Extra-Ordinary
John 2:1-11 with Psalm 36:5-10
Jesus walks into a bar. He approaches the bartender and says, “12 waters please”. Then he turns around to wink at his disciples. I love the story of the wedding at Cana and not just because wine is my alcoholic beverage of choice. This story is all about celebration, joy, and abundance. And it offers us insight into how a life of faith can become extra-ordinary with the power of God.
We are reading from John’s gospel today and the gospel of John is a lot different from our other narratives. In John, Jesus is much more divine than human. He has cosmic origins rather than a birth narrative, and he is in full control of everything that happens around him.
This story is rather simple. Jesus, his family, and friends are all in attendance at a wedding. Weddings were community events at the time, and celebrations would last for several days. Poor planning has happened somewhere along the line, and they don’t have enough wine for all the guests. Jesus’ mother asks him to do something about it, and he replies quite tersely that he isn’t interested in that right now. Yet, like any other sullen kid, he eventually does what his momma tells him to.
The miracle is extravagant. Jesus asks that the water jars used for ritual handwashing be refilled, and then he turns that water into wine. It’s a lot of wine, like 150 gallons or 750 bottles. And it’s not the box stuff either, this wine is full bodied and delicious. Everyone at the wedding is impressed, even if they don’t realize that the wine is from Jesus.
Jesus takes something ordinary, water, and makes it extra, wine. He brings abundance, vitality, and joy. It is more than they need to keep the party going and it is better than it needs to be. This miracle is an over-the-top event that serves no real purpose other than to show the glory of God’s love. As the gospel writer tells us, “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, and revealed his glory.”
Abundance, joy, and delight are not limited to experiences of Jesus. We find these same themes in our reading from the Psalms. God brings all people (notice that, all people, not some people, not chosen people, not good people, all people). God brings all people into refuge and there God offers abundance. The steadfast love of God is shown in bringing everyone together and celebrating as we drink from the river of delights. That sounds like 750 bottles of good wine to me!
The love of God is so extravagant and expansive it even includes nature. God’s righteousness is like mountains and God’s judgements are like the deep seas. God saves humans and animals alike. I can see that verse going really far in the animal chaplaincy training I’ve been taking this school year. God’s faithfulness and abundance cover all of creation, from the heavens to the depths of the oceans and it is for all life upon this earth.
I’ve preached on this text a lot, and this week I had a new insight about this abundant love of God. I can pray all I want over my tap water and its not going to turn into wine. But, when I look at the world through the lens of my faith, even the tap water becomes extra-ordinary.
Tap water is something that we often take for granted in this country. But it is a miracle in its own right. I’ve visited places where people don’t have water, and I know what a luxury it is to have flushing toilets and hot showers every day. I can turn on that tap, and it will run forever, until I decide to turn it off. What luxury, what abundance, what a blessing from God! When I look at my tap water this way, something that once seemed ordinary, becomes extra-ordinary.
Looking through the lens of faith, we can see so many things in this way. Sunrises and sunsets are indescribably beautiful. The way the sunlight shines off the snow and ice is enough to make your heart soar. Smiles and hugs from friends are a unique joy to treasure. A card that comes in the mail at just the right moment is a nudge from God to give thanks. So many ordinary things become extra-ordinary when we consider them in light of our faith.
Last week at Sunday school we spent some time talking about the kingdom of God. Mary shared that when she sits at table with our homeless brothers and sisters and shares a meal, she feels like that is the kingdom of God. Something ordinary, a simple meal, becomes extra-ordinary in the light of God’s love.
We are going to ordain and install new elders and deacons today, and these folks are about to experience the extra-ordinary power of God’s love. Today they will say their promises of service and we will lay hands on them to bless them. An ordinary thing, the touch of a friend, will be magnified in power as we all do it at the same time. They will feel the power of God blessing them for service, it will be extra-ordinary.
Their moments of service too will turn the ordinary into the extra-ordinary. Deacons will help our community by visiting those in need. Suddenly spending time with a friend from church becomes the manifestation of God in the midst of someone in need. Deacons will send those cards, reminding people on ordinary days that they are extra-ordinary in the eyes of God. And deacons will help with service at the church, taking on mundane tasks, like cleaning up communion, that become anything but mundane as we consider the power of the Lord’s Supper to feed us as a community.
So too, elders move into extra-ordinary realms. Meetings, that seem banal and even boring, are opportunities for service. Can’t increase your pledge? Giving a gift of a few hours a month to help lead the church is of no less value. Ordinary discussions on budgets and business become opportunities for extraordinary decisions and demonstrations of faith in action. Together the Session is united to steer this ship into uncharted waters, to be invited to the table is a blessing and a privilege. These are no ordinary meetings, they are the very workings of God.
Friends, when we look through the eyes of faith, everything in our world becomes so much more. Faith infuses meaning into our everyday experiences. Ordinary things like water, work, food, and friends take on extra-ordinary significance when viewed through this lens. And this abundance of gifts is a reason to celebrate the goodness of God.
Jesus’ act at Cana pointed to his glory and to the glory of God working through him. God wants our lives to be filled with abundance, vitality, and joy and they are. All we need to do is notice them for the blessings that are there. God has given you so many good gifts. God has created not an ordinary world – but an extra-ordinary world, for you to enjoy. Let us go out together and celebrate. Amen.
