Reflection on Sign Two from John's Gospel

There are two things in this section (4:43-54) that really shine out to me as I read it again. The first is Jesus' initial response. "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe." Out of context we might take that as a truth statement ... maybe that is what some charasmatics believe. But it is clear in context that this is connected to a feeling of anger and frutration. Jesus even lumps! He says "you people." I imagine it as, "You people always want something from me ... You people are insatiable. Are you people listening to anything I am saying? ... Do you people care at all about who I am and what I came to do or are you just clamoring for spectacle and handouts?" Well, I say to myself, what is it? Do I care about Jesus and his purpose or am I just clamoring for my own needs and curiousity. I think sometimes, unfortunately, I approach him with unbelief, demanding a sign.

Let me give you an example. Right now I am really trying to work on developing a prayer life. I know, I am a pastor (maybe most people won't read my blog and see how much I need to grow). But when I set aside time in the morning to pray to God, am I really ready to face him and believe his presence and sit with him. Or do I just hope that he will answer a question I have, grant a prayer request or just give me a good feeling. I wonder sometimes in those early mornings if Jesus isn't heard saying, in frustration, "Unless, I do this for you Jason, you will never believe." And the thing is he won't do that for me because he knows that kind of belief (believing in Jesus so he can make my plans come to pass and give me good feelings and meet my curiousity demands) is not believing at all ... its using. Remember that Peterson quote, when we believe, we are at our most personal and intimate with God and other people. That is only true if I stop making all my demands and trying to manipulate God. I think what the crowd was ultimately saying that drove Jesus to make that statement was "I don't believe you! And if you want me to, then prove it by making a second miracle happen." There will never be enough miracles for that kind of proving.

And that brings me to the next thing that is really powerful. The royal official is not approaching Jesus for spectacle because he needed Jesus to prove himself. The official already believed Jesus, that is why he persisted. He was willing to follow, he was willing to meet the real Jesus. That is why it says "the man took Jesus at his word and departed" or in the NRSV "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way." Its not about never needing Jesus to help us in this life or when someone we love is sick or dying. Maybe some people could develop a wrong spirituality that thinks that asking for help in those areas is bad ... I think the real issue at hand is believing Jesus enough to take him at his word. Believing him enough to believe the word that he speaks and start on our way. Believing him enough to stick with him and listen closely and obediently to his words whether specatacle or good feelings come.

Reflection on the first miraculous sign in John

One thing I can't get over is that this is "the first of his signs." It is an incredible thing that he could change water into wine, but doesn't it seem like a major healing or a massive food miracle would have been the more natural opener. But Jesus begins turning water, something that meets our needs for cleanliness and thirst, into wine, something that makes our hearts glad and reminds us that life is good and worth celebrating. This whole scene is about celebration of life.

Another thing I don't quite understand is that it really seems like Mary had a major hand in this happening. It is clear that Jesus was not forced into a miracle. He had a healthy break from the mom-hold that some men struggle with, but it does appear that if she hadn't brought it up, he might not have begun with this miracle. Does this speak to prayer and the value of human involvement with the divine will of God? It appears to me that Mary' concern made the opportunity for Jesus to reveal himself.

And that is the big question we are supposed to be asking this week. What does this miraculous sign reveal about Jesus? Kris encouraged us to not get lost in the gallons of wine but to try and see what is being signified. One large thing I see is that Jesus' values are incredibly different than ours in America and really in every human community. We are always self-promoting. More and more that is the only way to get ahead in our ever changing economy. We learn self-promoting because our world values all forms of promotion: advertisement, packaging, even propaganda. We are constantly choosing new products based on fashion and slick design and in turn we become consumer goods, constantly aware of our own press and dress.

But Jesus doesn't mind that no one really notices his first sign (at least none of the important people). It doesn't even describe Jesus telling the disciples ... we must assume he did or perhaps they were awkward at the party and so stuck close to Jesus and witnessed this miracle themselves. Mary sees it, but she is already a believer. She shows us this with her serious command, "Do whatever he tells you." And the only other witnesses were servants. The people who carried food around and washed feet.

Jesus seems very content to do work that goes unnoticed and that gets me. If we are his disciples and not disciples of America, or worse amoral global economy, then we must turn away from self-promotion and all the worries and frenzies entailed. And honestly, that doesn't sound easy. Especially when I realize how constantly I am bombarded with the American way. I think for me, and maybe for a lot of us, we are getting very confused about how to feel affirmed in life. For so many of us life is about being liked. We self-promote because we want compliments ... but that so easily becomes our driving force since fashion is always changing (good for the clothing and tech industry, not so much for us individuals).

For me, the trouble surrounds a crazy desire for knowledge. I love books. I really love authors but in order to interact with them I have to read their books. This love is not a bad thing, but oftentimes, for me, it comes with a frenzied and worried sort of striving. Yesterday someone was leading me in prayer and they asked me to picture Jesus from the scriptures. Pretty quickly I began to imagine another feasting moment from the scriptures, one of Jesus and his disciples sitting at an earthly table having a long conversation. I thought about how that was the conversation where Jesus called his disciples friends and so it was Jesus with his friends at the last supper. In my mind I saw Jesus there with the others around him and even though I know there was a soberness to that night, in my moment of prayer it felt more like a feast. It really struck me to imagine Jesus coming down from heaven to feast with his earthly friends. And then I was asked if Jesus was saying anything to me. I saw myself sitting with him and my friends (you know, John, Peter, Thomas, etc.). I was sitting at the same table, but reading a book. I knew they were present and I was enjoying their presence, but nonetheless I had my nose in a book. And Jesus was calling me to join the party. It was a sweet invitation.

And that is the other part of this first sign that really affects me. So we are called away from self-promoting and constant manipulation of our packaging and reputation. But the man who calls us and the man we want to follow and learn from, is truly the life of the party. "Wine gladdens the heart of man" is what the psalmist writes. According to some scholars, Jesus had the servants draw wine from a well and it was some of the best their wedding coordinator had ever tasted. What we really want is glad hearts and the world says we can achieve this through purchase and self-promotion. Jesus knows that is a lie and a false path. Jesus knows that way only leads to a weary heart. But if we follow him, the wine is in endless supply. It is a sweet invitation.