Water into Blood and Wine

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

January 20, 2013

Jesus Turns Water into Blood and Wine

Exodus 7, Ephesians 3, John 2

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus loves to turn ordinary things into extraordinary things by His words of promise. And His love of using ordinary things for amazing purposes is entirely consistent with how He's always done things.

I.

3,500 years ago Moses was sent to tell the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to stop treating God's people as though they belonged to him. Through Moses, God said, “Let My people go.” Pharaoh thought he was god and he logically said no.

So God sent ten calamities on Egypt. The first was so disastrous that it's stunning to consider that the remaining nine plagues were needed! This first disaster was that the water of the Nile was turned to blood by God's power and promise.

God took two ordinary things that all people desperately need, water and blood, and by His word they became a plague upon Egypt.

The Nile was the lifeline for the country. Without it they would cease to exist as a nation—without the River they had no water for their crops. As pagans did then and they continue to do now, they worshiped the creation instead of the Creator. They worshiped the Nile as a god. When the one true God turned the ordinary water of the Nile into blood, Egypt's economy and theology was destroyed.

The waters that had once saved Moses himself from death, now became a bloody mess. This miracle was God's judgment on Pharaoh. Even the Devil's “miracle”, done by Pharaoh's magicians, had to bow down to God's judgment. The magicians turned more water into blood. How foolish! Why would you turn more water into blood?! This stubborn attitude would lead to nine more catastrophes that destroyed Egypt.

II.

2,000 years ago God's Son, Jesus Christ, went to a wedding celebration and He did it again. He used ordinary water for a special purpose—He turned it into delicious wine.

Jesus Christ created the institution of marriage, when He placed Adam and Eve together in the Garden of Eden. Now He came in person to celebrate another man and woman who had been placed together for life. At this happy occasion Jesus saved the day by turning water into wine. By this miracle He confirmed His love of marriage and His love for individuals.

III.

In many ways the Ten Plagues of Egypt was a battle between one man and the one true God. At Cana this miracle showed that Jesus' love of humanity is on a one-to-one basis.

Jesus didn't come in the flesh to your wedding, but He does live in each of your homes. He uses husbands and wives to take care of each other. He uses moms and dads to take care of their kids. He uses grown-up kids to take care of their elderly parents. Even grown-ups who aren't married enjoy the blessings of marriage through their parents, siblings, and extended family. Jesus has called the ordinary people in your life for a special purpose: to love you by putting your best interests ahead of their own. And the same promises applies to you.

IV.

But what if we don't take care of each other? Then Jesus gives us His words of promise that our salvation does not depend on how well we care for each other. It depends on His life, death, and resurrection for us. And because He forgives us, He calls us to life. We enjoy His life as we receive His gifts that bring cleansing and healing for our souls. And again He uses ordinary things for this extraordinary purpose.

In Baptism He loves it when we use His promised Words to turn ordinary water into holy water that washes away the self-centered attitude from our souls. It's holy water that is holy not because of a rite or ritual, but because of the word and promise of God.

In Absolution on Sunday morning He loves it when the pastor uses his ordinary voice to pronounce His word of promise that forgives our selfishness.

In His Supper He loves it when by His words of promise ordinary bread and wine become also His true body and blood for our forgiveness.

V.

Out of His glorious riches He… strengthen[s] you with power through His Spirit in your inner being. (Eph. 3:16)

Jesus uses ordinary things for His extraordinary purposes. With Pharaoh these miracles were judgment, but for you, dear believers, He uses miracles to keep His promises to you and strengthen your faith. A strong faith is one that day by day sees just how much it depends on Christ and His promises. A strong faith cries out in full confidence of the Cross, “I'm not a god, but a poor miserable soul who depends on You, dear sweet Jesus, and Your water and blood for my forgiveness, for my life, and for my future. Amen!”

In the name of the Father and of the + Son

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.