Jesus and his family was there, his disciples were there. It was a day of joy. We do not know anything about the happy couple, but we know some other important things about their special day. We know there were about 180 gallons of water miraculously turned into wine. We know there were enough servants there to handle the matter. We know that the wine was not just good, it was exceptionally good, and we know that the wedding was held on the third day. [slide # 3 third day]

When the third day is referenced in the scriptures, it is not a particular day of the week. The third day is a reference to a moment in our history with God. Mentioning of the third day signals a moving from death and destruction to new life, hope, and healing.

Not only do we declare that after three days in the grave, Jesus arose from the dead, there are over a dozen references to the third day in scripture.

1) On the third day — "The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit." (Genesis 1:12)

2) On the third day — Abraham looked up and saw Mount Moriah from afar where he was to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice. (Genesis 22:4-5)

3) On the third day — Pharaoh releases his chief cupbearer from death-row. (Genesis 40:20-21)

4) On the third day — Joseph releases his brothers from prison in Egypt. (Genesis 42:17-18)

5) On the third day — The Israelites request Pharaoh's permission to make a three-day journey to offer sacrifice in the desert to God, preparing their way to FREEDOM. (Exodus 3:18)

6) On the third day — Plague Nine, the Plague of Darkness, in Egypt ends, "though the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings." (Exodus 10:22)

7) On the third day — God descends to Mount Sinai in fire with the sound of a shofar. He then reveals The Ten Commandments to his people resurrected from the death of slavery in Egypt. (Exodus 19:16-19)

8) On the third day — Israelites are to purify themselves with water after being in contact with the dead. (Numbers 19:12)

9) On the third day — After coming to the river and preparing themselves, the Israelites cross the Jordan "to enter and possess the land that the LORD [their] God is giving to [them] as a possession." (Joshua 1:11; 3:2)

10) On the third day — Joshua's spies emerge from hiding from the Jerichoites, then return to their commander. (Joshua 2:16, 22)

11) On the third day — After asking God for release, King Hezekiah is healed of his fatal disease and offers thanks in the temple. (2 Kings 20:5)

12) On the third day — Jonah is expelled from the belly of a fish.  

13) On the third day — After fasting, Esther puts on royal apparel and enters the palace of the Persian king in order to thwart a death-plot against her people, the Jews. (Esther 4:16; 5:1)

A wedding on third day meant that a dramatic change was about to happen, an important transition was ready to be made. John starts off by telling us this good news: on the third day there was a wedding in Cana.

Now the bad news: they ran out of wine. Wine is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. We never, ever, ever want to run out of wine. We need the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the heart of all that matters. Wine is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Wine is typically made from grapes. Grapes are delicious and nutritious, and the fact that grapes have to be crushed is a well-known symbol of human suffering and endurance that always leads us to the joy of the Lord.

Though the Holy Spirit may lead us to places beyond our comfort zone, scriptures tell us not only to be filled to overflowing with the Spirit but the progressive tense is used, meaning we are to be constantly filling up over and over again, just like keeping our gas tanks filled. To run out of gas is a problem. To run out of wine is a problem. Not having the Holy Spirit within our lives is a problem. The Holy Spirit is what energizes us and drives us to our place of healing, strength, possibilities, peace, and joy. Worshipping, serving, praising, doing justice and loving mercy keeps our tanks full!

When they gathered to wine and dine at the wedding, they were not just enjoying fun and laughter, they were building the kingdom of God. They were preparing for a miracle, for change, for transformation, for growth. [slide # 4 leaves]

Jesus promises that even where two or three of us gather, he is there, shining the light of his love for each of us. The Father is there, the Holy Spirit is there. And when we show up obediently as vessels, haven been filled with cleansing waters, filled with pure and holy intentions, miracles happen. Jesus turns us into wine that has the power to heal, restore, and illuminate paths to endless possibilities, bringing peace and joy, defying death and destruction.

Every servant knows about vessels that are pure and holy. [slide # 5 vessels pouring] Every servant knows about taking orders, being obedient, singing when the spirit says sing, shouting when the spirit says shout, praying when the spirit says pray, filling vessels to the brim with water…cleansing…pure water…every servant knows that Jesus transforms us so that healing and restoration, peace and joy are the order of the day. Verse 9 makes a special point of saying that the servants knew where the wine came from. When we are servants we know things. We know how to be transformed, we know how to heal and restore and build; we know how to bring joy and peace. We know because we learn from the master. [slide # 6 at table with Jesus] Amen. [slide # 7 Jesus the master teacher]