The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, 2018
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Hymn # 370 My Hope Is Built
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Hymn # 370 My Hope Is Built
The Creating Word - Forgotten Today
The Hymn #128 Brightest and Best
The Hymn #128 Brightest and Best
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #309 O Jesus, Blessed Lord
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #309 O Jesus, Blessed Lord
KJV Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on ourministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Letlove be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
KJV John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that of Thy grace Thou hast instituted holy matrimony, in which Thou keepest us from unchastity, and other offenses: We beseech Thee to send Thy blessing upon every husband and wife, that they may not provoke each other to anger and strife, but live peaceably together in love and godliness, receive Thy gracious help in all temptations, and rear their children in accordance with Thy will; grant unto us all to walk before Thee, in purity and holiness, to put all our trust in Thee, and lead such lives on earth, that in the world to come we may have everlasting life, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
KJV John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
Lenski:
2:1-11. — By the power of his personality and by his divine knowledge and words Jesus had attested himself as truly being the Messiah of whom the Baptist
had testified, as the Son of God and the Son of man. To the attestation through the word is now added that of the deed, which was made evident in the first
miracle.
As people often mention, Matthew-Mark-Luke are clearly associated together, seen together (synoptic) Gospels. The Fourth Gospel adds many details and many unique sayings and sermons of Jesus. That means the apostle assumed our knowledge of the basics and added his material, so anything unique to John should be especially important to us. What makes this especially satisfying for us is the knowledge that all four Gospels agree, which can only be through the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus promised, "The Spirit will bring to mind all that has happened." Simon Greenleaf is an example of a famous lawyer who set out to prove the disagreements of the Gospels and found himself converted by the Word to faith in Christ and in the inerrancy of the Scriptures, through the Easter narratives. As Paul said - "raised for our justification." The ultimate prove of the divinity of Christ is his resurrection from the dead. But please read Romans 4:24 with Romans 4;25, Rolf Preus and CFW Walther.
People have a way of adopting human authorities, which they treat as the last word on anything. Unfortunately, that often means a college or seminary professor, because students are easier to influence at that age. Since we cannot count on human authorities, who often err, we should only treat the Word as the final authority on all matters and let Dame Reason go. Therefore, if we have something from Jesus on any given matter, that settles the question. As one DP said about his sect, "The matter is settled." That is partially true - all doctrinal matters are already settled by the Scriptures, but they are often not confessed and taught by man. Thus we have the Word of God as the authority that never varies, never contradicts itself.
In a famous scene from "Bringing Up Baby," Katherine Hepburn speaks so fast that the police cannot take down all the details in their notes. Likewise, the Gospel has so many important details that we need to stop and look at passages, phrase by phrase.
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee
The apostle is careful to mark out times, to show when things happened. Lenski's commentary is very useful in looking at the background material and places and the order of events.
and the mother of Jesus was there:
Jesus was invited, but the mother of Jesus was there. That suggests Mary being part of the wedding party, perhaps as a relative or close friend taking over, in place of the bride's parents. A guest would not take over to solve as problem, but Mary takes charge. It reminds me of a wedding for a Christian girl whose parents were from Kerala, India. The mother of the bride was constantly scanning the entire reception for any possible problems and dealing with them with speed and authority.
Not to be forgotten is the old-fashioned wedding which is still found in various ethnic groups. In Jewish weddings, the betrothal took place first, but the couple did not live together - though they were truly married. The second part was the celebration which meant they were going to live together as man and wife. Thus when Joseph and Mary were betrothed, they were married but not living together.
This wedding ceremony at Cana was the celebration part.
Lenski:
This wedding must be thought of in the Jewish fashion. In the betrothal bride and groom were pledged to each other in a way that truly made them man and wife, although the two did not at once live together following this ceremony. An interval, longer or shorter, followed, and then the gamos (wedding) took place. The groom with his companions brought the bride with her companions to the groom's home, and there without any further pledge the celebration began, starting toward evening with a feast as grand as possible and continuing for a week, the couple now living together.
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
The miracle itself is very important, but so also is the presence of Jesus as His disciples, who were all invited to this feast. The early Church came to be influenced by those who thought marriage was not the best state for someone to live in, and the monastic ideal grew from that wrong idea and caused a great deal of immorality and corruption by the time of the Reformation.
By attending the marriage, Jesus blessed the married state. He did not come alone, by stealth, as some people do with gatherings that are not approved, but brought along His disciples who were all witnesses to this event and the first of His miracles.
2. In the first place, it is indeed a high honor paid to married life for Christ himself to attend this marriage, together with his mother and his disciples.
Moreover, his mother is present as the one arranging the wedding, the parties married being apparently her poor relatives or neighbors, and she being compelled to act as the bride’s mother; so of course, it was nothing more than a wedding, and in no way a display. For Christ lived up to his doctrine, not going to the rich, but to the poor; or, if he does go to the great and rich, he is sure to rebuke and reprove, coming away with disfavor, earning small thanks at their hands, with no thought of honoring them by a miracle as he does here.
