Epiphany 2

If you didn’t notice it coming in, I hope you’ll take a look at the display in the glass case in the church entry. It shows what I hope will be this year’s theme: New Year - New Vision.

Calendar pages symbolize that new year, and pictures of various ministry activities represent some (and just some) of the possible ministries that we could engage in or begin this year. They range from things we already do and do well, like our Sunday school and music to areas of service that might deserve more of our attention.

I hope you will reflect on the image of a healthy active church created in the display, consider the questions asked there, and contribute your ideas for our new vision in this new year and beyond.

As we reflect and as we discuss, we need to resist the temptation that often undermines church visioning and ministry. That temptation comes in several forms.

-Other times the devil whispers, "Those (name a group: young people, new members, older people) refuse to do their share. They expect us to do it all."

-Or, as with the church in Corinth that Paul writes to, the complaint may be, "We have lots of gifts, but no one gives a hoot about the so-called lesser gifts like cooking, cleaning, teaching SS or making music in our church. All the excitement is centered on those new people who have the showier gifts."

Paul makes plain that God is the giver of all gifts and counts them equal. He also expects each person to use his/her gift in His service. That’s why the gift was given.

It’s very tempting, particularly in a small church, to feel that there just aren’t enough people or gifts to do it all. This is especially true if we act from a sense of scarcity or survival. We look around and say, "How can we do anything of significance? It takes what few resources we have just to keep the church open."

This leads to the kind of blaming I mentioned before - blaming others for not doing their share, for holding back progress, etc.

This can then lead to a circling of the wagons, survival mentality whereby one group digs in its heels and insists it must be their way and others with different ideas are either pushed out or huddle together in a kind of underground resistance movement.

The answer to all of this is first and foremost to recognize whose church it is. It is not the Corinthians’ church. It’s not the hierarchy’s church. It’s not the pastor’s church. It’s not the new people’s church. It’s not the long timers’ church. It is God’s church and it is our privilege to use the gifts He’s given us in service to Him in that church.

That is our call as Christians. God has given each of us one (or more) gifts specifically to use in His church in His service. It’s not really a matter of solely reminding people how God has blessed them, so won’t they please, please, please serve in some capacity.

Bottom line, it’s really the matter of God’s expectation. Now, I’m too Lutheran to threaten hellfire and brimstone if people don’t do what God expects of them. We are saved by grace alone. BUT, that does not mean we are excused from meeting God’s expectations.

I don’t know what exactly will happen on judgement day - other than that those who believe in Jesus will be welcomed into His wonderful presence. But, at the same time, it does say in Scripture that those who don’t meet God’s expectations will be judged.

Will our seat at the great banquet be farther from God? Will we somehow suffer regret or guilt when we see the larger picture of our lives and what we could have done with our gifts? Or will heaven just not be quite as heavenly when we see what we could have done and the impact it would have made?

All of that doesn’t matter now though. This is the month of new beginnings. God in His grace has given us more time to recognize what our gifts are, see how He calls us to use them and put them to use in His service. We are His chosen people in this place at this time and are privileged to live that choseness out.

And God has given, or will at the right time give, us all that we need. Ours is a God of abundance. He shows this not only in our lesson from Corinthians where the church is so filled with gifted people they don’t know how to handle it. He shows it also in our Gospel lesson. It’s not unintentional that providing wine in abundance is Jesus first miracle. It is a sign pointing ahead to what Jesus will ultimately give by shedding His blood on the cross and thus it is a sign of God’s abundant grace.

Weddings in Jesus’ day lasted a week. People came from far and wide and had to be provided for. The wine running out on the third day would have been a disaster for the family. Not only did it show poor planning on the grooms part, but since pure water was not abundant people drank wine as the drink of choice at most meals.

Thus, this story tells the reader that not only was Jesus a miracle worker, it tells us how abundant is the provision of God for all our needs. He provides not just enough wine to make it through the day till the groom can buy more wine or even through the rest of the week of celebrations. God provides 180 gallons of the finest wine.

There is a message here for the Johanine Church and for the church today: those who cooperate with Jesus and allow Him to use their gifts and resources, meager as they may seem, can be part of a miracle.

It takes faith and hope to start a new year with a determination to develop a new vision. It takes faith and hope to put our gifts on the line in acting on a new vision. It takes the faith and hope of God in us for that new vision to become reality.

So, check out the glass case display. Pray to be empowered in this new year with new vision, and share that with council. Consider how your particular gift will become part of carrying out the vision. Then, watch for the miracles.