Fully in Control

Text: John 2:1-11

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

          On August 27, 1883, a blast in Indonesia sent sound waves that ripped across the face of the earth. A volcanic explosion, 10,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb, tore apart the Indonesian island of Krakatoa. People heard the sound as far away as Bangkok, Manila, and Australia, which was 2,000 miles away. As the sky turned red and rained down rock and ash, church goers on nearby islands feared it was the end of the world.

The blast killed over 36,000 people, destroying more than 3/4 of the island. The entire planet experienced all sorts of environmental effects. Dramatic sunsets and strange phenomena in the sky took place for months. Fire brigades were called as far away as North America because the sky itself looked like it was on fire.

As news of the explosion swept across the planet, the people were fascinated. The world was in the middle of the industrial revolution and the rapid growth of technology had elevated belief that humans had power and potential. For the first time in history, it felt as if nature was tamed. But the scale of the eruption of Krakatoa awed the world and reminded people how little control they actually have.

For many of us, that’s what the world feels like now. We’re in another age of revolution. This time a technological one. At times we can feel like we’re fully in control. Moving forward at a terrific speed with inventions, AI, economic flourishing, and all sorts of things that make the lives we live easier and more comfortable. And then just like the eruption of a volcano, something happens. Hurricanes permanently alter the lives of millions in the Southeast. A terrorist drives a car through a crowd of people. Thousands of homes and businesses are burnt to the ground in Los Angeles. And it reminds us that despite all our advances, we’re ultimately not in control. If you’re a TikTok user you might have felt this lack of control in a very real and personal way last night as your ap went dark. Doesn’t bother me at all, but for many it’s just another reminder of how far beyond our control so many things are. The sheer weight of disruption, tragedy, and change can leave us disoriented. Because we too have realized that we are not as in control as we’d like to be or as we thought we were.

In our text for today we have a situation that is nothing in comparison to the disasters I’ve just mentioned. It’s just a simple miscalculation by the hosts at a wedding regarding the amount of wine the guests would drink during the party. And yet we have Mary reminding us, regardless of the situation, who is in control. She comes to Jesus and asks for help. And although his reply sounds rather harsh, Mary isn’t dismayed. She had confidence in Jesus. She knew that he would take care of the situation, not because she asked but because He is gracious. Mary knew that the situation would be in the hands of the only one fully in control once it was committed to Jesus. Mary knew that whenever the time was right that

JESUS WAS FULLY IN CONTROL AND CAPABLE.

The situation confronting Jesus was pretty simple. He was at a wedding, and they ran out of wine. At the least, this would have been a very embarrassing, possibly humiliating situation. One commentator on this passage points out that the stigma from this situation would last for some time and could even result in a lawsuit. So, the problem had to be dealt with.

Mary apparently was close enough with the family that she understood the problem because she came to Jesus to ask for help. She told him, “They have no wine.” You have to wonder what Mary expected Jesus to do. Did she want him to send his disciples out to buy more wine? Was she telling Him because she felt bad for the couple? What was she wanting Jesus to do? John tells us that this was Jesus’ first “sign.” There’s no evidence that Jesus was known as someone who performed miracles growing up. In fact, Luke tells us that Jesus grew up like any other child and was obedient to his parents. When Jesus went to Nazareth as recorded in Mark, the people wondered when he had received the power to do miracles, because he hadn’t evidenced any miraculous power before. So why tell Jesus about this host being out of wine?

Whatever Mary was expecting Jesus to do, she must have been disappointed by His response. “Woman,” He said, “what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” “Woman” sounds a lot harsher to our ears than it would have to Mary’s, but it’s hardly endearing. The rest of Jesus’ answer points out that He had a different interest and a different purpose in mind than she did. He definitely wanted her to know that their relationship was no longer one simply of mother and son; it was now that of Lord and disciple.

