Introduction

Good morning! Welcome to the Pittsburgh New Church! What’s missing in your life? Have you ever given that a thought? Maybe money is missing or friends or happiness, what’s missing? I’ll tell you what’s missing in my life, Spanish! I had 5 years of Spanish but how much Spanish can I speak now? Nada! Why? because I never used it. I never had the day in day out give and take of talking with people in Spanish. Whatever we don’t use, we lose, don’t we? This morning we are going to learn about what everybody's life is missing and how to learn it, grow it, and keep it going. Let’s read from John Chapter 2:

“Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” (John 2:2-3)

Sermon

First, I want to mention how awesome it is to be in the New Church! I don't know why you were chosen to be here, or what’s special in you? But you’re about to unlock the story of the “Marriage at Cana” which millions of people have wanted to do for centuries and we are going to make that happen right now!

If you want to be in the New Church, you’ve got to learn to hear stories from the Word and turn them into intangibles, spiritual elements, that are just as real as this lectern. The spiritual pieces we are all made of, this is the world the Lord lives in! In 1998, the Ford Motor Company spent millions of dollars on the slogan— “Built to Last” Yeah, well… they don’t last! Nothing survives this trip to the other world but the spiritual parts of ourselves. These are the things we all need to focus on because they’re all we’ve really got!

You're in a unique position—you get to see and hear a “sneak preview” of the other life because of the Second Coming! But you’re always left in freedom, to believe or not! If you choose to believe it, that the Lord knows you to your very core… that He deeply loves you… and wants to teach you how to be with Him….then these first 11 verses of John are what you’ve been looking for…they are literally “dripping” with Divine Truth…. and teach us… what’s missing in our lives! Before we start, let’s do some map work: At the time of the Lord’s ministry the Holy Land has been divided into 3 provinces:

Galilee

Samaria

Judea

Because you’re in the New Church, you have "let go” of the idea that there are “accidents,” or things that happen by “chance.” The Lord is in control of even the tiniest things in our lives and the division of these three provinces at that time represents our mind. Galilee representing our “will." Samaria representing somewhere between our will and our understanding—our “thought life.” Judea representing our “understanding.” When our will and understanding—the two parts of our mind are separated, the good desires we have do not seek the truth that can carry them out. In other words, it pictures a person who knows a lot of book facts about how to live but never acts on any of them! This is when we get into spiritual trouble. What we're after is the truth that we know, to be applied in our life! This is the marriage of good and truth! The Lord’s whole job on earth was to glorify His Human, that is, overcome the evil tendencies in the “Mary human” and gradually unite the Son with the Father, combining Divine Truth with Divine Love.

You’ve felt this if you have ever fallen in love. The highest and deepest joys of life come from the love between and man and a woman, the marriage of good and truth and the greatest evils and disasters in life come from its abuse. This marriage of love and wisdom is why men and women are different. It’s how the whole world works, always an effort in nature, in space, in our minds—everywhere! A constant effort to bring love and wisdom together—heat and light, soil and water. This is the reason the first miracle takes place at a “marriage feast” for marriage in its highest sense represents the union of divine love and divine wisdom.

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

A wedding pictures a person whose “desires” and “understanding” agree as to what to do. The number “three” pictures completeness; so "the third day” after the Lord was baptized suggests the fullness of time, the fact that the Lord had now reached a state in which He could be in His active ministry. Galilee—(look on your handout) pictures our external plane of life, and Cana, which means "reedy," suggests a mere external understanding. A “reed” is the symbol for the literal sense of the Word. It can easily be bent by the winds to whatever a person wants to justify. Mary represents the church (her presence) and the fact that the church is recognized. The fact that the Lord and His disciples were invited shows that we are talking about a person who desires the presence of the Lord and knowledge of Him. All of these details together give us a picture of a person living an external life with a mere external knowledge of the Word, yet having a genuine desire to live rightly, recognizing the church, and desiring to know more of the Lord. Isn’t this the state that many of us are in today? Lots of “water,” external knowledge and truths, and Mary said, "They have no wine." Water and wine both represent truth, but water is truth on the natural plane, wine is truth on the spiritual plane. When we can see truth not only as necessary in our external life, but through acting on the truth, we see it in our spiritual life and this brings us real spiritual satisfaction. Through putting our truth into our behaviors with others, the water is changed into wine. Mary told the servants at the feast,

"Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." This is following the Lord. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." (John 15:14)

Then the Lord made use of the vessels which were there—six of them, representing the general knowledges essential to the orderly development of a spiritual life. He asked the servants to fill them with water to the brim. Did He send them out for new wine? No! He just used what he had!

"For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off ... But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it." (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) Then He said, "Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast."

This is the command to use the truth we have! This is the Lord’s kingdom within us! As we do this, the water is changed into wine. Just like my Spanish, if you never take your truth out of your mind and use it—you forget it. When you are facing a difficult problem in your life, use what truth you have, trust in the Lord, and watch a way open for you. The Lord gives two commands: fill up, draw out. Fill your water pot with truth and draw out that truth into your life!

10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

Amen. The sacrament of Holy Supper will now take place.