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"Third Days" are wonderful times for God's miracles of love and care. On the "Third Day" the boy Jesus was revealed to be in the Temple listening and speaking to the teachers. On the "Third Day" Abraham was spared from having to sacrifice his only son Isaac, when the Lord provided a substitute - a ram. On the "Third Day" Jonah was vomited up by the great sea monster from the prison of the black deep to full release and life. And, on the "Third Day" of Christ's "Atoning" work for you, and the world, HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD - the Great "Pascha" of Easter Sunday.

The TRI-UNE God likes the "Third Day." A good day for Grace…the greatest miracle of all.

The Lord and His Disciples are at a Wedding. Jesus' mother was there too!

St. John is the only one of the 4 Evangelists to record this "FIRST PUBLIC MIRACLE" of His Master. It is fitting for him to include the references to the "Blessed Virgin," since he himself in only three years time, would be tasked by Jesus to care for, and protect Mary. What a fitting and appropriate "connection," John and Mary. For as she has been considered a "representative" of the "Church" for two millennia, so too he, the humble son of Zebedee, a Galillean fisherman, is one of only 4 Evangelists. Thus the "wedding-together" of the Church and the Gospel…for truly, whenever you find the one, you find the other.

And in this morning's Gospel account, we find a WEDDING.

The "Wedding," is the one best example in the entire Scriptures, of God and His kingdom, the Shepherd and His sheep, the real and lasting joys of heaven! Every wedding is the union together of the Groom, and His Bride… the "Communion" between He who is the protector, defender, and Lord…...with His betrothed virgin bride.

All pointing to the Christ's eternal, "not-even-death-itself will part" taking of all of you: His spotless, sinless, redeemed Church. You the Bride, washed clean and made virginal pure by His Obedience to the Father, and by His own Suffering and death - a sacrifice for His beloved Spouse.

This wedding in Cana, was wonderful. Overflowing with family, friends, honored guests… Jesus Himself, and all of His Disciples.

The pre-eminent emotion of the wedding was JOY! For true love creates joy as certainly and as automatically as true Faith produces Good Works - a natural by-product. And also, it is a function of the "fellowship"… the "common union", not only of the Groom and Bride….but of all the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other loved ones. Again, the perfect picture of the Lord's New Testament wedding family: The Church. We need the wedding hall filled….we need to be together….for no one can be truly joyful by oneself….utterly alone. The "true" Hermitage will be hell.

Joy…that's why the Wine.

This was no prudish, antiseptic, pietistic "sit-up-straight" somber wake….this was a WEDDING…A FEAST!!! A BANQUET OF LOVE!.

A brief interlude: probably unnecessary for most Lutherans, but worth stating none-the-less:

Abusing our bodies is a sin. Excess, gluttony, revelry, and drunkenness is to trespass God's Law. Alcoholism and all addictions are truly tragic manifestations of a sinful and fallen world. But to drink wine is not wrong. To drink wine at the wedding of Cana was good.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that Jesus and His followers drank wine. Scripture is filled with warnings about the abuses, to be sure, but also:

"The priest of God Most High" Melchizedek king of Salem brought out wine to present to father Abraham, back in Genesis [Gen 14.18]

One of the many things that the Psalmist blesses the Lord for giving us (in Psalm 104) is wine,"To gladden the heart of man."

The Apostle writes to Saint Timothy "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving…" [1 Tim 4.4]

And in the beautiful 25th chapter of the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord prophesies of His own victory of Calvary, and the banquet of gifts flowing from His body and blood: "On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast…of wine on the lees…" [Is 25.6]

Jesus drank wine. They all did, until…

The festival runs out of wine. Mary believing her Son to be the Messiah, comes to Him in faith, not so that He will go to the market and purchase more libations, but because she truly anticipates that He can provide Help, and that He WILL! - supernatural? Miraculous? Out-of-the-ordinary? Yes! The Blessed Virgin believes that Her Son will make things right.

Now, the Lord's response to Mary, is rendered perhaps a trifle too 'harsh-sounding' in our English. In the Greek it is more of an idiomatic (colloquial) way of expressing to Mary that yes, there is a concern, but that now it is His and His alone, there is nothing she can do now except……wait.

