ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
August 29, 2021
Scripture: John 2:1-3
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.”
Thought for the Day: This is the first “sign” in John’s Gospel, the changing of water into wine. There are seven signs that Jesus performs in John’s Gospel, and an eighth sign which is the resurrection (God’s doing). So many people read the story flat, seeing it as nothing more than an act of changing water into wine. Those people wander through life hoping Jesus changes some water into wine or some hamburger into steak or some other fancy magic trick. Such a reading fails to see the power of John’s storytelling. The Wedding Feast in Cana is a story of abundance, tied to the other signs in John’s Gospel. These seven signs culminate with the resurrection on the first day of a new week, the first day of a new creation. These seven signs are hints of what the new creation will look like, the attributes and attitudes of those who belong to this new creation. People who see the depth of the storytelling are suddenly challenged to ask, “Am I a participant in this new creation? Does my life reflect those attributes Jesus revealed through his signs?” How you read the story dramatically impacts how your going to live your life.
Prayer: Provide me eyes to see and a mind to perceive the depth and beauty of the Jesus story. Holy God, I request your assistance as I wish to move beyond the superficial arguments so often happening around scripture, and move into an experience of the glorious message put forth by the Gospel writers. Amen.
TODAY’S WORSHIP
9am & 11am
Pastor Bruce Preaching
“The Perfect Number”
Mark 8:1-5
