"Signs"

There is a protest song from the 60’s by the Five Man Electric Band entitled "Signs", Those of us who grew up in the 60’s and seventies probably remember at least the chorus;

"Sign, sign.
Everywhere a sign.
Blockin’ out the scen’ry.
Breakin’ my mind.
Do this. Don’t do that.
Can’t you read the sign?"

Sign, sign everywhere a sign. There are signs all around us. Traffic signs, stop signs, advertising signs, welcoming signs, keep out signs, all kinds of signs. In our gospel lesson this morning, it says: "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him."

And what was this sign? Changing water into wine! What a first sign!

All around us are signs of God’s glory; the sky, the water, the earth itself, nature, people, you and me. We are all signs of God’s presence in this world. And in our gospel lesson, there is a unique sign of God’s glory through his son Jesus Christ.

These signs are addressed to our senses to show us the existence of a divine power. They point to God’s glory among us. They use elements of our world to point to God’s presence, God’s glory among us. Water to wine, a sign. Bread and wine, Jesus’ body and blood, a sign. Water, cleansing, new birth, a sign. God’s signs of his presence are all around us. As God’s children, God has been signing us, showing us his presence in many different ways.

A most confusing sign - was this changing water to wine, but never-the-less a sign pointing to the glory of God. Jesus was attending a wedding, which in his day was a major festival. The bride and groom would return to the groom’s house after the brief ceremony and celebrate with their friends for as long as a week.

During the celebration, Mary informs Jesus that the wine has run out. His response on the surface may seem abrupt, and rude, but it really isn’t because the English just doesn’t translate the Greek very well.

I don’t know what Mary thought Jesus could do. Maybe find some more wine, maybe try to substitute something else. When she turned to Jesus for help, Jesus answers "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." A strange sounding answer, but in reality, it was not so strange. Literally, Jesus says "What is it to me and to you, woman?"

Jesus isn’t being disrespectful. He is indicating to Mary that she need not concern herself. This will be his responsibility. Jesus is Lord and Savior, and he acts in his Father’s time and in accordance with his will. It is as though Jesus was telling Mary that his moment of action was up to God. Jesus knew his hour, had not yet come. He knew it would be awhile before he would die.

He also knew he must live his life to God’s will and direction. And so to begin that process of showing people God’s plan, God’s salvation, God’s redemption in the world, he takes an embarrassing situation for their host, and turns it into a time of joy and happiness. He redeems the situation. People drank wine in Jesus’ day as because the water was so foul. But drunkenness was not acceptable. Each drank in moderation.

As John wrote, this was the first of many signs Jesus used to help the disciples, the people to believe in his mission, his purpose on earth. Just as Jesus changes water into wine, he came to change people, to make them pure and holy, acceptable to God. And those signs of God’s presence, God’s presence which changes and redeems us are still with us, water, bread, wine, the word, people, a handshake, a greeting of love, a smile, a forgiving embrace all are signs of God’s presence with us as He continues to show us signs of his love.

A young couple, who were new Christians, suffered a terrible financial setback due to a disabling illness of the husband. The wife found work, but her income barely made a dent in the mountain of bills. They lived in constant prayer, praying that somehow they would be given the strength and courage to live in this brokenness. They prayed for deliverance, they prayed for a sign of hope and they prayed with hope that somehow there would be a light at the end of this long tunnel!

One day they had no food. No one knew that their refrigerator and cupboards were bare. During the day, an uncle arrived carrying two bags of groceries and boxes filled with canned goods. After he finished carrying them in, he sat down at the table and said, "I don’t know why, but I just felt that you could use these things " They thanked him, hugged him and he left with a smile on his face and a promise in his heart that he would check in on them again real soon.

A girl named Meg came to church one Sunday morning. She listened intently to the sermon, sang with joy the hymns and began to feel a happiness and purpose to her life which had not been there for a while. Something inside led her to that church that morning. After the service, the people greeted her, welcomed her. She learned they were interested in her as a person.

