This morning, we are reminded of the paradoxical nature of Jesus – seemingly opposed or even opposite truths about him that are nevertheless true at the same time. All through the birth narrative, including this precious scene, he is at once glorified, yet shockingly humble.

The angel Gabriel announces his coming birth, but to a young, virgin woman in Nazareth, a tiny town of no importance. When he is born in Bethlehem, and angel appears to proclaim this world-changing news and is joined by a heavenly host. What a stunning vision this must have been in a time when they had no fireworks or spotlights or drones.

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This morning we pick up with Luke’s account of the onset of Jesus‘s public ministry. This passage comes immediately after his temptation in the wilderness, and he’s now empowered by the same spirit that both descended upon him at his baptism and drove him into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

But we can see this isn’t the very first thing he does. Luke tells us that when he came to Nazareth, it was after he had been teaching in some other synagogues and was praised by everyone. Perhaps that praise was in part because of the miracle at Cana, which we heard about last week from John’s gospel. We can’t know that for sure.

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This morning, we come to Jesus’s first miracle as recorded by the Apostle John, the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Our faith holds that God speaks and acts in the world.

In his book on Miracles, C.S. Lewis notes that scripture attests to two types of miracles.  One type is God doing in a condensed time and place what God does all the time anyway.  For example, every year rains fall on vineyards all over the world.  The water soaks into the ground where it is absorbed by the roots of the grape vines along with other nutrients which the vine eventually carries into the grapes themselves.  These grapes are gathered, squeezed and the juice will quite naturally turn into wine. 

(In fact, it takes special care to preserve it as grape juice – Thomas Welch patented the modern process in 1869. Grape juice naturally starts fermenting immediately.)

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