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[Music]

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welcome to the commons cast we're glad

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to have you here we hope you find

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something meaningful in our teaching

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this week head to commons dot church for

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more information

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we have just started this long journey

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to easter

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and last week we gathered on ash

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wednesday to remind ourselves of or

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mortality

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to remember that resurrection begins

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with a journey through death

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and that's sort of a sober way to begin

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the movement towards celebration but

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it's also really important isn't it

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to recognize

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that the story of god encompasses all of

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our experiences as human beings all of

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our hurts

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but also our deepest joys and so that's

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the journey that's ahead of us that's

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why i'm wearing purple today that's

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where we are headed and that's why we're

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starting a new series

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so what's our path forward well every

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year

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as we lay out the journal we look at a

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number of different priorities for the

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year

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but during lent each year we often try

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to find a way to put our focus and our

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attention

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directly onto the story of jesus

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last year for example we followed the

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travel narratives in luke as he charts

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jesus physical journey as he walks

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toward jerusalem

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this year we've done something similar

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again but we're going to trace a

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particular motif that runs through the

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gospel of john

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john is an interesting gospel among the

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four that we have in our bible we have

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matthew and mark and luke and we often

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call these the synoptics

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that's a greek compound word and it just

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means that they see together

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and we use that because these writers

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often rely on each other for their

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stories matthew and mark or matthew and

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luke clearly are borrowing stories from

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mark which is probably the earliest

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gospel

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john is just different though

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we've talked about this before but it's

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important

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john is written much later than the

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other gospels

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probably near the end of the first

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century

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what means is that the fourth gospel is

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not so much recounting the story of

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jesus the way that mark does for example

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but this gospel is reflecting back on

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the story of jesus

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i like to think of john as sort of a

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second generation text someone who has

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grown up in the community that's been

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shaped by jesus now looking back on what

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it all means

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not as concerned with what happened

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as much as what it all meant

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and one of the really unique ways that

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the author of john does this is through

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a motif that we want to look at on our

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way toward easter

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a series of stories that he identifies

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as signs of things to come

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see throughout the gospel of john there

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are these seven miracles that point

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toward resurrection

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hints of what the author imagines jesus

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kingdom to be about

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and markers of what the world could be

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like transformed into this new

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imagination of god

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and so over the five sundays of lent

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through palm sunday and good friday we

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are going to look at those seven signs

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in john

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and then on easter of course we will

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celebrate the new creation of

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resurrection

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today however we have the first sign one

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of my favorites jesus turning water into

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wine before that let's pray

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god who is

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always ahead of us

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both in our pain and in our celebration

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inviting us forward with courage and

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with hope

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we ask that you would be near to us

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today

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in whatever fragile state we have

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entered this room

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we ask that your spirit of comfort be

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gentle and close

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reminding us of your presence with us in

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all of the moments of our lives

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might we remember today both our

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constant need of you but also the

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implication that that brings our

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dependence on each other as well

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where we can might we become a source of

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encouragement and strength for each

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other

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might we help each other to carry the

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burden of this season together

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and in that

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might even our lives become a sign of

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things to come

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a world infused with peace

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that encompasses more than just the

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laying down of weapons but also the

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healing of our wounds

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the space to be honest

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and the freedom to smile without

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expectation but only with deep joy

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may your peace that passes understanding

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takes shape not just as extraordinary

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calm today

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but also as justice for all

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may our lives be signs of this peace to

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come

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in the strong name

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of the risen christ we pray

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amen

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okay

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signs of things to come today we're

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going to celebrate that first sign water

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into wine but on the agenda today is

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apothec red familial tale stone jars and

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sacred celebrations but let's start by

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diving straight in and we're going to

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read this story from john 2 and i'm

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going to start at verse 1 i'm going to

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read all the way through to verse 11

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where it says this

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on the third day a wedding took place at

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cana in galilee jesus mother was there

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and jesus and his disciples had also

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been invited to the wedding

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when the wine was gone jesus mother said

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to him they have no more wine

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woman why do you involve me jesus

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replied my hour has not yet come

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but his mother said to the servants do

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whatever he tells you

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nearby stood six stone water jars the

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kind used by the jews for ceremonial

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washing

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each holding from 20 to 30 gallons

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jesus said to the servants fill the jars

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with water so they filled them to the

