SERMON: John 2:1-11

Reading:

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

The Gift of Christ in our Marriage

Beloved of the Lord......Marriage is what we call a divine institution, a unique creation of God, with which God blesses all mankind.  Just as God has created a flower in such a way that its pollen fertilizes the seed in the ovary, so marriage is God's unique creation which naturally produces children.  To Adam and Eve, namely all mankind God said, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth."

        The FIRST PURPOSE of marriage however is companionship.  "It is not good that man should be alone".  It is hard to live alone, and there is great happiness in the companionship of spouse.  The SECOND PURPOSE of marriage is an outlet for our sexual desire.  First Corinthians 7:2 says, "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband."  While we don't have to get married if we don't want to, as long as we are able to contain ourselves, marriage is the normal course because God has implanted the desire.  Marriage keeps us from the sin of fornication.  Proverbs 5 says, "Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love."  When married people come together, their marriage bed is undefiled.  What happens there is neither dirty nor sinful, unless they actually do something perverse.  In marriage the body of husband and wife belong to one another, and the natural appetite is satisfied in marriage.  The Bible says, "Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."  This means if both spouses agree not to come together for the sake of fasting and prayer (namely a limited time), neither sin as long as both agree.  But this time apart should not be long, for if the natural appetite is not satisfied, the heart falls into the sin of lusting outside the boundaries of marriage. 

        The THIRD PURPOSE of marriage is procreation.  Man and woman are uniquely created for that very purpose.  God has neither made nor created certain men or women as homosexuals,  but God made Eve a woman, by virtue of her own womb and even her breasts which give milk to a newborn.  All human life on earth comes forth from a woman's womb. Even Jesus came from the womb of Mary, and the name Eve means "mother of all living." Likewise God created man in a unique way whereby his seed is implanted in the woman, so her womb bears children, and "children are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward."  Christian mothers do a good work by bearing children and having them baptized into God's covenant of grace.  Raising them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, heaven is populated.  May God help all parents to teach their children the great love of Jesus!  Also let it be said, the best way children can honor their fathers and mothers, is to earnestly (by God's grace) stay and remain in the true faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.  His blood was truly shed to redeem all children from sin and death, even the power of the devil, and the Word of God itself is like a seed which God implants in our own heart.  "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

        Today let us consider the "Gift of Christ in our Marriage".  FIRST we will look at the presence of Christ in our marriage, and SECOND the importance of prayer. 

I.  The presence of Christ in our marriage.  Since Mary and Christ were invited to the wedding, we assume they were relatives of the bride or groom.  "Both Jesus was called and His disciples to the marriage" and we know Mary arrived early.  Jesus had five disciples at this time:  John, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanial.  We should not overlook the fact that Jesus was particularly invited to the wedding.  Surely the bride and groom were believers, and they wanted the blessing of Jesus upon their wedding vows.  Still today, when a believing bride and groom take their public vows before God and man, and they earnestly desire Christ to bless their marriage, He surely will.  God's support and strength will be in that marriage as long as man and wife continue to live in repentance and justification by faith alone.  While marriage is a good work, pleasing to God, we don't merit forgiveness of sins by marriage, as is taught in the Catholic Church.  Neither are marriages made in heaven.  God gives us the freedom to choose our own spouse, and we should make this decision carefully by faith and the blessing of our parents is of particular importance.  But once we have chosen and taken our vows, we must keep our promise.  This is why we always need Christ to be the constant Guest in our marriage, so our marriage lasts a lifetime.  And just as His grace is the cause of all the earthly blessings we enjoy, so His grace and mercy will uphold, protect, and prosper your marriage, for by grace are ye saved."  One pastor said it this way, "If you have Christ in your heart through faith, then God is with you, His blessing is with you, and with His help you can live a godly, rewarding blessed life" (Miller, #13, Bible History). 

        It goes without saying, as sinners who daily fall shortk, we daily need the love of Christ to live together in godly peace and harmony.  When man and wife live in a selfless and sacrificial way, each for the happiness of the other, this is a good witness on earth of our heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.  By the call of the Gospel, Jesus has promised Himself to us, namely we have the sure promise of our salvation by His own body and blood.  When the devil assaults us and terrifies us so that we feel all is lost and we are doomed to hell and damnation because of our sins, Christ is like a jealous Husband who steps between us and the devil like a shield to quench the fiery arrows.   The Bridegroom then declares with His Word, "This Bride belongs to Me!  I have bought her with My own blood, and clothed her in My righteousness.  Get thee hence from Me Satan."  Here the devil must vanish.  "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." 

