WEBVTT

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 Great, so we're carrying on, looking through John's Gospel, we started a couple of weeks ago, and we're thinking quite specifically about how John teaches us about faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

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 And in our study of belief in John, I want us to see one particular thing this afternoon, that genuine Christian belief is both humble and it's bold.

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 And really, we're only going to scratch the surface in the time that we've got in this passage today, but I want to notice two things about the miracle that Jesus does here.

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 I want to notice the location of the miracle and the guest list at the party of the miracle.

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 At this wedding party where Jesus turns water into wine, Jesus blesses the humble and he blesses the bold.

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 So first of all, Jesus blesses the humble.

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 Just look at the location of this wedding party that we read about here.

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 See the geography first of all.

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 Do you notice in verse 1, the wedding is in Cana of Galilee.

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 And why does John mention that in verse 1?

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 It's not just a kind of note for historical accuracy, although it does give that, doesn't it?

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 Because he mentions it again at the end in verse 11.

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 Jesus did this miracle, this sign at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory.

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 John wants us to realise that the geography is part of the theology here.

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 Because Cana of Galilee was the last place you'd expect something like this to happen.

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 It was the last place you'd expect the saviour of the world to begin his ministry.

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 If you read earlier on in John's Gospel in chapter 1, you might remember and you can look at it later.

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 There's a conversation that Nathaniel, one of the disciples, has with Philip before he meets Jesus.

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 And Nathaniel, he's slightly snobbish.

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 He doesn't quite believe that anything good can come out of Nazareth, which is Jesus' hometown.

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 It's only about 5 to 10 miles up the road from Cana.

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 It's in the same region.

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 It's the last place you'd expect anything good to happen.

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 Anything really good.

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 It's on the opposite end of the country from Jerusalem, the spiritual capital.

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 It's the centre for the rich and prosperous Gentiles, the non-Jews.

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 So spiritually, it's a kind of visitor destination.

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 It's where the non-believers are.

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 It's where the outsiders are.

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 It's where the tourists are.

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 But here's Jesus.

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 He does this miracle, doesn't he?

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 He performs this miracle.

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 He blesses the wedding party in a town, in a region you'd last expect him to be.

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 I knew a guy once whose nine-year-old girl went to a birthday party of a friend of hers from school.

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 And she came back from the party and the dad asked, you know, how did the party go?

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 And she said, well, it was kind of a run-of-the-mill kid's birthday party.

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 There was games and all the rest of it.

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 Nothing unusual.

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 Until the dad of my friend, when we were playing Pass the Parcel at the end, didn't use the stereo, but picked up a guitar and started strumming along.

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 And she said it got even stranger when, while we were playing Pass the Parcel, the dad started singing instead of playing on the stereo.

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 It was kind of old-fashioned.

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 And the dad, prying a little more, asked, well, do you know what her dad's name is?

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 And the girl said, I think it's Mick.

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 Yeah, it's Mick.

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 And the dad smiled to himself, knowing who it was.

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 Mick Jagger had just played a gig at a kid's party without her knowing it.

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 The nine-year-old said, wow, wow, dad, Mick Jagger.

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 Is he as famous as Kylie?

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 It's a stupid story, but here's the point.

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 The party that Jesus decides to liven up.

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 The first place that he works and does a miracle in John's Gospel is the last place you'd expect him to be.

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 It's completely off the radar.

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 For the religious types, Cana is child's play.

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 And he's blessing them.

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 He's blessing the nobodies and the non-believers and the tourists.

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 Not the spiritual elites.

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 He goes to the people who least deserve and expect him to appear.

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 The people who'd probably have the humility to say, wouldn't they, Jesus wouldn't be interested in us.

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 Do you believe that people like that can believe?

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 We're challenged, aren't we?

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 Remember Cana.

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 Do you feel I am the last person Jesus would want?

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 The last person who could believe in him?

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 Remember Cana.

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 Maybe you'd have felt right at home there, away from all of the religion.

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 But if you were there, you would have been the first person that Jesus came to.

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 To seek and to save the lost.

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 He blesses the humble, first of all.

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 The location.

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 Secondly, Jesus blesses the bold.

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 Jesus blesses the bold.

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 As we think about belief in the Gospel, the kind of obvious place to look at is in verse 11, isn't it?

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 Where the disciples see the sign of water turning into wine and they believe in him.

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 And that verse is important as we think about the role of the disciples as apostles.