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brim

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and then he told them now draw out some

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water and take it to the master of the

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banquet

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they did so and the master tasted the

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water that had been turned into wine

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and he did not realize where it had come

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from though the servants who had drawn

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the water knew

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so he called to the bridegroom and asked

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everyone brings out the choice wine

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first and then the cheaper wine after

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the guests have had too much to drink

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but you

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you have saved the best until now

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what jesus did here in cana of galilee

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was the first sign through which he

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revealed his glory

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and the disciples believed

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in him

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all right great story right i mean who

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doesn't love a jesus that one keeps the

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party going and two does that using the

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good stuff i mean no apothic red

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nonsense here going on and by the way if

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you really like apothec red that's fine

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i am just snooty so that's on me

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although i bet that jesus agrees with me

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and i can proof text that here in john 2

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i bet he likes exactly the same wine

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that i do however

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this is still a pretty interesting story

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particularly when john tells us that he

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thinks

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this right here all of this wine is the

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first sign

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of what is to come

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so let's dig into this a bit and see

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what we can find today

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now intriguingly our story starts almost

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like it's in the middle of a thought

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doesn't it

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on the third day a wedding took place at

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cana in galilee

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we have no context for this on the third

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day of what we have no idea if you go

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back to john 1 we get a story about john

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the baptist

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and then it says in verse 29 that the

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next day john saw jesus coming toward

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him

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then in verse 35 it says the next day

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john was there again with two of his

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disciples and then in verse 43 it says

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on the next day jesus decided to leave

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for galilee and then in the start of

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chapter two it says on the third day

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there was a wedding

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so it's possible we're just missing a

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few days here in the narrative because

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these days just don't really add up i

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don't know what day we're on now six or

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seven who knows

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some scholars think that the three days

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are symbolic

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that because this is the first sign that

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points to resurrection the three days

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well maybe they point us to the three

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days in the tomb maybe that seems a bit

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of a stretch and it's certainly pretty

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speculative though

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there is however an interaction at the

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end of john 1 that might shed some light

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on this

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a man named nathaniel comes to jesus and

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declares his trust in jesus and jesus

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says that's great but hold on to your

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hat for you will see even greater things

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than this

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now we know from john 21

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at the end of the gospel that nathaniel

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was indeed from cana in galilee

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and so maybe he was at this wedding and

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maybe that's where the reference comes

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from the wedding took place three days

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after jesus promised to nathanael

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of course we don't know for sure that's

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both the beauty and sometimes the

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frustration of biblical interpretation

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sometimes there is just so much room for

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speculation when we read

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but i do like this as a possibility

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because what it says to me

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is that even something as important as a

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sign of the resurrection started

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as a personal encounter

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it came about in response to a

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conversation it was the result of an

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expression of trust in jesus

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in fact

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maybe the only reason we have this story

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maybe the only reason we know it is

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because nathan recognized this for what

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it was

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a sign that his faith was not misplaced

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and maybe he told this story far and

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wide and maybe that story made its way

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all the way to john

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and over time that story

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as it was passed and it was shared among

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the community it became a sign for all

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of us but first it was a sign for one

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person nathaniel

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and i think this kind of thing happens a

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lot more than we realize

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like i know

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there are moments in my life

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when small things remind me of why i

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choose to trust in god

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00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,560
there are days when the truth is i don't

286
00:10:23,519 --> 00:10:26,079
believe

287
00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:27,600
it's lent it's okay to say that even if

288
00:10:26,079 --> 00:10:29,760
you're a pastor

289
00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:32,959
but it's those days when i don't believe

290
00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:35,440
that i choose instead to trust

291
00:10:32,959 --> 00:10:38,399
and those small moments those signs that

292
00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:40,720
remind me that my trust is not misplaced

293
00:10:38,399 --> 00:10:43,680
it's when i share those moments with

294
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:46,160
others delicately and appropriately

295
00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:48,720
but it's when i invite you into my story

296
00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,720
that my signs become your signs and vice

297
00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,240
versa and maybe that's a bit of what's

298
00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:55,040
happening here

299
00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:57,760
which i just really love

300
00:10:55,040 --> 00:11:00,240
the nathaniel story became john's story

301
00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:03,200
becomes our story because that's how

302
00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:05,040
faith and community work

