Saving the Best...
John 2:1-11
2nd Sunday after Epiphany Year C
The party was almost over. They ran out of wine, it was all gone. The couple had been married, the feast was eaten, and the wine had given out. It was about time to go home.
But Mary, Jesus mother, thought differently. She brought the matter to Jesus’ attention. He said it wasn’t time for him to do anything yet, but she ignored him and told the servants to do whatever he told them to. Without a retort to his mother Jesus did what she asked. There were six large jars of water sitting around, and they were empty. Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. Not just near the top, not just almost full, but as full as they could possibly be. Then he said, take a cup out to and give it to the steward.
The servants knew they had just filled that jar with water, but they filled a cup and took it to the chief steward, who drank it and quickly went to the bridegroom. “Wow, most people would have served the good stuff first while people could still tell, but now when we are drunk and can’t even tell you have brought out the best wine.”
About 120 – 180 gallons of fabulous wine. That party was far from over.
I imagine that on Saturday, that Saturday after the Friday Jesus died, the disciples were thinking the party was over. Following Jesus had been incredible; they had seen things they couldn’t have imagined. He had been so incredible, and they all had changed so much in the time with him. He had shown them a glimpse of the holy, of God – right in their midst. It had been so wonderful. But he had died, and it was all over now except the memories they carried of him.
But the next morning the women came back from the tomb with some incredible news – Jesus was not dead but alive. Instead of a body in the tomb they found angels telling them Jesus had risen from the dead. And soon, they discovered, that even though being with Jesus during his ministry on earth was incredible, there was more to come. The Spirit was sent to them, the church was born, they were changed even more, and they knew life in an even more complete way. The party was far from over. It was just starting.
People have said the United Methodist Church is over. I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard people talk about rearranging the chairs on the Titanic as the work of the church right now. Those other churches are getting more members than we are, we are losing members, we aren’t as powerful as we used to be, we aren’t as big as we used to be, the glory days are over, the party is over. I have been guilty of it – when I was ordained I wondered if the church would last another 40 years.
But I’ve been feeling the pull of the future on me lately, wondering if something wonderful might not be waiting for the United Methodist Church. A consultant I’ve worked with, one our congregation has worked with, has been hinting to me he thinks the United Methodist Church has a very particular gift to offer the world right now. And then this week I heard Diana Butler Bass talk about what is happening to the mainline Protestant church. She said the newspapers report frequently about the demise of our denominations, but she thinks something else is happening. She thinks we are not on the Titanic but on a ship being blown to a new land, one without a name, one without a map, and we will find ourselves in a new land but still the Church, ready to speak of God’s presence and hope in the world. The party is not over. Maybe it has just begun.
Once there were two churches who seemed to be near the end of their time. They had served for many decades, one in a downtown neighborhood and then the University community; the other had been a fixture in a neighborhood for generations, the worship home of people from birth til old age. But their buildings were getting difficult, and the congregations were getting smaller, and it seemed maybe the end of the party was coming.
But then they decided to join forces, to leave one building and remodel the other, to tie together their traditions, to rethink the way they worked, to dig deep in themselves to see if there was a place for them in the community, a word they had to offer, a place for them.
And that church is now a strong church. All generations worship there, they give to the community, their building is secure and their finances are strong, they are dreaming of the future, and they do have a word for the community around them, and that word is Hope! The party is not over; in fact, it is just starting.
How’s the party going for you? You been here awhile? You think the wine is getting a little stale and the guests are getting a little tired? Or do you think you haven’t had your time yet? You are waiting for things to get going? Or maybe you are wondering if you are even in the right room – what if you got the invitation wrong and you really are supposed to be somewhere else?
However the party is going for you, there’s one thing I can tell you: God has more than you can imagine, God has something better than you can dream, God still has some good stuff waiting, and God will pour your cup overflowing. Amen.
2nd Sunday after Epiphany Year C
The party was almost over. They ran out of wine, it was all gone. The couple had been married, the feast was eaten, and the wine had given out. It was about time to go home.
But Mary, Jesus mother, thought differently. She brought the matter to Jesus’ attention. He said it wasn’t time for him to do anything yet, but she ignored him and told the servants to do whatever he told them to. Without a retort to his mother Jesus did what she asked. There were six large jars of water sitting around, and they were empty. Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. Not just near the top, not just almost full, but as full as they could possibly be. Then he said, take a cup out to and give it to the steward.
The servants knew they had just filled that jar with water, but they filled a cup and took it to the chief steward, who drank it and quickly went to the bridegroom. “Wow, most people would have served the good stuff first while people could still tell, but now when we are drunk and can’t even tell you have brought out the best wine.”
About 120 – 180 gallons of fabulous wine. That party was far from over.
I imagine that on Saturday, that Saturday after the Friday Jesus died, the disciples were thinking the party was over. Following Jesus had been incredible; they had seen things they couldn’t have imagined. He had been so incredible, and they all had changed so much in the time with him. He had shown them a glimpse of the holy, of God – right in their midst. It had been so wonderful. But he had died, and it was all over now except the memories they carried of him.
But the next morning the women came back from the tomb with some incredible news – Jesus was not dead but alive. Instead of a body in the tomb they found angels telling them Jesus had risen from the dead. And soon, they discovered, that even though being with Jesus during his ministry on earth was incredible, there was more to come. The Spirit was sent to them, the church was born, they were changed even more, and they knew life in an even more complete way. The party was far from over. It was just starting.
People have said the United Methodist Church is over. I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard people talk about rearranging the chairs on the Titanic as the work of the church right now. Those other churches are getting more members than we are, we are losing members, we aren’t as powerful as we used to be, we aren’t as big as we used to be, the glory days are over, the party is over. I have been guilty of it – when I was ordained I wondered if the church would last another 40 years.
But I’ve been feeling the pull of the future on me lately, wondering if something wonderful might not be waiting for the United Methodist Church. A consultant I’ve worked with, one our congregation has worked with, has been hinting to me he thinks the United Methodist Church has a very particular gift to offer the world right now. And then this week I heard Diana Butler Bass talk about what is happening to the mainline Protestant church. She said the newspapers report frequently about the demise of our denominations, but she thinks something else is happening. She thinks we are not on the Titanic but on a ship being blown to a new land, one without a name, one without a map, and we will find ourselves in a new land but still the Church, ready to speak of God’s presence and hope in the world. The party is not over. Maybe it has just begun.
Once there were two churches who seemed to be near the end of their time. They had served for many decades, one in a downtown neighborhood and then the University community; the other had been a fixture in a neighborhood for generations, the worship home of people from birth til old age. But their buildings were getting difficult, and the congregations were getting smaller, and it seemed maybe the end of the party was coming.
But then they decided to join forces, to leave one building and remodel the other, to tie together their traditions, to rethink the way they worked, to dig deep in themselves to see if there was a place for them in the community, a word they had to offer, a place for them.
And that church is now a strong church. All generations worship there, they give to the community, their building is secure and their finances are strong, they are dreaming of the future, and they do have a word for the community around them, and that word is Hope! The party is not over; in fact, it is just starting.
How’s the party going for you? You been here awhile? You think the wine is getting a little stale and the guests are getting a little tired? Or do you think you haven’t had your time yet? You are waiting for things to get going? Or maybe you are wondering if you are even in the right room – what if you got the invitation wrong and you really are supposed to be somewhere else?
However the party is going for you, there’s one thing I can tell you: God has more than you can imagine, God has something better than you can dream, God still has some good stuff waiting, and God will pour your cup overflowing. Amen.
posted by Michelle at 6:06 PM
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