Moreover, his mother is present as the one arranging the wedding, the parties married being apparently her poor relatives or neighbors, and she being compelled to act as the bride’s mother; so of course, it was nothing more than a wedding, and in no way a display. For Christ lived up to his doctrine, not going to the rich, but to the poor; or, if he does go to the great and rich, he is sure to rebuke and reprove, coming away with disfavor, earning small thanks at their hands, with no thought of honoring them by a miracle as he does here.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
His mother is not named, just as the author is not named, de-emphasizing them without denying their importance. As someone perhaps hosting the wedding for this impoverished couple, Mary told Jesus they were already running out of wine. That was a calamity she felt and trusted Him to take care of the matter. Jesus addressed her as "woman" - not as "dear woman" or anything else that would soften this address. The Scriptures balance the description of Mary blessed above all women with several reminders that Jesus was still her Lord. So at His crucifixion, He said, "Woman behold your son." And he said to John, "Behold your mother." John 19:26
As mentioned last week, the time after the Ephesus Council, 431. was an era when Mary was raised to divine status. That was not the result of the council but an example of what happens when issues become unbalanced. That has continued to this day, where Mary is really the central emphasis of Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox worship. Still, we should not overlook that Mary trusted in Jesus to take care of the problem and continued to trust Him when she told the helpers, "Do whatever He says." Jesus is not harsh, but maintaining His Lordship with Mary; Mary is ever-trusting, knowing His true nature.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
In this first of all His miracles, Jesus made it impossible to refute what happened. Rationalism has offered various explanations for other miracles - rather absurd, because they assume details never given - such as lunches hidden away for the Feeding of the Multitude. There is no way to find a similar solution, so the sceptics simply ignore this Gospel or date it centuries later (impossible) and therefore attribute it to someone untrustworthy. This miracle demands faith in the power and efficacy of God's Word, which is lacking today.
Many "conservative" Christian leaders will confess their trust in the inerrancy of God's Word, but they deny that Holy Baptism and Holy Communion are sacraments that provide what God promises - the forgiveness of sin.
Many "conservative" Lutheran leaders say they believe in the sacraments but cannot say to the evolutionists or compromisers, "The Word of God that changed water into wine can also fashion the entire universe in six 24-hour days." These fine men are worried they will be mistaken for illiterate hillbillies and not up to the demands of science, technology, engineering, and math.
And though the Scriptures and Book of Concord clearly say we are declared forgiven through faith in our Savior, they deny this and agree with notions that come from Pietism and Calvinism.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
I find some humor in the steward of the feast becoming alarmed at the quality of the wine and scolding the bridegroom. This is a feature of John's Gospel - someone misunderstanding what has just happened, which helps us see how great a gap exists between faith in Christ and one's natural (but blind) understanding. Without faith we are like the man who was walking his dog on an exceptionally cold morning and thought he saw a dog frozen in place in its back yard. It was more of a silhouette in the early morning and seemed logical, given the weather and the sudden cold snap. Yes, it looked exactly like a dog and was motionless. Walking toward it, the light slowly resolved the tragic shape into something for holding a garden hose, each part serving as parts of a dog's body.
Bridegroom
It is not by accident that the bridegroom is the object of the rebuke. In the New Testament, Jesus is the Bridegroom, and the Church is the bride.
Luther wrote - "22. In the third place, we must briefly touch upon the spiritual significance of the text. This marriage and every marriage signifies Christ, the true bridegroom, and Christendom, the bride; as the Gospel lesson of Matthew 22:1-14 sufficiently shows."
So, as Luther says, this is not only a very special miracle showing the power and efficacy of the Word, but also a parable about bearing the cross and about marriage.
As he says so wisely, we are used to providing the best first and the not-so-good later. That is what the steward expected. How dare they save the best for last!
That is exactly what God teaches in His Word, and Jesus exemplified in His ministry, His teaching, and His example. If we expect the best and most rewarding at first, and only remain faithful to Christianity, all that it teaches, we are going to fall into the Slough of Despond (Pilgrim's Progress) and turn back as soon as we feel frustrated, annoyed, tired, or "offended" in the Biblical sense. When Jesus spoke of being offended, He meant setting off the deadly trigger of the trap.
That can be - the Six-Day Creation, the Virgin Birth, walking on water, the Atonement, etc. For many, the cross is that trigger, and it will be when whoopee Christianity is taught, only good things are expected, especially at first.
This miracle applies to the Christian life and especially those efforts which are focused on teaching the Gospel. That seems as if the worst punishments are handed out for being faithful. If we do not remember this miracle, as clergy and laity, then we are quick to turn to man-made solutions and abandon the vexations of the cross. Feeling a sense of accomplish may take decades, if that. Someone else may have the rewards of a lifetime of labor. As I told one conservative Lutheran writer, it is not God-pleasing until it is persecuted.
Miracle and Marriage
Americans have made a disaster of marriage because everyone is listening to the steward rather than to the Word. As Luther said, many disagreeable things are associated with marriage and raising children. The difficulties seem overwhelming at first, and they often continue for years.
God does things in reverse. He gives us the worst wine, even the dregs. But later, through faith in Him, that becomes the best and the sweetest wine. An enormous challenge is wonderful in retrospect, when it has been overcome. But only in retrospect. At the time, it can occupy all our thoughts and energy. I thought I was finished with Volume V of Luther's Sermons. Suddenly various objections were raised in printing. The title was "suppressed" - that was their term. I wondered how I could meet the demands. Then I discussed this with our son.
"I think I am talking to a computer."
He said, "You are."
"I think the work is handed to the Third Word, maybe India."
He said, "More like the Philippines."
I did not have an answer yet. Suddenly, everything was ok and the title (BW) was clear again for publishing. That was such a good feeling.
Children
There are many exceptional children. Each child is unique in his or her own way. Even the greatest pain can be transformed by faith in the Savior, in one way or another. What seems impossible to solve at the moment can be suddenly changed by God's power.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
So Jesus began by showing the power and efficacy of His Word. Was that true only then? Not at all. That is still true today. The emergency of the moment or year or decade is transformed by the Word.