303
00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,800
even still though we don't have much

304
00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,200
context here

305
00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:11,519
we don't know who the lucky couple are

306
00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:14,320
we don't know why jesus and his mom and

307
00:11:11,519 --> 00:11:16,240
his disciples were invited to the party

308
00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:19,120
but we do know however

309
00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:22,800
that the party runs out of wine

310
00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:24,399
and maybe this was just bad planning

311
00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,160
maybe more guests showed up than

312
00:11:24,399 --> 00:11:27,440
expected maybe jesus had more disciples

313
00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,200
than they thought

314
00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,440
maybe the crowd was just more ready to

315
00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,560
celebrate than anyone had anticipated

316
00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:36,079
either way the wine runs out and mary

317
00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:39,839
finds out

318
00:11:36,079 --> 00:11:41,839
and so she asks jesus to intervene

319
00:11:39,839 --> 00:11:44,079
and he gives this sort of curt reply

320
00:11:41,839 --> 00:11:46,240
woman why do you involve me

321
00:11:44,079 --> 00:11:48,399
and that might sound harsh to our ears

322
00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,320
if i was referred to my mom or my

323
00:11:48,399 --> 00:11:52,399
partner as woman that would not go over

324
00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:56,240
well i can tell you that

325
00:11:52,399 --> 00:11:59,760
this is not however how this term gunai

326
00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:01,839
implies tone here in greek now this was

327
00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,600
a common term of endearment or actually

328
00:12:01,839 --> 00:12:05,120
respect in greek

329
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,360
and actually i like the way that the

330
00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:08,800
first nations version has translated

331
00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:11,440
this section

332
00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:13,600
it says so the mother of creator sets

333
00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,360
free that's the name for jesus that this

334
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,040
translation uses the mother of creator

335
00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:20,320
sets free said to him son they have no

336
00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:22,240
more wine honored woman he said to her

337
00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,440
why are you telling me this is this our

338
00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:26,800
concern

339
00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:28,320
it is not yet my time to show who i am

340
00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:31,600
but his mother turned to the helpers and

341
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,680
said do whatever he needs

342
00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,639
and i really like that

343
00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:36,480
first

344
00:12:34,639 --> 00:12:38,880
because it actually does a better job of

345
00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:41,440
interpreting the scene

346
00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,480
honored woman is not as technically

347
00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,639
correct

348
00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,320
but it is closer to the spirit of what's

349
00:12:44,639 --> 00:12:49,200
actually happening here in the greek how

350
00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:51,839
the term gunai would have been used

351
00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:54,240
second though i love the way that this

352
00:12:51,839 --> 00:12:55,279
captures the mother-son dynamic in the

353
00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,120
scene

354
00:12:55,279 --> 00:12:58,959
that jesus asks mary to intervene he

355
00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:01,519
says mom don't get me involved in this

356
00:12:58,959 --> 00:13:03,279
this isn't our issue but mary turns to

357
00:13:01,519 --> 00:13:04,880
the helpers instead and says let's get

358
00:13:03,279 --> 00:13:07,279
this done

359
00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:09,120
i kind of picture mary here keeping eye

360
00:13:07,279 --> 00:13:10,800
contact with jesus the whole time as she

361
00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,160
beckons to the helpers and says help him

362
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,040
out

363
00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:17,040
either way this sign reads kind of stiff

364
00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:19,519
to me in english but in greek it just

365
00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:22,720
feels a lot more playful than that maybe

366
00:13:19,519 --> 00:13:24,639
more familial if that makes sense

367
00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,720
and i think that might actually be

368
00:13:24,639 --> 00:13:28,240
important

369
00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,079
there are times

370
00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,480
when it's really easy to start thinking

371
00:13:30,079 --> 00:13:35,360
of jesus as a genie

372
00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:36,720
we ask for things he grants them

373
00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,399
and there are ways of praying that

374
00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:42,079
presume upon jesus in a very

375
00:13:38,399 --> 00:13:44,560
transactional unrelational kind of way

376
00:13:42,079 --> 00:13:47,680
at this moment feels perhaps like a bit

377
00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:49,519
of a counterpoint to all of that

378
00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:51,920
sometimes we ask and sometimes jesus

379
00:13:49,519 --> 00:13:54,800
says no and sometimes we ask again and

380
00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,959
sometimes jesus relents