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 They need to be eyewitnesses of these signs to give us a clear testimony.

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 But actually I don't want to look at the most obvious place for risk of missing another important character here.

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 Where belief and faith is coloured in a lot more fully, I think.

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 It is the belief of Mary in this passage.

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 John gives us the guest list as well, doesn't he, as the location of the party.

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 We know that among those who are invited were Jesus and his disciples and his mother.

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 But did you see on the guest list, he puts the mother of Jesus at the top.

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 She appears first.

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 And then Jesus comes along with her.

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 It's as if to point to her, isn't it?

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 And what she does at the party.

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 Because in her we see an example of bold faith.

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 Of an active, bold belief in Jesus' ability to fulfil needs.

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 And it's really intriguing when you look at it.

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 When the wine runs out at the party, it's Mary who starts it all off, isn't it?

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 In verse 3.

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 They have no wine.

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 And she's not kind of just pointing out the obvious there.

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 She's effectively saying to Jesus,

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 What are you going to do about it, son?

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 Jesus comes back with a negative, doesn't he?

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 Woman, what does this have to do with me?

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 What's the reason for the no?

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 No, it's not that Jesus doesn't care.

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 Or that he can't be bothered.

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 Or he can't do it.

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 No, he explains in verse 4,

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 It's a no, mother, because my hour has not yet come.

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 He said,

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 My ministry, the blessings that I give,

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 Are not a question of if, but when.

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 It's a question of timing in God's plan, he says.

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 And here we see, don't we,

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 Attention, that true belief has to grapple with.

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 Attention between what Mary asks for now,

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 And what Jesus says is not yet.

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 The hour that Jesus talks about is his way of referring to his death,

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 And resurrection, and his glory.

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 It's his finest hour.

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 And he's saying, isn't he,

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 That even his own mother can't urge me to do things in that way,

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 To go outside of my father's plan.

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 My hour is not mine to grasp or seize whenever I like.

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 I am not on some kind of one man bandwagon.

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 I'm not riding solo.

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 But all I do is in response to my father's plan.

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 To the plan of the timings of how my ministry works.

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 Mary, belief is not expecting Jesus to do what you want when you want it.

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 She says now, but he says not yet.

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 But this is the thing that I want you to get this afternoon.

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 Because even after Jesus has said the not yet,

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 Mary still expects something.

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 Can you see the boldness of what she says in verse 5?

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 It's the kind of thing that we just kind of glance over.

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 His mother said to the servants,

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 Do whatever he tells you.

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 Jesus has said,

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 Mother, my blessings will come, but not yet.

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 But Mary sees in the negative answer a nugget of promise.

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 She hears,

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 So it's not a no then.

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 It's just a not yet.

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 She has to wait for the right time.

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 She's got to stand back.

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 She cannot enter the hour herself.

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 She must let God do things in his plan.

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 Nevertheless, that waiting does not condemn belief to inactivity.

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 Genuine belief doesn't just shrug its shoulders.

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 This belief urges Jesus towards his hour.

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 It presses him to fulfil his promises.

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 Having heard the not yet,

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 Mary entrusts the situation to Jesus.

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 Do whatever he tells you.

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 And in that,

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 She's a model of patience, isn't she?

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 Because true patience isn't just passive.

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 True belief,

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 True Christian faith isn't just passive.

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 It hopes.

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 And it holds.

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 And it grasps onto God's promises.

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 And what is really staggering here,

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 Is that suddenly,

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 In this moment,

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 The not yet,

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 Changes.

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 Jesus gets them to fill the water jars,

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 Doesn't he?

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 And then look at verse 8,

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 What he says to the servants.

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 He says to them,

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 Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.

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 At the beginning of what Jesus says there,

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 There's a big, big word.

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 It's the word now.

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 The not yet has become a now.

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 And it's happening.

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 The wine is coming.

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 The blessing is coming.

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 And it's coming almost,

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 Kind of prematurely, isn't it?

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 Because Mary's belief was bold and daring.

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 Go ask the question,

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 Would any of this have happened,

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 If Mary hadn't have said,

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 Do what he tells you?

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 Big question, isn't it?

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 She doesn't say to Jesus,

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 Well, fair enough.

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 What will be, will be.

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 But do whatever he tells you.

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 Because he is going to do something.

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 Even if it isn't what we expect.

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 The story goes of Luther,

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 Martin Luther,

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 The 16th century reformer,

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 Who went to see one of his dear friends,

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 Philip Melanchthon.