        While all married couples commit countless sins against one another, and most of them we can't see, in your earthly marriage always remember your heavenly marriage with Christ by faith.  As the husband is the head of the wife, and she being the weaker vessel should always gain strength from the stronger, so Christ is the Head of the Church and also our strength, the Rock of our Salvation.  This why Ephesians 5 says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."  Are unholy sins in marriage are always covered by the holy blood of Christ our Bridegroom.  We are arrayed in white.  Be sure then to clothe your own spouse in like manner, by forgiving their sins, covering them with charity in all sincerity.  "Charity shall cover a multitude of sins".   Also remember by your own strength you cannot keep your own marriage together.  Christ however is the unfailing tie that binds two hearts together as one.  "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  Now….. 

II.  The importance of prayer in our marriage.  Sometime after Jesus and His disciples arrived at the wedding, Mary told Jesus "they have no wine".  Perhaps there were more wedding guests or poor preparations:  whatever the case there was a problem.  Mary didn't sin by asking Jesus for help, but her sin lay in the fact that she intruded into Christ's office as the Savior who hears our prayers.  Jesus answered, "Woman, what have I to do with Thee? mine hour is not yet come". Mary wanted Jesus to perform a miracle then and there.  She knew He could do it in faith, but the problem was she demanded the time.  She didn't pray "Jesus Thy will be done", but she prayed "Jesus they need it now and you must show them now who you are."

        So often and too often we pray in the same way.  We want this or that now, and in such a way, and we fail to trust God's ways are higher than our own.  As for Christ and the miracle, it wasn't time just yet.  Not enough people at the wedding felt the great need, and the great need must be felt before the gift is appreciated.  In His own time Jesus gave His instructions to the servants.  "There were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece."  This water was at the entry of the hall, and it was used to wash the feet of the guests as they entered.  Also the Holy Spirit makes the measure of wine very clear so we know the greatness of the miracle.  This water changed to wine was between 90 to 120 gallons.  "They filled them up to the brim.  And he saith unto them, Draw out now and bear unto the governor of the feast."  It was the job of the governor to oversee many things, including the distribution of the wine.  He would also limit the amount to any person who had too much, lest there be drunkenness, which God condemns.  This was the best he ever tasted.  Both in the quantity and quality we are to learn Jesus gives us the best He has and usually far more than we really need.  Thus when we pray let us remember we are beggars unworthy of blessings, yet our gracious King is always ready to give fare more than we ask or think.  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages."

        That's really what our prayers should be all about "unto Him be glory", God's glory and not our own.  That's why in our prayers we do not dictate to God the time or manner, as Mary did. And when He denies us, we will or should in faith understand, this denial is for the glory of God and His Church, my salvation, therefore "Thy will be done."  "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him." They believed already, but this miracle demonstrated more deeply that Jesus really was the OMNIPOTENT Son of God who had come to rescue and save them from sin.  God's glory, and again I say God's glory, is what our Christian life is all about.  We should then be like corrected Mary who did indeed yield to Christ's will.  It wasn't time yet…. leave the timing to God for it will be to His glory.  Learn then better dear disciple of Christ, to see what God gives you in life in answer to your prayer, or what God doesn't give you in life contrary to your prayer, THIS CAN ONLY BE TO GOD'S GLORY - therefore rejoice both in what He gives and doesn't give.  In the abundance of wine, see God giving you an abundance of gifts to your own marriage.  And just as Jesus has miraculously supported and upheld your faith by the Sacrament of your Baptism and Holy Communion, remember to support and uphold your own spouse, with the Word of God.  Absolve them of their sins when they are hurting, and confess your own sins, for we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  God gave you your bride or groom from the abundance of His grace.  Flesh and blood cannot uphold or preserve your marriage, but Jesus Christ the Son of God, has all power and He will.  "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  Invite Jesus to your marriage; let Him be a guest daily in your home, and love Him who first loved you with all His heart.  Amen.