381
00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,880
and i know that is not a very satisfying

382
00:13:56,959 --> 00:14:01,600
theology of prayer

383
00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,160
but maybe that's the

384
00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,959
the point

385
00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,320
is less a transaction where we say the

386
00:14:04,959 --> 00:14:08,160
right words and we get the right

387
00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:10,240
outcomes

388
00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:14,240
and more like a family encounter with

389
00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:16,079
sideways glances and inside jokes

390
00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:18,800
and i think what i take from this is a

391
00:14:16,079 --> 00:14:21,040
reminder to treat my prayer more like a

392
00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:24,079
conversation with my mom and less like a

393
00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,600
contract to employ

394
00:14:24,079 --> 00:14:28,399
regardless

395
00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:31,680
now we get to the heart of this scene

396
00:14:28,399 --> 00:14:34,720
nearby stood six stone water jars the

397
00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:36,720
kind used for ceremonial washing each

398
00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,399
holding 20 to 30

399
00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,320
gallons

400
00:14:38,399 --> 00:14:42,320
so jesus said to the servants fill the

401
00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,680
jars with water and they filled them to

402
00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,079
the brim

403
00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,000
now 20 to 30 gallons

404
00:14:46,079 --> 00:14:49,600
times six stone jars

405
00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:53,199
means we are talking about up to about

406
00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,720
180 gallons or for us canadians 680

407
00:14:53,199 --> 00:14:57,360
liters or perhaps a more useful

408
00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:59,600
comparative here that's about 900

409
00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,600
bottles of wine

410
00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:03,920
and i have no idea how many guests were

411
00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:05,680
at this party but this is shall we say a

412
00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,199
lot to drink

413
00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,839
especially considering

414
00:15:07,199 --> 00:15:11,440
that this was already round two that the

415
00:15:09,839 --> 00:15:13,199
guests had already finished off

416
00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,399
everything the host had expected them to

417
00:15:13,199 --> 00:15:16,959
drink

418
00:15:14,399 --> 00:15:18,480
and in fact john goes out of his way to

419
00:15:16,959 --> 00:15:20,560
mention that the helpers were asked to

420
00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:24,639
fill the jars to their brims or

421
00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:25,519
literally as far as their upward edge

422
00:15:24,639 --> 00:15:26,959
so

423
00:15:25,519 --> 00:15:29,360
this is wine

424
00:15:26,959 --> 00:15:31,440
overflowing it probably sloshed about

425
00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:33,279
and splashed on the ground even as they

426
00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,880
tried to draw a sip for the hose to

427
00:15:33,279 --> 00:15:37,279
taste

428
00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:39,759
but not only that it was good wine the

429
00:15:37,279 --> 00:15:42,079
best wine to boot

430
00:15:39,759 --> 00:15:45,199
and john says this this massive

431
00:15:42,079 --> 00:15:47,519
overflowing quantity of really good wine

432
00:15:45,199 --> 00:15:50,399
meant to keep a party going long into

433
00:15:47,519 --> 00:15:53,199
the night that this was the first sign

434
00:15:50,399 --> 00:15:54,639
of things to come

435
00:15:53,199 --> 00:15:57,360
except

436
00:15:54,639 --> 00:15:58,959
i'm not actually sure the wine is the

437
00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:01,279
point

438
00:15:58,959 --> 00:16:03,519
now before the sommeliers storm the

439
00:16:01,279 --> 00:16:05,920
stage let me explain

440
00:16:03,519 --> 00:16:07,279
there's this really interesting motif in

441
00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,360
john

442
00:16:07,279 --> 00:16:10,959
water where it comes from is a really

443
00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,480
big deal

444
00:16:10,959 --> 00:16:14,079
in the next chapter

445
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,399
jesus will talk about needing to be

446
00:16:14,079 --> 00:16:18,320
baptized in both water and spirit to

447
00:16:16,399 --> 00:16:19,920
enter the kingdom

448
00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:22,000
in chapter four jesus will meet a

449
00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:25,120
samaritan woman at a well and talk to

450
00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:27,360
her about the gift of living water

451
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:29,040
in chapter 5 jesus will heal a man at

452
00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,880
the pool of bethesda a man who hopes

453
00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,959
that the waters can heal him and in

