Jesus, Party Animal?

Some of you may know I work with an inner city youth group called ICI. Recently, they asked me to teach the kids the story about how Jesus at the wedding in Cana. While I was studying it, the Jesus I encountered was radically different from the Jesus I have often seen presented by the Church. For those of you who don't know the story, it goes like this:

Jesus and his family got to a wedding. At the time, Jesus only has five followers, so he brings them along too. While they are at the wedding, the host runs out of wine, and Mary asks Jesus to help out. Surprisingly, Jesus tries to dissuade her, but she persists, and Jesus turns 150 gallons of water into wine for the wedding party. It's also worth noting that this is the first miracle Jesus ever does. He makes wine so a party can go on.

That's my summary, here is the whole version:

"On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." (John 2.)

From the way the Church presents Jesus, this is a really strange first miracle. No one is sick or dying, only Jesus' closest friends realized that a miracle happened, and we are forced to consider the idea that Jesus might not be anti-fun.

Firstly, a little historical background: Wedding parties were a big deal in Jewish culture. They lasted about 7 days and you were expected to invited your entire extended family, neighbors, friends, friends' families, and friends' families' friends. This explains why Jesus brought his disciples. It also explains how the party might actually need 150 gallons of wine.

The second thing is, wine was critical to a party or any social gathering because the drinking water at that time was not always safe. While the water was not polluted like it is in Africa of Latin America today, it contained bacteria in enough quantity to cause stomach problems. Paul references this in 1 Timothy 5:23. Wine, on the other hand, had enough alcohol to kill this bacteria.

It's worth pointing out that Jesus and the other Jews weren't getting drunk. The Jews (as well as modern day Christians) considered it a sin to get drunk, although they allowed drinking some alcohol. For guests to get drunk at a wedding was considered disgraceful. They may have been what we would call 'buzzed.'

Therefore, the Jews mixed water with wine to have a safe drinking beverage that was slightly alcoholic. If the host ran out of wine to mix with the water, that was a big social no-no. Doing so could lead to family feuds or even lawsuits.

Understanding that gives Mary's request a little more urgency. Even so, at first, Jesus resists her.

Jesus has two reasons for this. Firstly, he wants it to be clear that he is God incarnate, and he helps out of his free will, not because his earthly mother told him to. Secondly, Jesus is on a mission, and he will only do that which furthers his mission. We know this because he says that his "hour has not yet come."

What is Jesus' mission? Jesus did not come to earth to teach, or do miracles, or be a good example. Jesus came to earth to die and be resurrected so that those who trusted in his death for forgiveness of sins would have eternal life. Where do I get that? From the next chapter, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, [Jesus] that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Anything that did not further that mission was not important to Jesus.

However, Jesus does help out with the wedding crisis, but he uses it to further his personal mission as well. John says, "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." (2:11.)

Jesus was a man on a mission, and his mission was to die as the sacrifice for sin. That's the first point. The second on is this: When we trust in Christ's death, we are united with him in an amazing new life. Let me explain:

John uses the word 'sign' instead of 'miracle.' The difference is that a miracle is merely a supernatural action, whereas a sign is a supernatural action with an underlying spiritual truth. In other words, when Jesus turned water into wine, he was trying to convey a deeper, spiritual truth.

In Revelation, (and elsewhere in Scripture) heaven is depicted as a wedding feast where believers are joyfully united with God. Jesus miracle pictures the abundance of life in the spiritual kingdom of God, both now and in heaven.

What does 'living the abundant life' mean? It means that life with Jesus is infinitely better than life without Jesus. How? Those who trust in Jesus are being perfected in love, (1 John 4) having a peace that surpasses all understanding, (Philippians 4:7) abounding joy, (Romans 14) and a divinely ordained purpose (Ephesians 4:1.) These we have in any and every circumstance, regardless of any trouble we may be in (2 Corinthians 4.) We don't have to care about the acceptance of people, performance, appearance, or anything else the world judges (1 Corinthians 4:3.) We are free from hate, fear, (1 John 4:17-21) depression, (Philippians 4:11) and helplessness (1 Corinthians 1:18.) This is the abundant life in Christ Jesus.

Was Jesus a party animal? Not in our definition, no. Was Jesus a strict, fun killing, rules master? Absolutely not. Jesus dies to give us a wonderful, better, abundant life.

Towards the end of his book, John concludes with telling us his purpose. I will conclude with it as well:

"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."