Would you turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 25, our Old Testament reading. We will read all of Isaiah 25, it's only 12 verses. And this is an Old Testament prophecy that you'll see begin to be fulfilled today in our New Testament reading, in the work of Jesus Christ. So here now, Isaiah 25, verses one through 12. O Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you. I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin. The foreigner's palace is a city no more. It will never be rebuilt. Therefore, strong peoples will glorify you. Cities of ruthless nations will fear you, for you have been a stronghold to the poor. a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, like heat in a dry place. You subdue the noise of the foreigners as heat by the shade of a cloud. So the song of the ruthless is put down. On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, a rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined, and he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples. the veil that has spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Behold, this is our God. We have waited for him that he might save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for him. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill. And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it, as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim. But the Lord will lay low his pompous pride together with the skill of his hands. And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust. Now flip over for our New Testament reading to John chapter two, verses one through 12. John 2, 1 through 12. On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, fill the jars with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine and did not know where it came from. though the servants who had drawn the water knew. The master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, everyone serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then the poor wine, but you have kept the good wine until now. This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this, he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. Would you join me as we pray and ask for God's help to hear and understand his word? Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that we can open it at any time and read it. We thank you that we can open it this morning and read your word. And we pray, Father, that you would give us insight Without your spirit, we can't really understand your word. We can't really be changed by the truth that it contains. So we ask for your help. Would you send your spirit, the same spirit who inspired these words, would you send him to illuminate these words to our hearts and minds this morning? We ask in Jesus' name, amen. Well, have you ever heard the term the first 100 days Some of you hear that and you know right away what I'm talking about. Every time a new president takes office. their first 100 days as president are often used to judge how successful they'll be. Every president wants the first 100 days to go well. Every president wants every day of his or her term to go well, but definitely the first 100, set the pace. So what they focus on at the beginning, the first things that they do often set the pace for their whole time as president. And the same is true for Jesus. What Jesus does early in his earthly ministry is important in a similar way to the president's first hundred days. It sets the pace in showing us who he is and what he values. John 2 begins at the end of Jesus' first week of public ministry. And it tells the first of the seven signs. Remember, John opens, the first half of John, basically, is showing us seven signs, seven miracles, seven things that Jesus did that reveal who he is. And this one is the first of the seven. This is the first miracle recorded in John. And so it sets the pace for what's coming. Whatever Jesus does for his first miracle, you would think that should be very important. And if you and I didn't know what was coming, and we were just like the disciples experiencing this firsthand, and we were guessing about what his first miracle might be, we might guess something different from what happens. We might guess it would be a healing. Maybe even raising someone from the dead. He'll do these things. He heals. He raises from the dead. We'll see it later on in John's gospel. But what Jesus actually does for his first miracle is surprising. It's not what we would guess. Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding party. In fact, he turns water into a massive amount of wine. It could be anywhere from 120 to 180 gallons, based on what we know about the size of these jars. What does this first miracle mean? How does this first miracle set the pace for Jesus' ministry? It's so unexpected, isn't it? And that's good. It's good for Jesus to take us by surprise and to not fit into our preconceived notions. But even though this is unexpected, this first miracle is very revealing. It reveals Jesus. It reveals something about his mission. And it reveals something about what it means for us to believe in and to follow him. Understand the story of the wedding in Cana. We need to understand that it is both historically true, it really happened, and it contains intentional symbolism. We sometimes don't see those things as fitting together, do we? We're familiar with reading factual historical accounts, and we're used to reading fictional stories that are filled with symbolism. but we're not used to seeing them in the same thing, side by side, together. But Jesus is perfectly able to orchestrate things so that historical events, like a wedding in Cana, illustrate a deeper truth, and even draw on symbols. Jesus is capable of letting those things be side by side. So this really happened, and the