On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples.
Jesus comes to seek and save that which was lost. You, dear saints! And He also comes to seek and save that which was lost because sinful man touches it and Satan corrupts it. According to our Gospel reading, our Lord’s first miracle was at a marriage – as if our Lord knew then and knew now that marriage was something that needed saved.
Marriage has touched everyone here. Just hearing that word – marriage – brings something to your core, right? Marriage in some way has touched you – your past, present and/or future. Mom, dad, grandma, kids, you, friends.
What word comes to mind mostly? Joy or happiness? “I don’t know what I would do without them, pastor!” Regret or anger? – “the end of my happiness and a trap! You won’t believe what they’re like or what they were like pastor.” Avoid that puppy, right there! Sadness at the death of a loved spouse? – “I’m less of a person now because they have died.”
Why is this so? Why such a vast difference between people? Why joy for some? Anger and hate for others? Apathy in even others – “ehh, I’m in it. I’m not going anywhere, I guess, I suppose, psshh, it’s ok.”
I think all reasons will fall within this statement. Jesus loves marriage! Marriage is good, but we are sinners and Satan hates marriage.
Why such regret, despising, anger or avoidance for some? God instituted marriage to be the place of self-giving, forgiveness, freedom and a joy in sex, sacrifice and mutual encouragement in the Christian faith. But what God loves, Satan and our sinful nature hate. Thus, marriage is also a battleground of selfishness, anger, lust, grudges, laziness, lack of thankfulness, lack of prayer, lack of fear, love and trust in God. Satan knows great, great joy can come from marriage and thus he centers and always has centered an attack on it.
We, by nature have empty hearts and we always trying to fill them with anything except God and His Word alone. We’re always trying to shove people in that hole, money in that hole, stuff, work, etc. Part of that attack will be for him to remove the Christian from fear, love, and trust in God to fear, love and trust in marriage. We are not to seek ultimate happiness and rest in marriage. The hole is too big for one person to fill it. It’s a God shaped hole. The truth is that the less a Christian seeks ultimate happiness and rest in marriage, but in Christ alone, the happier and more restful the marriage will be. That is a statement that is true for everything in life. The more we seek ultimate happiness and rest in Christ alone, say to God, how awesome are your works, rejoice in His works for us, His works so that we might find a rested conscience, His works so that we know we are pleasing to Him, His works knowing wherever we go His presence goes with us, His works, His works so that we know He has promised to be our God in everything – the happier others parts of our life will be.
Satan attacks, our sinful nature is selfish, but God fights back with His Word. Thus, we should seek from God what marriage is.
First, God instituted marriage. It was His idea. A really, good idea! He blessed and instituted marriage of Adam and Eve – “It is not good for man to be alone.” He needs someone to love, someone to love him, someone to help and be a companion in life and faith, someone is needed to fulfill the command ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’ Marriage is blessed by Jesus at Cana in our text – the first of His signs. Marriage belongs to Him. It is not ours to mock or despise. He gives us this gift. It is not a burden to sex but freedom and joy for sex. It was meant for the protection and raising of children by giving them a permanent father and mother. It is the foundation of family, society, education, health, economics, and most importantly, of teaching God’s Word
Second, God preserve marriage. It is not dependent upon the law of North Carolina or the United State Supreme court. It cannot be dissolved by the powerful. If a society tries to dissolve marriage it will either return back to it or fall because of it because it is written in our hearts and engraved in our souls.
Third, God provides for marriage. Our Lord’s first miracle was miraculously supplying what the couple lacked. Our Lord greatly desires to supply in marriage what we lack: willingness to sacrifice and not be selfish, willingness to forgive, joy in the same person for decades, daily bread for even the most poor of families. Ask many couples and they will confirm that God had many times miraculously supplied what they lacked in themselves or in each other.
Fourth, God reveals Himself in marriage. In the love that men and women have for each other, in the conversion of spouses, in the teaching of the Christian faith to children, in humility, patience, gentleness, and forgiveness. Marriage is not a hindrance to Christian service. It is the primary place of Christian service.
Jesus comes to seek and save that which was lost. You, dear saints! And He also comes to seek and save that which was lost because sinful man touches it and Satan corrupts it. According to our Gospel reading, our Lord’s first miracle was at a marriage – as if our Lord knew then and knew now that marriage was something that needed saved.
As Christians gathered here, each intimately touched by marriage – happiness, shame, regret, anger, avoidance, and/or sorrow – some of the above or all of the above, we also must hear of the most important point about marriage – our beauty found within the only marriage that is common to us all (young, old, married or single) and that lasts through all eternity – that of Christ and His Church!
Gathered together, as His body today, bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh – with God. You are clothed – shame, regret, anger, guilt, sorrow, and all sin – clothed with the bleached white robes of our bridegroom and His blood. His Church, in His eyes and because of His sacrifice, (you!) are beautiful, all glorious, having not spot or wrinkle. All that is Jesus’ has become yours. You are beautiful beyond beautiful – declared perfect with a loveliness that never wanes, for the life of God in you and over you is given today. May that be the strength to continually intercede to our Bridegroom and Father to protect, preserve, bless, fix, and save all that is lost and broken in and among us. Amen.