Yes, Jesus' response to His beloved mother is also made for the benefit of all those gathered around. Around Jesus and Mary back then….and gathered around here today! Jesus "sets-up" if you will, Mary, by His "testing-comment." Mary's faith responds boldly and strongly. She doesn't slink off in humiliation or anger, no wounded-pride here! She doesn't come up with any of her own suggestions or possible ways her Son might proceed. She, again representing they Church, all of you Christians, responds the way all followers of Christ do. "[She] SAID TO THE SERVANTS, 'DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU;" The Church always speaks thus to all of you. Do the Lord's will. Law, yes.

But also, "attend to the Word of the Lord," hear it, taste it, be washed in it, receive it freely, Gospel!!!

Jesus performs a miracle. His first fully-recognized "public" miracle. And interesting isn't it, that it is not a miracle per se of Healing… of restoring that which is broken (sight, hearing, palsied limbs, leprosy). No, it is a miracle of CREATION. Of making something to be, when it was not. Not by evolution, or random selections of mutations… (a jar of water won't change into wine, not if it stands for even billions and billions of years). It might correctly be said that the first miracle of our Tri-Une God was that of CREATION. "In the Beginning God spoke…that is, there was the WORD, let there be light!"

In fact, Saint John, this morning's author, begins his own Gospel, "In the beginning was the WORD"….(that is, the Son of God).

The same Son that "spoke" by the Father at the creation of all things in Genesis, is now speaking by His own vocal cords, and being the "Word-In-The-Flesh" in this new act of CREATION. And again, so interesting, that Jesus isn't making vegetables, fruits, milk, cheese, or sweet confectionaries. But He in the Flesh, (The Body), is making out of Water, Wine. Water and Wine which will soon make up the chief earthly elements in His Holy Sacraments. The Jews were using the 6 stone jars filled with water for "ceremonial" washing. Jesus would use Water united with His word, to build His very church…and to create The New Israel.

The Wine that brings joy at the earthly wedding feast, would soon be eclipsed by the Blood of the New Testament in the Sacrament of the Altar which would bring the heavenly joy of knowing that one's sins are forgiven, and the strengthening of one's faith into that peace which surpasseth all.

The "so-called" "RELEVENCE" of this Bible Story….is not to be found in giving you all some easy-to-follow prescription for making your Christian Walk of "Discipleship" more rewarding, fulfilling, and organized. The "point" of all this isn't to share emotionally uplifting anecdotes and daily illustrations of God's earthly blessings.

No, you've got that in nature (well, at least in some parts of nature); you've got that reminded to you in the 4th petition of the "Our Father."

The "significance" of the Wedding at Cana is that, "THAT'S WHERE JESUS WAS, dispensing Joy and Gladness, Fellowship and camaraderie, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, PEACE, -- and yes, even forgiveness…for to be n the presence of Jesus, as his Mother, Disciples, Friends,…. Brothers or sisters, is to be in His GRACE and MERCY.

The point is….that even though you can't go back in a time-machine and banquet with the Lord at Cana…He makes the trip to Kansas for you…not a long-distance flight from the Middle East to Shawnee, but a supernatural appearance from the right hand of the Father to His Home here in Augsburg! For wherever Jesus' Word is shared, and His Washing applies….whenever His Supper is celebrated….the Heavenly Party GOES ON!!! Not a raucous, bacchanalian, wild keggar…. But a joy-filled, warm and loving, feast of family and friends. The more time that you spend at this FEAST, THE VICOTRY OF OUR LORD….that is, the more time you spend in the Word, and eating and drinking the WORD….the more joy , hope, faith, peace, and life you have.

The Cana wedding?.......Good! "…THE FIRST OF HIS MIRACULOUS SIGNS, JESUS PERFORMED AT CANA IN GALILEE. HE THUS REVEALED HIS GLORY, AND HIS DISCIPLES PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM."

The Augsburg Wedding? UNSURPASSINGLY GREAT!! Feasting on the Bread of Life, Drinking cool refreshing droughts of the Water from the Rock, and "Banqueting" on the very Body that forgives you, drinking the very cup of the Christ's Blood that guarantees you Peace here…..and a seat at the Heavenly Table to come, where you will feast on the Lamb to all eternity. A Divine Reservation.

In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost AMEN