454
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:35,279
chapter 6 jesus will walk on water you

455
00:16:32,959 --> 00:16:36,480
get the idea

456
00:16:35,279 --> 00:16:38,560
you would expect

457
00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,800
that in a story about this much water

458
00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,880
and this much wine that the source of

459
00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:44,000
that water would have some kind of

460
00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,800
attention

461
00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,360
but instead it's actually the vessels

462
00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:52,000
these six stone jars that seem to really

463
00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:54,959
capture john's focus

464
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:57,120
so what's going on there jars used for

465
00:16:54,959 --> 00:16:59,600
ceremonial washing is this for doing the

466
00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:01,279
dishes well actually sort of but also

467
00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,400
not really

468
00:17:01,279 --> 00:17:06,079
these were used for cleansing dishes

469
00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,079
but they were largely used for cleansing

470
00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:10,319
your hands and maybe even sometimes for

471
00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:12,079
cleansing your feet

472
00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:14,079
and this idea of cleansing this is a

473
00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:16,559
category that can be tough for us to get

474
00:17:14,079 --> 00:17:19,199
our heads around sometimes

475
00:17:16,559 --> 00:17:21,679
we've probably all heard about the idea

476
00:17:19,199 --> 00:17:24,319
of something being clean and unclean in

477
00:17:21,679 --> 00:17:26,880
judaism or perhaps in islam

478
00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:28,400
this does not necessarily mean dirty or

479
00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,679
bad

480
00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,240
in english

481
00:17:29,679 --> 00:17:34,640
we often associate a value judgment with

482
00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,559
language like clean and unclean that's

483
00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,240
not necessarily what's going on in

484
00:17:36,559 --> 00:17:39,200
judaism

485
00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,840
my son

486
00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,760
has a really good friend who is muslim

487
00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,720
and they were comparing diets one day at

488
00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,480
school

489
00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:48,799
my son is a vegetarian and he found out

490
00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:51,039
that his friend also does not eat pig

491
00:17:48,799 --> 00:17:52,480
and he was very excited about this

492
00:17:51,039 --> 00:17:54,640
but he came home one day and he said to

493
00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,240
me dad you know we're vegetarian well

494
00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,760
it's a good thing we don't eat pigs

495
00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,120
because my friend told me that they are

496
00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,120
dirty

497
00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:02,960
now i knew who he was talking about so i

498
00:18:01,120 --> 00:18:04,160
clarified exactly what did your friend

499
00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,240
say here

500
00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:08,799
and then we had a conversation about

501
00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:10,320
unclean in the religious sense and dirty

502
00:18:08,799 --> 00:18:11,760
in the hygienic sense and now pigs are

503
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,520
actually quite clean animals we just

504
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,919
don't eat them in our house the same way

505
00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,520
his friend doesn't for religious reasons

506
00:18:15,919 --> 00:18:19,360
and by the way enjoy your bacon just

507
00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,640
keep your memes to yourself i've already

508
00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:22,240
seen them all i know what i'm missing

509
00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,919
it's fine i'm kidding just send me

510
00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,840
whatever you want

511
00:18:23,919 --> 00:18:28,080
in judaism though

512
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:31,039
a lot of things could make you ritually

513
00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:33,440
or ceremonially unclean

514
00:18:31,039 --> 00:18:35,440
if you touch the grave for example or if

515
00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,200
you had touched blood if you were a

516
00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,200
woman who was menstruating if you had

517
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:42,000
even walked across certain lands these

518
00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:44,000
things could render you ceremonially

519
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,440
unclean

520
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:49,280
that did not mean dirty or bad though

521
00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,440
and there were rituals like a mikvah

522
00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:54,720
that would rectify that and cleanse you

523
00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:57,200
but unclean wasn't bad

524
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,880
it wasn't like unclean separated you

525
00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:01,039
from god's love and cleansing brought

526
00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,520
you back into god's good graces in fact

527
00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:06,160
in judaism it was expected

528
00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:09,679
that you would become unclean regularly

529
00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:11,600
just by going about your daily business

530
00:19:09,679 --> 00:19:14,160
and that you would then

531
00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:16,000
cleanse yourself regularly to remind

532
00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,480
yourself of your connection and your

533
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:20,960
commitment to god

534
00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:23,200
that's what the rituals were meant for