They learned she was living of life of alcoholism and prostitution and her marriage to a war veteran was falling apart. The people, some who had been in the same situation, began to care and work with Meg. Some helped her with

In time, Meg’s and her husband’s lives were changed, transformed, redeemed and rescued from the brokenness of this world. Meg said later, "At first I thought these people were crazy. But suddenly, I found myself wanting what they had."

These people came to be signs of God’s love in Meg’s world. These people had a direction, a purpose in their lives. They knew what God wanted them love one another, and Meg caught that spirit and wanted to have some for her life. God’s signs among us give our lives direction and purpose.

This community of Christ, you and I as members of (Trinity/POP) are being used and will be used as God’s signs in this community. You and I are signs of God’s work in this world just as bread and wine, water and the word are God’s signs of his glorious presence with us. God uses us in the same way to point to his glory.

As the signs of water and the word, bread and wine bring hope of God’s presence in our world, you and I are signs for each other, and signs for those outside this building of God’s redeeming, changing, transforming and saving power in this world.

Because of these signs, there is hope in this world: a hope and a vision of better things to come. As Isaiah saw a vision of hope for the nation of Israel, you and I can see a dream, a vision, and a hope for a better tomorrow as you and I bring God’s presence through our individual gifts into this world. Things need not remain as they are.

Jesus knew what his appointed goal or direction was in this world. He knew that the cross of Calvary and the empty tomb would be a sign. He knew that his death and resurrection would give each of us a purpose, and direction for our lives. That purpose and direction is seeking to do God’s will, as we travel on in our journey of faith. Signs are all around us in nature, in events, in situations, in people, in bread, in wine, in water, in the wood of the cross, and in you and in me.

As we become acquainted with and look for these signs, we will then be able to do God’s will and sense a purpose and direction to our lives. We can dream for a better life, for those who are oppressed. We can dream and bring to reality God’s reign of justice and fairness in this world as we allow God to use us.

Each of us possesses a vision, a dream as God’s children for a better world, a world which can be redeemed from the brokenness of sin and despair. Each of us are tools and signs in God’s hand to bring justice, peace, and victory into this world. Each of us are used by God in unique ways, ways which sometimes surprise us, ways which show us what a truly great gifts have been granted to us, the gift of our lives, our personalities, our visions our dreams. We are capable of much, but sadly, many of us don’t use all the potential, all the gifts God has given us. Sadly, we just scratch the surface of our abilities. Many of us are like the knife in the following: A small boy thought his pocket-knife was to be used for sticking into the ground or flicking it into trees. Grandpa watched as the boy used the knife in this common way for many days.

Then Grandpa said, "Let me show you what you can do with that!" Grandpa found a piece of kindling and carved an intricate design of stars and circles. Grandpa said, "Let me show you something else." He took some soft wood, whittled, gouged and cut, and shaved for about a half-hour. When he was finished, the boy was staring at the smiling bearded face which had emerged from the block of wood.

Smiling from ear to ear, Grandpa said again, "Let me show you something else." He went to the refrigerator and using the knife’s bottle opener, opened two bottle of coke.

"There" Grandpa said, "you can see there are a lot of good signs you can do with this knife." The boy smiled and looked in amazement at this very special knife.

Many times our gifts, our talents are like that knife. God gave us something beautiful, something which can do a lot of good things, but placed in our hands we don’t know quite what to do with it. Placing these gifts in God’s hands, placing our lives in His hands, and then we can see how wonderful the gifts are, we can see what truly wonderful things we can accomplish with God’s gifts.

The signs of God’s presence are all around us. They are also in us, the God-given talents and abilities he has given each us so we may use them to His service as we serve our neighbor. May our dream, our vision be one as we use all our gifts to bring a measure of peace, love and justice into this troubled world.

Our lives are signs of God’s presence, may we surrender our lives to Him so that all may see our lives as signposts pointing to almighty God.
A few verses from a well - known hymn say;

"Take my life, that I may be, Consecrated Lord to thee,
Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move, at the impulse of thy love
Take my feet Take my voice take my lips take my intellect
Take my will and make it thine
It shall be no longer mine...
Take myself and I will be...Ever, only all for thee." Amen.