Today's sermon was really exciting. It was based on Jesus' First Miracle at the Wedding in Canaan. It was interesting to hear the perspective of how Mary must've felt. She possibly was the hostess to this exciting event and felt completely responsible for seeing that all the refreshments were maintained. Imagine her surprise when she realized that the wine had run out! She felt obligated to go to extreme measures to see that this need was met. As Jesus mother, and one of the few who knew that Jesus truly was the son of God, she KNEW that he was someone who could meet this need. Finally, after 30 years of her life where she had to fight off so much ridicule, Jesus was about to validate who she was as a woman and a mother. She had lived the major part of her life carrying the stigma of having had this child, Jesus, the Christ child, out of wedlock. Imagine having to put yourself in her shoes--having a baby and not being able to be totally honest about the father of your baby or even the future that lies ahead for your family. Now, after 30 years, she can at last put her son on the pedastal that he deserves but wouldn't climb. How many times on a playground do you think Mary had to listen to "Well, my son is already a reader of the scrolls, and he is only 10, or if you could see the table that my son built and hand crafted". Don't you know that Mary so often wanted to say, "Well, top this one, MY SON is THE SON OF GOD!"....Trump, Ace, Gotcha! But no, not until now had she been given the opportunity that she felt like would be the perfect time to say "WHO'S YA DADDY!"...But Jesus responded back to her in a common greek formality of "WOMAN". There was no disrespect, just a statement of acknowledgement of who she was. "My time has not yet come", he responded, which I doubt was exactly what Mary wanted to hear. However, rather than argue or try to pursuade him to do something, or say more to him, she went straight to the servants and said "DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU." I can see her now, hearing Jesus' reply, but turning immediately over her shoulder and saying in a typical Jewish brogue, "Do whatevah he says for ya ta do!" Jesus then spoke to the servants and told them to get the cermonial vases and fill them up. The servants were obedient to Jesus which is the first step to servanthood. They got these HUGE vases that were used for the washing up of hands, feet and whatever before anyone went to the Temple and they filled them not just partially, but to the brim where the water was overflowing. These servants were excited, exuberant, the second step to servanthood. When Jesus saw the vases, he didn't tell the servants to take them to the wedding, he told them to simply scoup out some of the water and take to the head of the party. This required patience on the part of the servants to wait for the miracle to be seen..Thus, the third step to servanthood-Patience. I am sure that Jesus knew exactly what he was doing by not taking out the entire vase. Can you imagine how the party guests would feel when they saw wine being poured out of these 'cleaning vases'. Jesus knew that it would be better received if they just got a sample of what was waiting for them. And as could be expected, the party host tasted the wine and thought that the hostess had been stashing the good wine to bring out later. It was a miracle, and yet it wasn't flaunted or advertised. The only ones who knew the source of the miracle was Mary, the servants and a few of the disciples. And after seeing this miracle, the disciples put their faith in him. They finally were completely convinced that he was not just Mary's illegitimate son, but the SON OF GOD in the flesh.
Obedience
Excitement
Patience
Only in faith, fully following God will we see miracles happen.