535
00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:26,559
not good and bad but rhythms of

536
00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:29,120
commitment it's actually quite beautiful

537
00:19:26,559 --> 00:19:31,440
and misunderstandings of these practices

538
00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:33,360
have been caricatured in far too many

539
00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:34,799
christian sermons and that's to our

540
00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:37,760
shame because we haven't learned and

541
00:19:34,799 --> 00:19:39,120
listened to our jewish neighbors

542
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,280
but along with

543
00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:43,120
more elaborate ceremonies like a mikvah

544
00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:45,360
or a baptism

545
00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:47,600
jewish people would also often

546
00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:48,960
ceremonially wash their hands after

547
00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,080
something like coming home from the

548
00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:53,360
market

549
00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,080
or before enjoying a meal

550
00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:56,720
now

551
00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:58,799
that does seem to be a bit of practical

552
00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,799
hygiene and religious observation

553
00:19:58,799 --> 00:20:03,280
combined together

554
00:20:00,799 --> 00:20:05,200
but that's what these six stone jars

555
00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:08,080
would have been primarily used for at

556
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:11,360
the entrance to a party

557
00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:13,520
a ceremonial religious ritual cleansing

558
00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:15,440
that also had a very practical hygiene

559
00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,640
element to it

560
00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,000
in fact

561
00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,240
john points out that they were made of

562
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:22,559
stone precisely because stone as a

563
00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:25,360
non-porous material was protected from

564
00:20:22,559 --> 00:20:27,280
becoming ceremonially unclean as part of

565
00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:29,200
the jewish teaching

566
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,880
that's why you would use these types of

567
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,559
jars specifically

568
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,880
to wash your hands or to wash your

569
00:20:32,559 --> 00:20:36,559
dishes no

570
00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,559
as with any ritual

571
00:20:36,559 --> 00:20:41,760
it was always possible for the meaning

572
00:20:38,559 --> 00:20:44,240
to be swallowed up by the practice right

573
00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,840
that jesus is quite critical of his

574
00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,640
fellow pharisees that went through the

575
00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:51,440
motions and lost sight of the purpose

576
00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:53,440
in matthew 23 he says woe to you

577
00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:55,440
teachers of the law and pharisees you

578
00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,200
act like hypocrites

579
00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,360
you clean the outside of the cup and

580
00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:02,400
dish but inside you are still full of

581
00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:05,280
greed and self-indulgence blind teacher

582
00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:07,840
first clean the inside then the outside

583
00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:10,400
will be clean as well

584
00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:12,320
basically he's saying the ritual

585
00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:14,080
is meant to help us remind us to keep

586
00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,679
our hearts pure

587
00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,679
but if we don't do that what's the point

588
00:21:15,679 --> 00:21:19,440
of the ritual

589
00:21:17,679 --> 00:21:21,600
this right here is just good old

590
00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:24,159
pharisaical teaching that any teacher of

591
00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,679
the law would have agreed with

592
00:21:24,159 --> 00:21:27,600
jesus is just calling out his

593
00:21:25,679 --> 00:21:30,240
contemporaries for not following through

594
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,080
on the intent of the law

595
00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:34,960
all this to say

596
00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:37,760
when jesus arrived at this party

597
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:41,440
he would have in all likelihood drawn

598
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:43,360
water from these same six stone jars

599
00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,840
washed his hands and then entered the

600
00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:48,080
celebration just like any other jewish

601
00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,840
guest

602
00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:52,080
except

603
00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:55,280
that when jesus is asked with some help

604
00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:58,080
with the wine he chooses these same six

605
00:21:55,280 --> 00:22:00,799
stone jars and that's not just a

606
00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,159
coincidence

607
00:22:00,799 --> 00:22:03,840
remember

608
00:22:02,159 --> 00:22:05,760
the whole reason

609
00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,679
that mary has approached jesus is

610
00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,039
because all the wine has run out in the

611
00:22:07,679 --> 00:22:11,679
first place that means there are

612
00:22:09,039 --> 00:22:14,960
literally empty wineskins lying all over

613
00:22:11,679 --> 00:22:16,720
the place just waiting for their miracle

614
00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,400
if he had wanted to he could have kept

615
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:21,440
the party going in a far less

616
00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:23,760
conspicuous manner

617
00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:26,480
instead he chooses intentionally these

