May 28, 2024

The incident of running out of wine at the wedding in Cana wouldn’t grab most of us as a big deal. So why involve Jesus? Because it WAS a big deal. Weddings weren’t catered like they are today. They were typically hosted by the groom or his family. It was a community event, so family, extended family, neighbors, and town folk came. These wedding feasts could last up to seven days. Because it was such an important event, to run out of wine would be a social disgrace. So when Mary came to Jesus with the word that the family was out of wine, it was a big deal. The family was most likely mortified and obviously had no idea what to do.
When I read this today and read some background on why this mattered so much, this thought hit me: Things that are earth-shaking to me, might not seem like big deals to you. When I tell someone that I’m struggling to find the right illustration for a sermon, many wouldn’t think of that as something to stress about. That’s because they don’t preach. Some of you are pet owners. When your dog or cat gets hurt or develops some kind of serious illness, some of you get almost sick with worry. That’s because some of us think of our pets as “family.” While someone who isn’t a pet owner would shake their head and say, “It’s just an animal.”
Here’s the point. Your big deal is YOUR big deal. Jesus understands that it’s a big deal to you. Jesus knew that it was just a wedding. He knew that, though running out of wine would be a major social faux pax, it wasn’t the end of the world. No one was going to die at the table because there was no more wine. But the groom and his parents would be dying the death of a thousand embarrassments, and THAT Jesus understood. That’s why He would be willing to get involved.
I want to give you permission today to come to Jesus with your “big deal.” It doesn’t matter if your spouse doesn’t understand why it matters so much. It doesn’t matter if you have friends or family that tell you that, “You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.” If Jesus’ mom felt it was okay to bug Jesus about somebody running out of wine, it’s okay for you to come to Jesus with your big deal, too. I can’t tell you what Jesus will or won’t do for you, but this I will tell you. He understands why it’s a big deal to you. And THAT is a big deal in and of itself. That’s God’s Word for you today.