symbols are really intentional. So pay attention to what those are. And remember, last week at the end of John 1, Jesus promised his disciples that they would see greater things. And now he begins fulfilling that promise. So remember, this story reveals Jesus. If you're looking for an outline, this is it. This story reveals Jesus. It reveals truth about Jesus' mission, and it reveals truth about what it means for us to believe in and to follow him today. And here's the bottom line that we'll see for each of these areas. Jesus brings overflowing joy. Jesus brings overflowing joy. That's what we'll see today. So first, this passage, this story of the wedding in Cana reveals Jesus and begins to build on what we know about him from the first chapter of John. So what are some things that we see about Jesus as we read these 12 verses? Well, Jesus gladly attends a wedding. That might sound obvious, and it is pretty obvious, but I wonder if it's a little surprising to us. We tend to think of Jesus a little bit too somberly. Think of him as having serious business to do. And that's right. I don't think we think of Jesus doing that serious business with a smile on his face, with joy in what he was doing. But Jesus went to a party gladly. And in fact, he makes sure that that wedding party has plenty of wine. Now this is something that is true of God in the Old Testament and it's true of Jesus, God in the flesh, in the new. Psalm 104 says that wine gladdens the heart of man. Jesus and God's word doesn't ever condone drunkenness. But I don't think it's out of line to say that Jesus knows that wine can help make a party more jovial, more celebratory. I think you probably know that too. That's why we have wine at special events. It makes things more fun. So this passage reveals that Jesus loves parties. Does that sound unreligious to say? Does that sound like, I don't know, that doesn't really fit with what I believe. Well, this passage shows us that's true. Jesus loves parties. Jesus loves marriage. Jesus loves these real things, these real relationships, these real events in life. In fact, when we say Jesus loves marriage, you should know that most of the traditional wedding liturgies that are out there talk about this passage, saying Jesus did his first miracle at a wedding. And so Jesus loves marriage. Not in those exact words, but that's what it's getting at. So Jesus loves parties, Jesus loves marriage, and Jesus loves the fruit of this created world. God loves what he has made. God made a good world, and though it has fallen into sin, Jesus, God in the flesh, can come into this world and love the things that are in this world. And if Jesus loves these things, we should love these things too. So let's not be hyper-spiritual in our view of Jesus. Let's not be Gnostics. Do you know what Gnostics are? Gnostics who deny the value of material things and emphasize just the spiritual things. We can easily fall into that trap, can't we? We value spiritual truths. We value the invisible things. And that's not bad. But when it comes to the expense of the material things, of earthly things, that's when it becomes a heresy. It's literally a heresy. Jesus loves the material. And we should love the material as well. We should love earthly things because they are good gifts from God. God created this world with such variety that it's obvious he loves the created world. Did you ever think God could have made stuff that was nourishing, food that we could have that's just, you know, everything all the same, just take your porridge or mush for every meal, and that would accomplish the goal of nourishing things? Why did God make this world filled with so much variety, so many vegetables, so many things we can eat, so many fruits, so many things that we can make out of all these things combined together? Why? Did God make it that way? Well, God is a generous God in his creation, and Jesus, at this party, is the generous God on earth, providing wine for a party. It's not a surprise that if the God of the Old Testament loves these earthly things, that Jesus, God in the flesh, would love these things too. So, don't be too spiritual about your view of Jesus. He loves the real earthly things of this life. And second, this passage reveals to us that Jesus is on a mission, and he won't be diverted from that mission. So you catch a glimpse of this in Jesus' interaction with Mary, beginning in verse three. It says, when the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. And Jesus said to her, woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. Well, what is going on here? Some people read this, maybe you read this, and think Jesus is being a little rude to his mother. Well, actually, he's using, for that culture, he's using very courteous language. One commentator says that Jesus here is being courteous but decisive. He won't be diverted from his mission by even his mother's request. So when he says, my hour has not yet come, what does that mean? Well, this is a very important saying for John's gospel. for about the first 12 chapters or so. A couple times, he says, my hour has not yet come. And then there's a point right in the middle of the gospel where it says, Jesus' hour had come. What is this talking about? Well, it's talking about the crucifixion. It's talking about the cross. It's talking about the week where Jesus was put on trial and eventually condemned to death. That's what John's gospel is building up to. So it says for the first part, Jesus' hour had not yet come, but then it shifts and say his hour had come and he works toward Jerusalem in that hour. So Jesus is saying here, I came for a purpose and I won't be diverted from that purpose. Well, then that makes it kind of interesting to see that Jesus says, what does this have to do with me? And then proceeds to actually solve the problem, to