618
00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:31,120
jars of this symbol as the sign through

619
00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:33,919
which he would make himself known

620
00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:36,159
and think about that

621
00:22:33,919 --> 00:22:38,480
jesus takes a symbol of our personal

622
00:22:36,159 --> 00:22:40,880
piety

623
00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:43,120
how those who knew god reminded

624
00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:45,360
themselves of god's quiet presence with

625
00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:46,960
them daily

626
00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:49,120
how they set themselves apart in

627
00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,960
connection to the vine trusting that it

628
00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:53,200
would help them become better persons in

629
00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:55,039
their lives and jesus transforms that

630
00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,039
ritual

631
00:22:55,039 --> 00:23:00,640
into a ruckus party that shook the

632
00:22:57,039 --> 00:23:00,640
neighborhood late into the night

633
00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:05,280
and for john i think

634
00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:08,240
the symbolism of that moment the sign

635
00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:10,480
was quite stark no longer are we

636
00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,880
reminding ourselves of god's presence

637
00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:16,080
with us

638
00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:18,640
but now god is declaring divine goodness

639
00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,640
among us

640
00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:24,880
god is celebrating divine generosity

641
00:23:22,559 --> 00:23:26,240
around us god is taking it upon god's

642
00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,640
self to turn

643
00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:31,760
our piety

644
00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,760
into god's party

645
00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,840
and at this moment

646
00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,840
this was no longer just the celebration

647
00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,000
of a random wedding in cana of galilee

648
00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,679
this was no longer just a promise to

649
00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:44,720
nathanael that he would see greater

650
00:23:41,679 --> 00:23:46,880
things this was now the reminder that

651
00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:49,919
every wedding

652
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:52,799
and every party and every the top moment

653
00:23:49,919 --> 00:23:55,760
of unadulterated unconstrained joy all

654
00:23:52,799 --> 00:23:58,640
of these are now signs of everything

655
00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,640
that is to come

656
00:24:00,159 --> 00:24:05,840
because jesus is saying

657
00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:08,720
that family is united

658
00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:10,640
and neighbors invited outsiders welcome

659
00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:14,000
with more than enough to go around for

660
00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:17,360
anyone who happens by

661
00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:20,080
that itself is the story of god and

662
00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:23,200
every time we enact that we point toward

663
00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,200
what is to come

664
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,919
one of my favorite quotes

665
00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,679
from one of my favorite authors one that

666
00:24:27,919 --> 00:24:32,880
i have read here before it comes from

667
00:24:29,679 --> 00:24:35,760
robert ferrara capone who writes this

668
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,120
what we are watching for is a party

669
00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,720
but that party is not just down the

670
00:24:37,120 --> 00:24:40,960
street making up its mind when it's

671
00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:43,200
going to come to us it is already hiding

672
00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,039
in our basement banging on the steam

673
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,960
pipes and laughing its way up the cellar

674
00:24:45,039 --> 00:24:49,279
stairs

675
00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,440
the unknown day and hour of its final

676
00:24:49,279 --> 00:24:53,279
bursting into the kitchen and roystering

677
00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,520
through the whole house is not dreadful

678
00:24:53,279 --> 00:24:57,760
it is all part of the divine lark of

679
00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:00,000
grace

680
00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,159
because god is not our stuffy relative

681
00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,640
come to see whether the wedding present

682
00:25:02,159 --> 00:25:06,400
china is chipped

683
00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,320
god is the funny old neighbor with a

684
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:10,480
salami under one arm and a bottle of

685
00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:13,279
wine under the other and we do in need

686
00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:15,200
need to watch for god's arrival

687
00:25:13,279 --> 00:25:17,679
but only because

688
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:20,480
it would be such a pity to miss out on

689
00:25:17,679 --> 00:25:20,480
this much fun

690
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:27,039
that's what the sign is about

691
00:25:23,919 --> 00:25:30,640
this is jesus reassuring all of us that

692
00:25:27,039 --> 00:25:30,640
our rituals are not a waste

693
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:35,360
that our attempts to be kind are not

694
00:25:33,039 --> 00:25:38,000
overlooked that every time we commit

695
00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:40,799
ourselves to the good trusting that god

696
00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:43,120
will bring that story to completion that

697
00:25:40,799 --> 00:25:45,840
in itself

698
00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:49,360
is an image of the world made right

