John 2:3-11 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 them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He 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.

The first of his signs. His very first miracle!
But, what does a sign really do?  Well, it points to something else.  A street sign’s entire purpose for existence is to show you the street.  A billboard’s job is to get you to think about something being advertised.  Nether the street sign nor the billboard sign are there for you to think about the poles and structures, letters and paint that make up what they are. Those things are all important in their own way, but their purpose is to point you in a direction or help you see something else.
So, too, it is with the miracle in this story: Jesus miraculously turning water into wine. This is probably the case for all of Jesus’ miracles as well. In the end, it does not matter HOW the water became wine.  What matters is that Jesus made it so.

The ultimate objective of this story is to point to God—it is a sign.

Jesus says to his disciples, to us and, really, to everyone: Look!! let me tell you about the God I know.
The God I know can do ANYTHING, even turn water to wine. The God I know gives abundantly; not just a little, but giving full to the brim. Just like these overflowing jars, he gives with great generosity. The God I know does not skimp on you.  Just like this wonderful, fine wine, he gives you the very finest. He always gives you his very best.

Want to hear more? Join us in worship Sunday mornings at 11am. You can find directions to the church here. This sermon can be read in full at Shepherdess Writes.