“Tasty Epiphanies”
January 19, 2025
John 2:1–11
On 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. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days.. ***
I love this epiphany story. It is the first one that John tells as Jesus sets out on his ministry. For John, the miracles of Jesus are called signs and he records seven of them. In each Jesus creates an epiphany of God’s abundant grace. The sign in this story is changing water into wine.
If you have toured any European wineries, you know there is an abundance of rich history of winemaking across the continent. Immense pride surrounds many family owned wineries that have produced award-winning wines for generations.
This is no ordinary miracle for Jesus. There is a reason for this sign being the first public act of Jesus’ ministry in John. Unlike the other gospel writers who record Jesus’ first miracles being healings, exorcisms or walking on water, John has Jesus changing 180 gallons of water into the best wine. Imagine the abundance. The magnitude of Jesus’ first sign seen and tasted in all this good wine is an act of grace upon grace, exaggerated, excessive, extravagant.
Consider these facts:
A standard bottle of wine is 750 milliliters or .19 gallons. A case of 12 bottles is 2.378 gallons. Now, it takes about a ton of grapes to make 12 bottles to fill a case. 180 gallons would be more than 63 cases of wine or 756 bottles. -From Vineyard to Bottle from Cornell University
This gives you a picture of how much grace is implied in this story. “Now standing there were six stone water-jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said , ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ 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… John 2: 6–11
Think of the buzz this must have created among the guests at this wedding reception. The epiphany comes from the deliciousness of a top-shelf wine when there is no reason to anticipate such a moment. The wine ran out, yet everyone present still gets served good wine. Grace upon grace.
Epiphanies are often embodied revelations. They are manifestations of God’s presence that bring change. The wedding at Cana reveals that epiphanies of God are experiences of God’s goodness, generosity, delight and love. So abundant that you can take it in with every sense.
As much as we want to think that grace is only for us, this epiphany shows us that God’s grace is to be shared with others. The setting of a wedding is essential for this first sign. All the guests get to experience and enjoy this act of grace. All will watch the steward pour wine into their glasses when they thought their cups would stay empty. All will get that first smell and be surprised. All will take that first sip and say, “This is the good stuff, and we thought it was already consumed. Where did this come from?” All will learn that Jesus grace is for all, as he will later say this: “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.: John 10:16
God’s grace is for all. As hard as some try to restrain God’s grace upon grace, it is impossible to do.
Grace upon grace (John 1:16) is not a concept but the incarnation of God’s love. It is not an idea but the experience of God’s love; not to be kept to ourselves but to go throughout the world testifying to the truth that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.3:16
That God loves the world is, in the end, the real heart of Epiphany.
