Conversational Worship     January 20, 2010

Grace—Truth—Time

Care—Safety—Authenticity—Growth—Help

Looking Back:

John 2:1-11

The Wedding at Cana

What Is Your Experience?

·         Changing water into wine is the first sign of Jesus’ ministry. Who is this sign for? And what is the message?

·          Looking back over two weeks, how do the signs of Jesus relate to the faithful hearing God’s voice?

·          Where do you see signs of Jesus in your life?

·          Where (About what?) do you hear God’s voice in your life?

Looking Forward:

Luke 4:14-21

Jesus in His Home Synagogue

Prayer

The Gift of Sacrament

Family Style Communion

John 2:1-11

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." 11 Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Luke 4:14-21

14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Very familiar story—but we assume we know what it is all about

Questions this text raises: whose wedding? Who else is there? Why does Mary get involved? What does “Jesus’ hour” have to do with what Jesus is expected to do? What is the goal of telling this story? How does it prompt us to get involved? What is the message for us?

What is the significance(s) of Jesus making better wine than what they served already?

This made the disciples believe in him…didn’t they already? what is up with that?

Have discussions around the table

Luke 4:14-21 Jesus returned to Galilee FROM WHERE? Why was he in the power? (40 days of fasting in the desert then when he was hungry confrontation with evil)  What in that encounter made him stronger? Was he more than physically hungry?

·      Fasting makes us physically hungry—spiritually full? OR More aware of our spiritual emptiness?

·      Re-affirming our priorities makes us stronger in them (flexing spiritual muscles)

·      Experience resisting temptation makes it easier to resist in the future

·      Reaching back into the scriptures we know strengthens us in the face of evil (can’t do it if not well versed in the Word)