actually provide wine. It sounds like Jesus isn't going to help at first, but then he goes on to help in exactly the way that he's needed. And he does this a lot in John's gospel. You should read through sometime and count the number of times that someone comes to Jesus with a request. And it sounds like he's refusing at first, but then he proceeds to fulfill that request. What does this mean? Well, by this pattern, Jesus shows that he is sovereign and he is independent of anyone else's purposes. He's not going to bring wine to the wedding simply to solve the immediate problem. That's not his goal. That's not why he has come. But he is going to do that in order to reveal his glory, to reveal his glory to the disciples. And that's why Jesus does this secretly. Jesus doesn't bring out the six big jars and in front of everyone, turn the water into wine so that they all know Jesus is the one who did it. In fact, only Jesus, Mary, the disciples, and the servants are the only ones who know that Jesus is the one who turned the water into wine. Can you imagine being the bridegroom at that wedding and having the master of the feast say, that other stuff was terrible, why'd you leave the best for last? But Jesus knew that he brought that wine. Jesus does it secretly. He does help. When the wedding runs out of wine, he brings wine to the wedding. He does this miracle so that a small group will believe in him. He does it very secretly. No one else at the wedding knows. And he also does it in Cana, a far off corner of Israel. It's out of the way. Even if everybody at the wedding knew, word probably wouldn't get back to Jerusalem that he had done this. It wouldn't attract much attention. Jesus came for a purpose. And when his hour comes, he heads to Jerusalem, knowing that the cross lies before him. But for now, everything that Jesus does is meant for the disciples to believe. So are you a disciple? Do you see this? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe in who he is and what he has come to do? Or do you need to see what this miracle means? That would be a good thing to say. Yes, I believe. Help me to see what this miracle means. So that's what leads us on to the next step. First, Jesus is revealed by this miracle, but second, Jesus' mission is revealed by this miracle. Even though the time of his suffering and death and resurrection has not yet come, there are some hints in this passage that point to Jesus' mission of redemption, to Jesus coming to seek and to save the lost. Remember our assurance of pardon. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. We get glimpses of that even in this passage. First, the whole story of John's gospel has the cross looming at its center. Everything is driving toward that until we get to that passage where Jesus dies on the cross. So a helpful way to read John, a helpful way to make sense of what you find in John's gospel, is to ask yourself, how is the cross of Jesus the key to this passage? How is the cross the key to whatever is happening in this section? Because that's going to help you make sense of what's going on. The cross is the key. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. That is his mission in a nutshell. And in this passage, we see both of those goals are in his sights. He is seeking the lost. He's revealing himself to his disciples. Those who were lost, who did not know him at one point, he's showing who he is. And even though they don't fully understand, they believe. But Jesus is also showing that he will ultimately do what is needed to save the lost. Now, if you're paying attention, you should say, where is that? Where are you getting that? That is a good question, I'm glad you asked. Notice the detail in verse six. There are six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification. Remember what I said, this story is historical, but it's also symbolic. Mentioning these jars and what they are is not just a side comment to give a better description of what the servants used. It's not just to give atmosphere. The mention of these jars, these stone jars for the Jewish rites of purification, is very, very intentional. I don't know if you've ever tried to read through the Bible in a year. If you have, you've probably gotten bogged down in Leviticus. Maybe you've powered through. Maybe you've made it all the way through. And then you get to numbers. You get bogged down there too. But first you get bogged down in Leviticus. But one reason to persevere through Leviticus is that you know what the Jewish rights for purification are. They are part of the elaborate system of cleanliness and of sacrifice that God gave to Israel to deal temporarily with the problem of sin. And that's what these stone jars are for. They're for purifying. They're for washing. They're for dealing with the problem of sin. So these stone jars really were there. There were six historical stone jars for the Jewish rites of purification that were at this wedding in Cana. This is a historical detail, but it's also a symbol. If you sin in certain ways in Leviticus, this is the way that you make yourself clean. This is the way that you restore that relationship with God, with your community. This is the way that you are washed. In addition to sacrifices, these jars are for washing from sin. And these jars are symbols Think about what Jesus does. Jesus fills these ceremonial jars for God's Old Covenant people with new wine. Let me say that again. Jesus fills these Old Testament jars, these Old Covenant symbols of purification, and fills them with new wine. That is pretty symbolic, pretty intentional. But to understand how intentional that is, let me back up. We have these jars that are straight out of the book of Leviticus. They were to help God's people to remain holy and pure. And that's a big part of the Old Testament. The laws