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 And Philip Melanchthon was near to death.

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 And he went to visit him.

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 And he got there,

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 And he got to Philip's room.

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 And he was in bed,

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 And he was days,

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 If not hours away from death.

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 And in that moment,

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 Luther stood up,

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 And made a bold plea,

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 To God.

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 He gave a bold prayer,

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 For the life of Philip Melanchthon.

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 And it was an audacious prayer.

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 Given that Luther,

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 Nor anyone else in the room,

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 Knew the timing,

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 Of when God wanted to take Philip home.

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 The prayer,

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 In its boldness,

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 Took many people by surprise.

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 It was as if he was putting pressure on God,

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 If I can put it like that.

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 There was a boldness,

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 There was an audacity to it.

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 So much so,

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 That afterwards,

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 Luther had to kind of explain,

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 What he was doing,

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 To people in the room.

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 He said,

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 Our Lord God,

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 Had to stand there,

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 And take it from me there.

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 For I threw the sack at his door,

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 And rubbed his ears,

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 With all the promises,

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 To hear and answer prayers,

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 That I could recount from Holy Scripture.

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 So that he had to hear,

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 And answer me.

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 Philip did actually,

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 Get well,

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 In that case.

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 This is belief,

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 This is Mary's belief here.

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 It is taking God's promises,

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 And it's rubbing his ears with them.

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 It's bold,

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 And it's audacious.

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 It's not that Mary changed the plan,

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 Or that she could manipulate God,

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 That she could manipulate Jesus,

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 With her prayers.

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 But it is that,

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 The prayers of God's believing people,

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 And the faith of his people,

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 Are the means,

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 By which Jesus' blessings come,

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 And Jesus' hour comes.

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 It's incredible.

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 Mary's faith,

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 Her prayer,

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 Her belief,

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 Is the means by which,

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 A little bit of the not yet,

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 Becomes the now.

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 The apostle Peter,

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 Speaks of our lives,

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 Speeding,

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 And hastening,

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 The coming of,

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 The Lord Jesus.

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 Because,

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 According to his promise,

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 We are waiting,

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 For the new heavens,

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 And the new earth,

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 He says.

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 It is the belief,

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 That is pictured,

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 As the Bible ends,

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 In the very last words,

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 Of the Bible,

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 In the last words,

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 Of the book of Revelation,

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 Not knowing the day,

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 Or the hour,

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 Of the return of Jesus,

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 Nevertheless,

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 The church prays to him,

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 Come Lord Jesus.

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 Amen.

00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:25.880
 It's the prayer of the humble,

00:16:26.140 --> 00:16:27.380
 And it's the prayer of the bold.

00:16:29.920 --> 00:16:30.720
 This week,

00:16:30.760 --> 00:16:31.460
 As I was preparing,

00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:33.100
 I was really aware,

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:34.520
 More than usual,

00:16:34.640 --> 00:16:36.800
 Of the things that haven't been said,

00:16:37.380 --> 00:16:38.900
 About this passage.

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.780
 We've not even broached,

00:16:40.780 --> 00:16:43.420
 The subject of purification,

00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:43.639
 Of the salvation,

00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:45.860
 And of the richness,

00:16:45.860 --> 00:16:46.839
 Of the wine,

00:16:46.979 --> 00:16:48.299
 That Jesus provides,

00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:50.559
 Or the significance,

00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:52.039
 Of the fulfillment,

00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:53.860
 Of the law,

00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:55.539
 In Jesus,

00:16:55.539 --> 00:16:57.579
 That is all another sermon,

00:16:57.699 --> 00:16:58.059
 Isn't it?

00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:00.519
 Being quite focused here,

00:17:01.319 --> 00:17:02.699
 To focus on the character,

00:17:02.699 --> 00:17:03.419
 Of belief,

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.899
 In the one,

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:06.779
 Who ministers,

00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:09.159
 In unexpected places,

00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:11.560
 You know,

00:17:11.560 --> 00:17:12.380
 The next time that,

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:13.820
 John mentions Cana,

00:17:13.940 --> 00:17:15.080
 Is in chapter 4,

00:17:16.140 --> 00:17:18.040
 But he won't mention it again,

00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:18.340
 Then,

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:20.200
 For another 17 chapters,

00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:22.380
 He mentions it,

00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:23.299
 One last time,

00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:24.160
 In chapter 21,

00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:24.720
 Where,

00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:25.900
 Nathanael,

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:27.180
 And some of the other apostles,

