“Do Whatever He Tells You”

Meditation on John 2:1-11

January 20, 2013

***

     On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

     And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”

      His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”     

      Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

     Then Jesus said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.

       When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

       Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11)

   ***

      A Christmas card arrived in our mailbox this past week with a sparkling winter scene, children sledding in the snow. My friend Hugh Miller from Pine Grove Presbyterian Church in the village of Sunnyburn, Pennsylvania, had sent it.

      Hugh is a widower, a retired teacher of high school history, German, and mathematics. He hasn’t hardly missed church or Sunday school at Pine Grove his entire life, save for when he was overseas serving his country in WWII. He grew up on a farm within walking distance of the church and still lives in the old family farmhouse.

     Hugh is an awesome Sunday school teacher. He is one of the most gentle, humble men I have ever met. With his quiet and unassuming manner, he leads shy, older adults to interpret and apply the Bible to their everyday lives.

     Hugh was teaching the adult Sunday school class when I came for my internship in 2008.  My friend Bessie has been a member of the church since her husband and she moved up from Baltimore and bought land to farm in the area in the 1960s. Bessie taught the children and youth.  Hugh and Bessie write me every year. 

   Hugh’s letter went like this:

“Dear Jim, Karen and boys:

    I enjoyed your letter so much and was very glad to hear from you.  I am still teaching the adult class in Sunday school.  We were going to combine the adult and young adult classes but the young adult class was unhappy about that.  I am not sure whether it was because of me or they wanted to stay with Bessie. She and I were going to take turns at teaching to lighten the load for each of us.

    I am glad you are enjoying your pastorate and I am sure they feel they are ‘blest’ to have you.  We haven’t had much snow here yet but I expect you would be very willing to share. 

    Best wishes for a great year ahead in His service.  I am sure I’ll continue likewise, as long as my church will have me and the Lord allows me to serve.  (Signed) Hugh”

       When I arrived at Pine Grove, I wasn’t sure what the Lord was preparing me to do for Him. Bessie and Hugh encouraged me by word and example to continue my discernment of a call to pastoral ministry. They demonstrated with their humble, cheerful service that there was no higher honor or calling than teaching, equipping others to follow and serve the Lord. 

      But teaching wasn’t all they did; no task was beneath them or too difficult.  Or required too high a level of commitment to Christ and His church. From cleaning to putting up Christmas decorations to shoveling icy sidewalks or taking out trash, from delivering food to the hungry and washing dishes, to serving and clearing tables at the annual Thanksgiving dinner.  They would direct traffic, sing in the choir, usher and greet, set up chairs, bake cakes and roast turkeys, or serve as a deacon and elder.   They were willing to do anything the Lord and the church asked them to do.

    They showed me that this is what being a servant means. Giving Him your all!

    And that when we do in faith whatever the Lord asks, expecting His blessings, we would be blessed and be a blessing to others.

    And good things—sometimes even amazing things—would happen.

***

     In our reading in John, we see faith and obedient service rewarded by divine action.  Jesus, his mother, and all the disciples were at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. And they ran out of wine.  Jesus’ mother expected her son to do something about it.  She said to him, “They have no wine.”

    Jesus protested that it was not their concern.  His time had not yet come. But Mary ignores his protest. Demonstrating her faith in his divine power, she turns to the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you.”

    The servants obey.  They fill with water the stone water jars. They draw out some of the liquid and bring it to the chief steward, who doesn’t know what is going on. He confirms the miracle, without knowing a miracle has taken place.  He pulls aside the bridegroom and compliments him on saving the best wine for last, instead of serving the best wine first, before the wedding party became too tipsy to notice their cups were being replenished with less expensive, inferior wine. 

     Seems like such a small thing, water into wine, compared to Christ’s miraculous healings and the feeding of the 5,000 with a few loaves and fish that would come later.  Only Mary, the disciples, Jesus and the servants knew that the good wine was ordinary water with the necessary ingredient of faith that something amazing was about to happen. Because of who Jesus really was.

      This was the first of His “signs,” proof of His glory to His disciples, whom he had just called to “come and follow me.”

***

     I am very excited for our congregational meeting today! I know the Spirit is empowering people in our church to be leaders.  When the nominating committee asked them to serve on session, they prayed about it, searched their hearts, and conferred with their families.  And today they will, with our encouragement, accept the challenge and responsibility, knowing they are not alone.  That God is with them and they are truly called to this ministry.

      We are all just ordinary people, those who are called to lead in Christ’s church.  But Christian leaders have two things in common—they have faith in His power to work through them and are willing to obey God’s call to ministry.

       Today, several people will stand up and accept that call. They will proclaim the Gospel through humble service to our Lord and to our community.  With hearts open to the Spirit’s work in and through them, they will be ruling elders.

     But all of us must have faith that God will use us, even those who are not comfortable serving in such a public call to ministry as a ruling elder. We must believe without doubt that something good will happen in and through us—not because we are good.  But because of who Jesus really is!

      Someday we will look back and think, water into wine is really such a small thing, compared to the miracles of healing, spiritual nourishment, and reconciliation that have happened in this community. 

     But I have learned from my Christian friends, loyal servants like Hugh and Bessie, that we all must be willing to do anything—anything—the Lord tells us to do.  No task is beneath us or too difficult.  Or requires too high a level of commitment to Christ and His church.

     And when we do in faith whatever the Lord asks, expecting His blessings and divine action, we will be blessed and be a blessing to others.

    And good things—even amazing things—will happen.

    Let us pray.

Holy Spirit, renew and refresh us.  Give us your wisdom and guide us in your will as we choose leaders in our congregation.  Equip them to be your loyal, humble servants.  Equip all of us to be your loyal, humble servants. Forgive us if we have lacked the faith that you will work through all of us and build your church.  Forgive us when we have not believed that something amazing will happen here because of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and His saving work.   Forgive us if we were critical of our leaders in the past, but were unwilling to walk alongside them, give them our prayerful support, and help them to be effective leaders. Make us all, Lord, into who you want us to be.  In Christ we pray. Amen.