for keeping ceremonially clean and pure for dealing with sin. That's an important part of the Old Testament witness to who God is. But we have to pair up this idea of these jars with another part of the Old Testament. And that other part are the promises, the promises of the coming Lord to his people and the coming of the Messiah to save. So first, the Messiah. Well, early on, it becomes pretty clear to God's Old Testament people that the Messiah would probably come from the tribe of Judah. Judah figures very prominently. A good Bible study to do is to trace Judah throughout the whole Old Testament and, of course, into the New. You'll find a lot of stuff that you really need to know. So, that's a side note, but do that sometime. One of the things that you'll read about the tribe of Judah is Jacob's royal messianic prophecy from Genesis 49. Let me read a few verses from that. Actually, I'll read the whole thing, the whole section about Judah. Jacob, prophetically speaking about the Messiah to come, said this, Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's son shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's cub. The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until tribute comes to him. And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice vine. Here's a key part. He has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk. There's a lot we could say about that. But what I will say is this, this that we can all agree on, is that even as early as Genesis 49, there's something that connects the coming of the Messiah with wine. All right? Something that connects the Messiah with wine. Now, this is not a slam dunk. It's not the only thing, but it's important. It's important to know. So we have the Messiah connected with wine. Next, what about the coming of the Lord? Well, before Jesus came, God's people thought of the coming of the Messiah and the coming of the Lord as possibly two separate events. Now, one of the main promises of the coming of the Lord is the Old Testament reading for this morning, Isaiah 25. So let me read a few of those verses again, just to refresh our memory, and I'll pause at certain places, and that is significant pausing. On this mountain, the Lord of Hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, a rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth. For the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, behold, this is our God. We have waited for him that he might save us. This is the Lord. We have waited for him. Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. So when the Lord of Hosts comes in Isaiah 25, he brings a feast that includes rich, well-aged wine. So let's put it all together. We have these six water jars in Cana that point to the people's continual need for cleansing from their sin and of their longing for full redemption. We have Jesus coming to the wedding and turning the water in these jars into wine, and not just okay wine, It's not just two buck chuck. It's the really good stuff. The Master of the Feast says he saved the best for last. And we have these promises in the Old Testament coming together. The Messiah whose garments are washed in wine, and the Lord of Hosts whose coming is symbolized by a feast of wine. So does this click for you? Do you see how Jesus is both helping this newly married couple to have a great party and at the same time revealing himself to his disciples? Do you see how he is manifesting his glory? He's the one who'll bring the final and perfect and complete sacrifice for sin. He's saying that when his atoning work is done, these purification jars will be turned into casks of celebration wine. Jesus brings overflowing joy, and it couldn't get more literal than what happens at the wedding in Cana. but it will get more literal one day. That is what we are looking forward to. I don't know if you've ever experienced this. Have you ever been down in the doldrums, maybe depressed, maybe anxious, maybe just discouraged, and there's some celebratory event that happens and that changes the way that you feel about life, about yourself, about the world? It breaks up the monotony of our lives and breaks in with a little bit of joy. Maybe the smallest way that this has ever happened to me was this. I'll tell you, it's kind of embarrassing, but I'll tell you. It was about this time, late summer, in Southern California. Not Corona, but Southern California. It was hot. We were just going through summer existence, waiting for things to cool off. I don't remember exactly why I was just a little discouraged, but I was a little discouraged. And here's what we did. This is embarrassing. We went to Hobby Lobby. And we walked through the Christmas aisle. And something about that, just the decorations, the promise of cooler weather, the nice smells that you can smell in that aisle, brightened my spirits. It was a little taste of Christmas. Little taste of joy that was coming in the midst of a hot and sweltering summer. That's pretty embarrassing that I could be so moved by the aisle, the Christmas aisle at Hobby Lobby, but it happened. It really did happen, I promise. It broke up the monotony of the summer and gave me a taste of joy that was coming. A very, very small taste. There are much better tastes of joy, but that was one of them that happened for me. This is what Jesus does. He breaks in to this world and he gives a small taste at this wedding in Cana of the joy that is to come. And there really is joy that is coming. Jesus is pointing forward to the cross even on the first days of his public ministry. His hour has not yet come, but the disciples will be able to look back in the light of the cross and will be able to say, I get it now. This is why he came, this is what he was doing at the wedding in Cana. This is what was going on, this is the big picture. This is why