00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:29.100
 Are about to see,

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.200
 The risen Jesus,

00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:33.240
 In John chapter 21,

00:17:33.360 --> 00:17:33.980
 Verse 2,

00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:35.480
 It's a great little,

00:17:35.620 --> 00:17:36.319
 Addition,

00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:37.740
 That John slips in,

00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:39.039
 Ironically,

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:40.259
 That we learn there,

00:17:40.340 --> 00:17:41.160
 That the slightly,

00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:41.840
 Snobby,

00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:42.720
 Nathanael,

00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:44.140
 Is himself,

00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:45.019
 From Cana,

00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:48.200
 He was a Cana man,

00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.960
 Even though he was a Jew,

00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:52.039
 He was associated,

00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:52.940
 With Galilee,

00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:55.920
 The one who doubted,

00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:57.000
 Whether anything good,

00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:58.359
 Could come from Nazareth,

00:17:58.519 --> 00:17:59.279
 From Galilee,

00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:01.579
 Is the one who lived in Galilee,

00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:04.180
 Maybe,

00:18:04.639 --> 00:18:05.619
 Reflecting on himself,

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:06.379
 He doubted,

00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.339
 That he would be part,

00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:08.480
 Of anything good either,

00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:11.779
 That he was the Cana man,

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:12.660
 Who ended up seeing,

00:18:12.740 --> 00:18:13.559
 The risen Jesus,

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:16.579
 The true believer,

00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:18.099
 Was the last you'd expect,

00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:19.279
 To believe,

00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:21.379
 And maybe,

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:23.099
 You think of your past,

00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.299
 Or you think of your,

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.419
 Nervousness around,

00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:27.579
 The Bible,

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:29.419
 Or Christian things,

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:31.559
 Or the church,

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:33.879
 Maybe even today,

00:18:33.879 --> 00:18:35.579
 You feel like a bit of a tourist,

00:18:36.899 --> 00:18:38.779
 Well remember Cana,

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.399
 Remember Nathanael,

00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:43.920
 If you're a person,

00:18:44.040 --> 00:18:44.380
 Who says,

00:18:44.540 --> 00:18:46.040
 Jesus has not come,

00:18:46.140 --> 00:18:47.380
 For a person like me,

00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.000
 Well,

00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:50.220
 Let me say to you,

00:18:50.280 --> 00:18:51.080
 That that means,

00:18:51.140 --> 00:18:52.380
 You're exactly the kind of person,

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:53.600
 That Jesus has come for,

00:18:54.300 --> 00:18:56.560
 And it was Mary,

00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.800
 Whose blessings,

00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:01.480
 Came by sovereign plan,

00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.879
 But also in response,

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:04.279
 To bold prayer,

00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:07.399
 This belief,

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:08.440
 That we see here,

00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:09.399
 It is the practice,

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:09.859
 Isn't it,

00:19:09.879 --> 00:19:10.980
 Of hope,

00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:12.159
 Against hope,

00:19:12.819 --> 00:19:14.720
 It is saying to God,

00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:16.619
 I know I don't deserve,

00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.680
 Anything from you,

00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:20.379
 I'm a Cana man,

00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:21.299
 I'm a Cana woman,

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:22.940
 And it's humbly,

00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:23.720
 Accepting that,

00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:24.960
 But it's boldly,

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.059
 Rubbing his ears,

00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:26.860
 With his promises,

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:29.120
 Lord,

00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:30.039
 You've said,

00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:31.579
 That if I trust in Christ,

00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:32.740
 You will forgive me,

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:35.160
 You've said,

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.440
 That if I receive,

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.299
 Jesus Christ,

00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:38.860
 You will give me the right,

00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:40.440
 To become your child,

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:42.559
 You've said,

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:44.079
 That you will cleanse me,

00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:46.000
 From every wrong,

00:19:46.059 --> 00:19:46.819
 And every sin,

00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:49.680
 And so it's holding God,

00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:50.940
 To his promises,

00:19:51.740 --> 00:19:53.600
 It is throwing the sack,

00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:54.139
 At God,

00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:56.339
 The prayer,

00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.099
 Of the humble,

00:19:57.339 --> 00:19:58.039
 And of the bold,

00:19:58.379 --> 00:19:59.000
 Let's pray,

00:19:59.000 --> 00:19:59.000


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