We can celebrate all the goodness God has given us. He has brought us as a church through many trials and changes and now we are in a new location with new possibilities.
We are a people of celebration and mark significant events together. It is who we are. In our study in John, we have heard the call many times to “Come and see” Jesus. But what will we see?
John gives an answer in 2:1-11 and we will see in this passage and others that
“God is a God of celebration and desires our fellowship and join Him.”
The glory of the Lord in providing celebration
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him (John 2:1-11, NIV).
Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding but the wine ran out. Wine symbolized joy, abundance, prosperity, and celebration so the wedding was in big trouble.
Mary came to Jesus but His answer moved her from being fixated on the need to trust His ways.
She was not disappointed. Jesus made over 600 liters of the best wine and John said this showed His glory. How so?
God is one who provides celebration in super abundance both in quantity and quality, which is part of His unfailing love and faithfulness. We can have our total fulfillment and joy in Him.
But who is on His invite list?
His universal offer to celebrate
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David (Isaiah 55:1-3, NIV).
Here we read how God offers the best and finest food for free. All we have to do is come and take it. This is contrasted to our own efforts, what we pay for, that does us no good. We have a choice to take His or our own.
How we respond to God’s offer
1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14, NIV)
This is a shocking story that talks about our response. Three groups are mentioned with two rejections and one celebration.
The call to come to the king’s wedding feast for his son is rejected by the invitees. They ignore and even abuse the messengers. They reject the king’s offer outright.
The invitation is then widened to anyone who would come. As they come they are given wedding clothes by the king. It is a free provision but a requirement to enter.
But one person refuses these and is thrown out. The second rejection is of God’s provision and His terms.
Similarly, God has given Jesus to dress us in His forgiveness and righteousness but many refuse this as well.
Finally, the celebration is for all who accept the offer and come clothed in Jesus.
A chance to respond
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me (Revelation 3:20, NIV).
This passage was written to a church that lost its focus on the Lord and concentrated on lesser things. Even in this situation, the Lord gives a chance to turn to Him.
For believers, it is a call to let Jesus come in and experience His fellowship and love.
He is not a task master but calls us to love and walk with Him, celebrating life with Him.
For those yet to trust in Christ, similarly, the Lord wants them to celebrate with Him. He offers his forgiveness and love and it is up to each to respond to Him.
Often times, we don’t see God correctly. He calls us into a relationship with Him, one of joy and celebration.
How will we respond?
