Title: Our Feast Is Not Over
Contents
our feast is not over
John 2:1-12
Song Gu-Young-Shin Worship Sermon
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The feast seemed to be over. The wine has run out. When the feast house ran out of wine, it meant the feast was over. There is a somewhat vulgar expression of “steam is missing” in Korean, but people’s morale has completely fallen like steam.
Today, in the first decade of the 21st century, the United States also feels a sense of crisis that the feast is over. Unemployment is increasing and anxiety about the future is growing. But historically, such crises have always been there. Such crises have come periodically in the history of a society or nation, and so are the lives of individuals. There are always crises in our lives, and we cannot avoid the anxiety and fear that the feast will end at this time.
What is important here is how to overcome this crisis and learn from it. The “Kingdom of God” that Jesus came into this world to proclaim was expressed as a house of feasting. It is a feast of God that does not stop. In today's text, I hope that we can find a way to make our lives a feast for God that does not stop.
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The first thing to think about is that the feast begins with an invitation or sharing.
Verse 2 says that Jesus' family and disciples were invited. The beginning of the feast is sharing. The feast begins by inviting neighbors. Because Jesus was invited, today's feast could go on without end.
The Bible says that the feast lasts through serving our neighbors. Hebrews 13:2 tells us that while we are serving our neighbors in need, we will be able to help angels without our knowledge.
Where did the economic hardships that the United States and the world face today come from? It comes from the poverty of sharing. Agricultural products are surplus, industrial products are piling up, and more and more neighbors are dying of hunger. Why? because of greed. Because I have no desire to invite my neighbors into me. Because you can't share. It is common knowledge that these difficulties came because of the greed of the wealthy.
One of the deacons in charge of the Calvary mission was told how to warm up his heart after sending a $2,500 donation to help neighbors in need to the mission field last month. Although the church is not financially rich, how grateful we are to be able to share this way. was the word. No matter how difficult the circumstances, Calvary will never reduce the percentage of missionary expenses. The reason is that before we have to help the mission field, God's feast must continue, and we are in it.
Do you think the feast is over? Think of sharing. The more difficult it is, the more wisdom we need to think about sharing. Do you have anxiety about the future? Plan to share. Is it difficult? This is the time to really remember to share. Cultivate the habit of sharing your devotion. That way our party won't stop. The Lord blesses the feast that lasts.
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The second thing to think about is obedience. Total obedience.
The turning point seen in today's text is clear. Jesus' mother tells Jesus that the wine has run out. But the Lord answers, what does that have to do with him? Nothing seems to happen.
This time is important. The feast seems to be over, and the feast seems to have come to an end without any hesitation. Moreover, even if I pray to God, there is no answer. It's this time that's important.
Mary, the mother of the Lord, knew this. Not only did he know that, he insisted on telling others to do whatever Jesus said. So they did what Jesus told them, and they got wine of the highest quality, in sufficient quantities, and the feast could go on.
In fact, what Jesus did was something else that had nothing to do with the feast. The Lord's command to fill the pots used for purification with water had nothing to do with their needs.
Obedience is shown right here. Even if you don't understand it, you follow it. Miracles happen to those who follow by faith. Those who insist on their own ideas cannot experience miracles, and the heavenly feast - the feast of life - does not belong to them. God's feast continues to those of total obedience.
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Here is the way our feast continues. This is a path made by sharing and obedience.
But more importantly, the feast made in this way is incomparable to the previous one, and becomes a more exciting feast. The feast was brought to a climax with the finest wine.
Our feast never stops. Not only do we not stop, we move on to a better feast. Because the Lord is more deeply involved. May our New Year be a year of feasting like this.