Claimed, gathered and sent

  This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, January 19 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was John 2:1- 11. A wedding is a wonderful celebration in the Middle East, as it is here. Even in small villages, everyone rejoices, sings, and dances. I remember being in a village for just such an event. It was truly exhilarating—the sounds, the aromas, the music, the rhythm as the men danced the debka, a traditional folk dance of the region.  But this was a Muslim couple, family, village, and there would not be any alcohol. It would be considered sinful, a huge problem if it was served.  Jesus faced another kind of issue at this wedding in today’s gospel reading. This was a Jewish wedding gathering, likely relatives of Jesus and his family. A terrible thing happened. They ran out of wine to serve the guests. It’s not like someone could just run to the liquor store to buy some more. But was that really the problem? “To run out of wine and to fail to provide adequately for gue...

Due to the weather, we did not worship together at St. Timothy Lutheran Church t his past Sunday, 1/20. However, my sermon was done and if we had met, this would have been what God's people would have heard. The text was John 2:1-11 .  As I said in my e-ministry reflection this week, Middle Eastern people know how to party. Customs today among the Arab population of Palestine are much as they were among the Jewish people in Jesus’ day. Today a feast should last around three days. In first century Palestine, however, wedding feasts lasted around seven days. That meant a lot of food and drink was needed. One can’t very well have a party with nothing to drink! There was certainly no clean water to be drunk. Wine was the common drink at the table for everyone at that time. Right out of the gate, John lets his readers know that something special will be happening. It’s a time for miracles. This wedding happened on the third day. There is only one other time in John’s gospel t...

Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel text for the Second Sunday after Epiphany. This was sent electronically to friends and members of St. Timothy Lutheran Church .  Gospel: John 2:1-11 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.  3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”  4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”  5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.  7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.  8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it.  9 When the steward tasted the water ...