Jesus is fully man and fully God. Jesus came to die for the sins of his people. He came that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus gives us a taste of that joy that is coming, even on this early day of his ministry. So the law that's symbolized by these purification jars can never save you. It can help you out for a little while, maybe, but can never really restore you to a right relationship with God. Jesus can do what the law can't do. That's why John 1 says that the law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. So do you believe in him? Do you receive him as who he says he is? He is the perfect savior. Don't try to justify yourself through the law or through ceremonies. Embrace the one that the law and the ceremonies point to. We sang just before, just a few minutes ago, Jesus, I do now receive him more than all in him I find. He hath granted me forgiveness. I am his and he is mine. Do you believe that? Have you received Jesus for yourself? Jesus brings overflowing joy to those who are lost in their sins. That's his mission. And the final thing that this story does is that it reveals how we are to follow him. It reveals Jesus, it reveals Jesus' mission, and then it reveals who we are to be, what our mission is as those who follow him in this world. The story of the wedding in Cana and the water into wine reveals what kind of disciples we should be as we follow Jesus. So first, we are called to be disciples who receive the pleasures and joys of this earthly life in the right way. This goes back to what I said earlier. Jesus loved earthly things. He loved this created world. He loved parties and weddings and wine. And we should love the things that Jesus loved, but in the right way. Remember that Jesus was gladly at the wedding and was secretly the life of the party, giving the party all the wine it needed and more. And we are free as those who follow him to delight in the good things of this created world. Now, our surrounding culture does not know how to do this. And they go to two extremes. First, you probably know people who get too caught up in earthly pleasures, whether it leads to drunkenness or addiction or just seeking after one pleasure after another. People get too caught up in earthly things. On the other extreme, people can be almost gnostic. They can deny themselves the good things in this world in order to achieve some spiritual enlightenment or some wholeness to their lives that they felt that they were lacking before. So just look at celebrity culture, and you can see these two things side by side, sometimes in the same person. Sometimes you'll see celebrities being very disciplined. doing special diet cleanses or yoga or something. Who knows? Things to bring wholeness to their lives. And yet you find out a few months later sometimes that same celebrity is in rehab for alcoholism, for drug addiction, for just overabundance of not having any check on the pleasures of this world. So our world doesn't know how to hold these things side by side. Our world doesn't know how to receive the pleasures of this life in the right way. But we do, as those who follow Jesus, we should know how to receive the good things of this life. They are good, but they are primarily good as things that point to the joy that is found in God's kingdom alone. When we have them in this place, we won't love them too much, or ignore them. We won't love them too much or ignore them when we have them in the right perspective. So do you love food? Are you a connoisseur of wine? Do you like earthly joys? Good, you should, that's a good thing. It's not bad, Jesus likes them too. But you must see how they point you to him. And they're only fulfilled and experienced fully and perfectly in him. So, first, Jesus teaches us how to enjoy this life, but to see it as a pointer to the joy that's only found in him. Second, if we are to follow Jesus, who turned water into wine, we should be people of joy, and that joy should find expression in the way that we live. Now, our temptation as Orthodox Presbyterians is to write that down in our notes and say, that's interesting, well, we should live a joyful life. Let me consider that, think about that, ponder that. We can get too intellectual about it. And I don't know if you've noticed, but when the world thinks of Christians, the words happy and joyful are usually not near the top of the list of descriptors. And of all people, we really have a reason to be joyful. We've really tasted the joy that is coming, and we know that Jesus brings overflowing joy to our lives. So of all people, we should be the most joyful. And that should find an expression on our faces, in the way that we carry ourselves. Here's what J.C. Ryle says. He says, the Christian who withdraws entirely from the society of his fellow men and walks the earth with a face as melancholy as if he was always attending a funeral, does injury to the cause of the gospel. A cheerful, kindly spirit is a great recommendation to a believer. It is a real misfortune to Christianity when a Christian cannot smile. So how do you measure up to this? Does your joy in the Lord find expression on your face and in your conversation, in the way that you carry yourself? Yes, there are times when Christians do suffer. And there are times when Christians are most faithful when we mourn the brokenness of this world. But the default position of the Christian should be cheerfulness. This is even in our larger catechism. In question 135, one of the ways that we obey the command not to kill is by cheerfulness of spirit. Have you ever noticed that before? That was an interesting thing to notice when I read through the larger catechism. One of the opposites of not killing is being cheerful. Does that sound too dramatic? Does that sound like a little bit of an exaggeration? Well, I don't think