699
00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:49,360
in joyful celebration

700
00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,919
and perhaps

701
00:25:51,679 --> 00:25:56,159
right now

702
00:25:53,919 --> 00:25:58,400
at this moment in history just as it was

703
00:25:56,159 --> 00:26:00,640
in jesus day that hope feels very far

704
00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,640
off

705
00:26:00,799 --> 00:26:05,360
but the point of the sign

706
00:26:03,679 --> 00:26:08,159
especially as we begin our movement

707
00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:10,400
toward the cross is not to deny all of

708
00:26:08,159 --> 00:26:12,159
that hurt or to ignore what is happening

709
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,400
in the world or even in your life right

710
00:26:12,159 --> 00:26:14,400
now

711
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:19,440
the point of a sign is to remind us to

712
00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:22,000
hold tight to the ritual of celebration

713
00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,000
and joy

714
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:27,840
to trust that even in the moments where

715
00:26:24,799 --> 00:26:31,200
we struggle to believe celebration is

716
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:35,679
blessed and gladness is holy and that

717
00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,679
when we make sacred our parties

718
00:26:35,919 --> 00:26:39,120
we can find the strength to return from

719
00:26:38,159 --> 00:26:41,360
them

720
00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:45,679
committed even more to the work of

721
00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:45,679
justice that the world so deeply needs

722
00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,799
and so as we begin

723
00:26:48,559 --> 00:26:53,760
our movement together toward both the

724
00:26:50,799 --> 00:26:55,600
darkness of the cross

725
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:58,240
and the light and joy of the

726
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,240
resurrection

727
00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:03,679
might we all remember somehow that every

728
00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:06,640
moment of joy

729
00:27:03,679 --> 00:27:10,080
that breaks in anywhere in our life this

730
00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:11,840
is a sign of things to come

731
00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:14,400
and that when we

732
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:16,320
learn how to dance and celebrate and

733
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:18,640
drink late into the night we can be

734
00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:21,200
strengthened for the work of healing the

735
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:23,760
world around us

736
00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,760
let's pray

737
00:27:24,399 --> 00:27:27,760
god

738
00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,919
for all the ways that you show up in all

739
00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,840
of our lives

740
00:27:29,919 --> 00:27:33,919
reminding us that you are present and

741
00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:37,200
near comforting and guiding but also

742
00:27:33,919 --> 00:27:40,480
knitting back your world together

743
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:43,919
we thank you for those signs

744
00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:46,159
but also we thank you for this sign

745
00:27:43,919 --> 00:27:48,399
the story that started at a party as a

746
00:27:46,159 --> 00:27:50,240
response to a conversation and became a

747
00:27:48,399 --> 00:27:51,200
story that was included in our gospels

748
00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,360
that has

749
00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:55,840
founded and grounded the church for two

750
00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:58,080
thousand years now

751
00:27:55,840 --> 00:28:01,679
to remind us that our movement towards

752
00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:03,360
your kingdom starts with joy

753
00:28:01,679 --> 00:28:05,679
that all of the work that we do in the

754
00:28:03,360 --> 00:28:07,440
world both internal work

755
00:28:05,679 --> 00:28:09,520
to become the people you imagine us to

756
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:13,039
be and the work we do for peace and

757
00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:15,120
justice around us in our relationships

758
00:28:13,039 --> 00:28:17,360
all of that work is grounded in

759
00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:19,279
celebration

760
00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:21,600
trusting that the world has a

761
00:28:19,279 --> 00:28:23,840
destination

762
00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:26,559
and that destination is your love and

763
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:28,799
embrace your kingdom that transforms

764
00:28:26,559 --> 00:28:31,039
everything

765
00:28:28,799 --> 00:28:32,640
might we trust in the renewal of all

766
00:28:31,039 --> 00:28:36,080
things

767
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:39,039
believing that you are already at work

768
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:42,240
and we are part of that story

769
00:28:39,039 --> 00:28:46,000
as we begin this movement toward easter

770
00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:48,559
help us to prepare our hearts well

771
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:52,320
for the depth of good friday

772
00:28:48,559 --> 00:28:54,000
and the celebration of resurrection

773
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,720
in the strong name

774
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:59,720
of the risen christ we pray

775
00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,720
amen