Dunbar UCC

January 17, 2010

John 2:1-11

Alchemy

I.        In the middle ages scientists believed that it was possible to turn base metals into gold.  And they also thought there were chemicals that, when combined a certain way, would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely.

          I guess people have been looking for ways to turn junk into gold for thousands of years.  Today we do that in the stock market or on these infomercials where people get rich selling thigh-masters and other stuff that ends up stuffed back in in the corners of our closets.

          And like the ancient wizards and alchemists, we’re still looking for the “elixir of life,” something that will make us strong and able to live longer.  From Viagra to Gatorade, from Red Bull to 5 Hour Energy Shot, we seek the elixir of life to boost our stamina and vitality.

II.       Ever since people have been growing old and dying, scientists and shamans and sorcerers have looked for ways to reverse the disease of mortality that we are all infected with.  Life is a celebration, and sooner or later, it’s all over.

III.      And that’s what’s happening in the Gospel story that we just heard.  Jesus is at a celebration, a wedding, and people are dancing, eating, drinking, singing.  But o-my-God, the wine runs out -- the last Budweiser is poured -- the vodka bottle is dry!

          Listen -- that’s serious.  I was at a party after a child was baptized -- the family was Polish.  And some customs are important there, like vodka.  The father whose son was baptized arranged the party and only had five or six bottles of vodka and you should have seen the fight he had with his father because the vodka ran out.  They were yelling!  The father and mother (grandparents) left because of that!

IV.     So what’s going on here?  Is the Wedding at Cana in the Gospel of John a drinking story?  Believe in Jesus and he’ll make sure never run out of booze.

          I don’t think that was John’s intention for including this story.  Notice where the story is -- it’s at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

          What is the wine a symbol of?  It’s a symbol of life and celebration -- but it’s more than that -- it’s about a transformation -- the thing that happens after the grape juice sits and it goes from juice to wine.  Something happens over time.

V.      That’s what this miracle is about -- the wedding, the wine -- the transformation of the water into wine.  John is telling us that when we invite him into our lives, something like alchemy will happen inside us too.  

          We might be less judgmental of others, or less mean.  Or maybe we could accept people of other races, or immigrants who were in this country illegally.  Once, maybe we labeled others, but now we see everyone as part of our family, and we respect and love all people.  

          These are all signs that Jesus is changing our hearts.  This is the spiritual alchemy that happens when we walk with Jesus:  he changes the water of our icy hearts into the wine of compassion.