7 January 2011

Psalm 103; Isa. 52:3-6; Rev. 2:1-7; John 2:1-11

Redemption typically costs something. Here the Lord promises to redeem His people without money but we know that our redemption is not without cost. He redeemed His people from Egypt and the cost to the Egyptians was great. He redeemed His people and His city in a way that it did not cost them. The redemption of God’s people has always been a sovereign work of the Lord. Our redemption cost us nothing to receive but it cost Him the death of His Son. Our redemption was indeed costly which should tell us that we are precious, He thought we were worth the price of redemption. Do we value our redemption as precious? Do we appropriately esteem our redeemer or do we take Him for granted? Is the grace of the hour I first believed still amazing and precious to me?

In this first miracle of water into wine Jesus gives a glimpse into the abundance of the joy of the kingdom. He provides so much wine, more than anyone could ask or imagine, and of such quality that the master of the wedding feast is astounded. He took the water that would have been used for ritual washing and turned it into the finest wine. Only the servants and the disciples knew what had happened. It seemed as though Jesus was not going to do anything at all. We see this pattern with His family and with those who received the feeding of the 5000, that Jesus refused to do according to their desires but only moved at the impulse of the Spirit. The first sign at the Exodus was water to blood in the Nile and the pots in which water was stored, here in the second exodus, water is not ruined or spoiled it is become the finest wine. CS Lewis revealed the earth awakening and brightening at the voice of Aslan in The Magician’s Nephew in a way that we see here in this miracle as well.

Jesus affirms the church at Ephesus in many things, their “toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.” It begins well but quickly turns sour, he will remove their lampstand entirely if they do not return to their first love. We can get fixed on secondary things that are good but they become enemies of the best and Jesus says that He will not abide us forgetting what is the primary thing. All the things the church in Ephesus was doing was commendable but not if they had sacrificed their love for God’s kingdom and His glory. We can do worship right, we can have great doctrine, we can separate ourselves from false teachers, and we can endure persecution yet if we are not moved in love towards Him and we fail to do the works He has given us to do, we are in danger of having our lampstands removed. Let us commit our lives and our churches to that primary thing.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.