What the Servants Know

What the Servants Know

A sermon delivered by Rev. Peter T. Atkinson

January 20, 2019

at Bethany Presbyterian Church, Zuni, Virginia

Isaiah 62: 1-5

John 2: 1-11

Let us pray,

Help us to see despite our eyes

Help us to think outside our minds

Help us to be more than our lives

            For your eyes show us the way

            Your mind knows the truth

            Your being is the life.

Amen. 

Begin with the Old testament as it introduces the theme of the new. . .

62For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. ²The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. ³You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. ⁴You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. ⁵For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

3^rd Sunday Epiphany – Revealing Jesus as God

Wedding of Cana

John 2: 1-11

John 2:1-11

2On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ²Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. ⁹When 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 ¹⁰and 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.” ¹¹Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

First sign in John

Others – healings, miracles, Lazarus

I am statements

What are the typical preaching takeaways from this story?

Wine – to some shows wine is ok, take it an run with it, Jesus is laid back about such things likes a good time.

Others makes uncomfortable, and they seek to explain the wine away – the water is bad, wine is what they had to drink

Same people who change – let us drink wine together on our knees, to drink the cup in our hymnal

Another is Jesus and his mother – What is Mary trying to do

What business is that of mine

My hour has not come – All in its time

Best wine served first – Saved good wine for last

Jesus makes the mundane extraordinary – look at bulletin NT wright

The transformation from water to wine is of course meant by John to signify the effect that Jesus can have, can still have today, on people’s lives.  He came, as he says later, that we might have life in all its fullness.  You might want to pray through this story with your own failures and disappointments in mind – remembering that transformation only came when someone took Mary’s words seriously: Do whatever he tells you.

What struck me this time – but the servants knew

Secret knowledge given to the servants first

Parentheses in NRSV

Glosses Text variance

Perhaps why was scribe focused on this enough to add the note

Servant hood

Matthew 20 27-28

1^st become slave/servant – Jesus came to serve not to be served

Isaiah’s suffering servant

Beaten  broken for our sins, never said a mumbling word

Malachi – Righteous and wicked – those who serve those who serve not

Luke 22: 27 Who is more important- one who sits at the table or the one who serves

Table—But not here

I am among you as one who serves

Galatians 5:13

You have been called to live in freedom but don’t use your freedom to satisfy your self, but to serve in love

Luke 12: 42

A faithful and sensible servant is the one to whom the master can give the responsibility

Matt. 25: 23

Well done good and faithful servant, you have been faitful with a few things I will put you in charge of many things. . . come and share your master’s happiness!

Servants come to know more

Maybe that’s why politicians seem so empty headed

Movie the Butler

Get involvement charlie brown

School headmaster training

Fraternity – experiences with people

My meetings here

Get involved!