But Mary isn’t deterred. She knows what Jesus is capable of and that His time will eventually come, so instead of walking away saddened she tells the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Mary had incredible faith in her Son. Even though Jesus had seemingly rebuffed Mary, she knew that he would answer her request. She committed the situation to Jesus, and she knew that he would take care of it. She knew that He was fully in control.

And Mary’s faith was rewarded. Jesus not only took care of the situation, but he did so in a spectacular way. Filling six jars with somewhere between 120 and 180 gallons of water, Jesus changed it into wine. And this isn’t the cheap stuff. This was top shelf. The stuff I ignore on the wine list at a fancy restaurant because of the price. When Jesus makes something – wine or anything else – it’s going to be the best. And by doing this He gave that host and all their guests a gift of extreme value.

Have you ever felt like Mary? You cry out to God, but it seems as if he’s not listening or helping? Have you ever felt like your prayers are going as far as the ceiling in the room and just getting stuck there? If so, you’re not the only one. In Psalm 6, David says that he is in great anguish and is flooding his bed with tears. He cries out, “But you, O Lord—how long?” The disciples were scared to death in a storm at sea while Jesus was in the boat sleeping. They cried out, “Lord, don’t you care if we drown?” St. Paul prayed to the Lord three times to take away his thorn in the flesh, but the Lord refused. We all have times when we cry to the Lord for relief, but it just seems like God doesn’t answer. Of course there are going to be times when we feel like Mary. Making requests to God that seem like they’re just not being heard. Oh Lord, how long until I find the right job where I can feel satisfied and support my family? God, when will this pain or sense of loss go away? Lord, help these relationships with family to be mended.        

The reality is that God hears our prayers and He answers them. We can commit our problems to Jesus, knowing that he will take care of them. David knew that. In that Psalm, right after he complains about his terrible weeping, he says, “The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.” It didn’t look like God was answering his prayer, but David knew He would.

It might not be in the way we hope or expect, but He will do it. Think about Mary. Do you really think she expected Jesus to turn water into wine? I think Jesus’ response probably took her by surprise. When the disciples cried out to Jesus for help, did they expect him to quiet the sea? I’m not so sure. They were astonished at what He did. And I’m sure Paul didn’t expect the answer he received, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Yet that answer allowed Paul to rejoice in his sufferings and hardships.

And we can commit our trials and troubles to Jesus knowing that He will answer them. How do we know? Because His hour did come. Jesus’ “hour” is His time of suffering. It wasn’t at that wedding at Cana in Galilee. But later in John, when we hear that the Greeks come to meet Jesus, He says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Jesus’ hour is his Passion and his cross.

The cross of Jesus is his promise and guarantee that He will hear and answer our prayers. He has borne our sin. He has borne our punishment. He died in our place. He rose again for us. He has made us his own. He did all of that even though we don’t deserve a bit of it.

Given all that Christ has done for us, it doesn’t make any sense that He would ignore our pleas now. As Paul points out in Romans, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Christ is the promise and the guarantee that God will hear our prayers. His death and resurrection allow us to commit our cares to him knowing that he will take care of them. Even that job that just doesn’t seem to materialize. Or the pain and loss that just doesn’t seem to be going away. Or the family strain that you can’t see a resolution to. Whatever your prayer is. It’s not stuck out there somewhere. God hears it. And He answers. Perhaps not in our timing. Or in the way we were hoping. But when we trust that He is fully in control, we can also trust that whatever His answer, and whenever it comes, it will be for the good of those who love Him and trust that He knows better than we do what we need and when it’s best for us to have it.

We all have many cares and worries in life. Most of them are beyond our control. Mary was worried about this host at the wedding, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She committed the situation to Jesus. She asked him to take care of it. Even though his answer seemed harsh, she had confidence in the grace of her Lord. She committed the situation to him, knowing He was in control.

Commit your cares and worries to the Lord. He will take care of them. He gave His life for you. He rose from the dead. He baptized you in his name. You are his. He will take care of you. Because He is fully in control. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.