Worship for 19th January 2025, by Rev. Caroline Wickens

The Wedding at Cana

Invitation to Worship

Lord God, we praise your holy name.
May you be praised and worshipped for ever.
Jesus Christ, we praise your holy name.
May you be praised and worshipped for ever.
Holy Spirit, we praise your holy name.
May you be praised and worshipped for ever.

 

 

Opening Hymn: StF 363 – My Jesus, my Saviour

My Jesus, My Saviour
Lord there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love
My Comfort, My Shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord, all the earth
Let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you.

Darlene Zschech (b.1965), © 1993 Darlene Zschech/Hillsong Publishing

Opening prayers

Abundant Creator,
you are a wonderful God,
loving and kind,
open-handed and generous
beyond all expectation.
When we call,
you listen and respond with love.

Lord Jesus,
when you walked on earth,
you reflected that love and generosity.
As you saw need or pain,
you responded
beyond all expectation.
When we call,
you listen and respond with love.

Holy Spirit,
you are here now with us,
giving each one of us gifts and skills;
nudging and inspiring us
to use what we have generously,
beyond all expectation.
When we call,
you listen and respond with love.

Lord, you are so generous to us,
but we do not always reflect your generosity to others.
For the times we have been self-centred and mean-minded, we are sorry.
For the times we have placed ourselves above others, we are sorry.
For the times we have not been witnesses of your abundant generosity, we are sorry.

Because of the generosity of a loving God,
and the willingness of a loving Son,

And the power of a loving Spirit,
our sins are forgiven.
Amen. Thanks be to God.

Bible Reading: John 2:1 – 11

The Wedding at Cana

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. 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.

Worship Song: I will sing of the goodness of God

I love You, Lord

For Your mercy never failed me

All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands

From the moment that I wake up

Until I lay my head

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful

And all my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice

You have led me through the fire

And in darkest night You are close like no other

I’ve known You as a Father

I’ve known You as a Friend

And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah!

And all my life You have been faithful, oh

And all my life You have been so, so good

With every breath that I am able

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God, yeah!

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now

I give You everything

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me, oh-oh

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now

I give You everything

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it keeps running after me

Jenn Johnson and others, Bethel Music 2019

Reflection

First impressions count. Do you remember your first meeting with a really good friend, or maybe with someone who became a life partner? What they wore, what they said, what they did, all came together to shape the way we began to understand who they really were – and those are memories that stay with us, influencing our relationships life-long.

In John’s Gospel, the story of the wedding at Cana is the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. John has told us how he gathered his disciples together. Now we begin to see what Jesus and his followers are like – and it’s an impressive start. John chooses to tell us about Jesus going to a party, not to the synagogue or the temple. This is a preacher who finds many ways to enjoy life and to celebrate God’s goodness.

After setting the scene, John’s story takes a turn for the worse. The wine has run out, and this wedding party will be remembered for ever as a failure. Small village communities have long, unforgiving memories. And despite his initial reluctance, Jesus is willing to help this family escape the acute embarrassment they risk. But perhaps not even his mother is prepared for the abundance of generosity that follows. Jesus’ transformative power brings almost two hundred gallons of wine into the party – enough to set the party alight, and to set the young couple up in trade for the next ten years. And it’s high-quality wine, not the dregs of the bottle.

Later on in this Gospel, Jesus will tell his disciples ‘I have come so that you may have life in all its fullness’. At the beginning of his ministry, his actions make that ‘fullness’ very real. Jesus brings to life God’s longing that humans may flourish and delight in the goodness of God’s creation. When we read John’s Gospel, this is the first impression of Jesus in action, and it’s one that says so much about who he is and what his priorities are. This is what John wants us to know about Jesus.

John sets this generosity in the context of human struggle – this family has given all they can manage to make their wedding a success, and then find it’s not enough. Like so many in our own society, they face the stigma of poverty and the shame of falling short. Jesus’ gift of plenty is not just for those who are comfortably off or who can afford to pay him back. It’s an offer that enables a move from hardship to abundance and transforms life as it does so. I’m thinking of a young couple in one of our churches, refugees from a country where Christians are persecuted, their lives transformed by receiving leave to remain here. John wants us to understand that Jesus’ generosity is directed especially to those in need and that human flourishing is God’s will for those who struggle just as much as those whose lives are easier.

Are we able to share the story of this Jesus in our lives and in our worship? Maybe we’re unlikely to find two hundred gallons of wine in a Methodist church! But perhaps we can express something of the same generosity and longing that people should flourish. I’m thinking of a children and families’ day at Droylsden, when it was pouring with rain and the bouncy castle had to go in church – and we had an amazing time, children in all directions jumping for joy in God’s sight. Or the Sunshine Steel Pan Band playing their hearts out at Whalley Range’s community fun day with all the visitors clapping along. Or that spine-tingling moment on Christmas morning when finally we sing ‘Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning’, hearts and minds caught up in the glory of Christmas. This is the overflowing wine of God’s love, helping us catch the vision of who Jesus really is.

First impressions count. John offers us this story of Jesus to set the scene for all that follows. As we read the stories of Jesus, let’s remember that these are stories about a man who enjoyed life and who longed to see others flourish as God’s children. And as we tell those stories, in words and in our lives, let’s ask for God’s help to mirror this Jesus of generosity and love.

Prayers for our needs

Lord, we pray that your transforming power will be released,
enabling the power of love to prevail:
into places where people live in fear of the bullet and the bomb,
where basic human rights are ignored,
where people are trafficked or treated as slaves.
As you turned water into wine, transform hatred into love.

Lord, we pray that your transforming power will be released,
enabling the power of love to prevail:
into situations of mistrust and insecurity,
where people do not not know who or what to believe,
where fake news is rife and lying is an acceptable norm.
As you turned water into wine, transform doubt into truth.

Lord, we pray that your transforming power will be released,
enabling the power of love to prevail:
where people see no way of paying off their debts,
where queueing at the food bank is all the future seems to hold,
where homes or jobs seem nothing more than a distant dream.
As you turned water into wine, transform despair into hope.

Lord, we pray that your transforming power will be released,
enabling the power of love to prevail:
to those who stroke the hands of loved ones nearing the end,
to those who wait anxiously for the phone to ring, fearing the worst,
to those who weep for loved ones now at rest.
As you turned water into wine, transform sadness into peace by your comforting presence.

Lord, we pray that your transforming power will be released,
enabling the power of love to prevail.
Use us, Lord, to bring understanding, consolation and love,
strong in the assurance that it is in giving that we receive,
in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
As you turned water into wine, transform us into your disciples, agents of change in a broken world.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Thy kingdom come

Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against us

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory

For ever and ever Amen.

Hymn: O Lord, all the world belongs to you

O Lord, all the world belongs to You
and You are always making all things new.
What is wrong, You forgive,
and the new life You give
is what’s turning the world upside down.

The world’s only loving to its friends,
but Your way of loving never ends,
loving enemies too;
and this loving with You
is what’s turning the world upside down.

The world lives divided and apart,
You draw us together, and we start
in our friendship to see
that in harmony we
can be turning the world upside down.

The world wants the wealth to live in state,
but You show a new way to be great:
like a servant You came,
and if we do the same,
we’ll be turning the world upside down.

O Lord, all the world belongs to You
and You are always making all things new.
What is wrong, You forgive,
and the new life You give
is what’s turning the world upside down.

©1965  Josef Weinberger

Sending out prayer

Generous God,
as your Son changed water into wine,
send us out now in the power of your Spirit
to share abundantly in our community.
Amen.