so. If you've ever had times when being cheerful seemed like an impossible thing for you, or if you've ever been around someone who you care about who can't seem to break through and to find any joy in this life, We are called to be cheerful people. And of all people, we have a reason to be cheerful. But does cheerfulness feel like a hard thing right now? Does joy feel like an unattainable goal? Well, that is true for all of us from time to time. And here's what one commentator says about this passage. He says, wine always gives out. We have the deep privilege of living contact with the winery. Let us trust him presently by doing whatever he tells us to do. What's that saying? The joys of this life always run out to one degree or another. There are seasons of great celebration and great joy and levity and lightness. And then there are others that are really heavy, where it feels like everything's dried up. But we, he says, have the deep privilege of living contact with the winery. You have a union with the one who made wine overflow at a wedding. And you have Yunnu, the one who can take the dry periods of this life, the periods where joy feels hard, and he can flood your life with his joy. And all you have to do is what Mary says, to do whatever he tells you, to trust him, to trust him even when you don't feel like it. And he will do his work. So finally, we are called to be disciples who feast Have you ever noticed the reference to the master of the feast? There is a master of the feast at this wedding, but in this story, it becomes clear that there's a true master of the feast, and that is Jesus himself. And it's our privilege to celebrate him even as pilgrims through this world. He's not with us now, so we don't feast all the time. But we do get foretaste of the great feast that is to come. The feast where Isaiah 25, that promise of a great banquet and of death being swallowed up forever, will be fulfilled completely. So we feast, or we can feast, when we celebrate God's faithfulness. That's why Christians can have fun parties with lots of food as we celebrate God's faithfulness. That's why Christians can celebrate things like Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter, those Christian holidays, those days on the Christian calendar. We have 52 holy days in our Lord's days, but we do have these special days, and I think it's right for us to celebrate them. They are celebrations of the work of Jesus Christ, of his incarnation, his death and resurrection, of his ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We should celebrate those things We feast together in public worship often. For us, once a month. Maybe in the future, more than that. But often, whenever we celebrate the Lord's Supper. That meal that we share lifts our hearts to the one who turned water into wine and who later poured out his own blood for us. The cup symbolizes the new covenant in his blood, shed for many, shed for you. the remission, for the remission of your sins. So do you think of this when you receive the Lord's Supper? Jesus fills the old covenant with the new wine, the new covenant in his blood. So do you think about that? on that second Sunday of the month. We can be a little too somber even at the Lord's Supper. We should be somber, sober, thinking about our own brokenness. But that should also have its twin in us being joyful for the way that Jesus has provided everything that we need to be restored to right relationship with his Father and our Father. When we feast in this spirit, our feasting is an act of war. An interesting way to phrase it. A joyful war against the darkness of this world. So let me read a passage from an essay by a writer named Kelly Keller. And it's an essay that's called Feasting as an Act of War. So I stole that cool phrase from this. But let me read part of it. No doubt you've been at a feast that was an act of war. Perhaps you didn't realize it at the time, but you have. Anytime you sit at a table with those who share your conviction that Jesus is returning, you declare war on the lies of this world, this mixed up, passing away, broken world. You reinstate the truth of creation, joy, and all things made new. What a strange thing for us to do week in and week out, on birthdays, on holidays, at homecomings, weddings, or church potlucks, as evil targets Christians by name in our world every week, nearly every hour. Yet onward we go, together at feasts and communion tables, feasting and making a war cry. We rejoice because we are advancing under the leadership of the one true king, who sets the world free from bondage to the enemy forces by his great campaign of sabotage. We raise our broken voices and repel the dark. We join with brothers and defy death in an act of community. We feast on fine food and wine. At my house on Resurrection Sunday, we raise our glasses and say, let us eat, drink, and be merry, for yesterday we were dead. So Jesus manifests his glory at a wedding feast. And that is very significant as the first thing he does, the first sign in John's gospel. Jesus is the generous master of the feast. His kindness overflows. It overflows to you right now as you receive him by faith. His sacrifice brings new life and eternal joy. So let's respond in the way that Mary said we should respond when she instructed the servants. Let's trust Jesus. Let's do whatever he tells us. And let's let him overflow our lives with the joy that only he can bring. Would you join me as we pray? Father, we thank you for the joy of knowing you. We thank you for the joy that is ours because of Jesus, the master of the feast. the one in whom is our life. We pray that we would follow him. We pray that we would be joyful people in this world. We pray that you would fill us with your presence and help us, Father, even to sing your praises now, we pray in Jesus' name, amen.