I have a confession to make today, for they say confession is good for the soul.  You see, the best times of my life were spent in the arms of another man's wife.  Oh, she was so sweet and I loved her dearly.  Fortunately, the other man was my father!  They say, "A mother is one who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take."  Well, they are right.  Happy Mother's Day all you Moms and Grandmoms.  We couldn't live this life without you.

          Easter has come and gone, but the results of Christ's resurrection continues.  The Easter lilies have died, but Jesus is alive.  Christ is risen!  (He is risen indeed!)  The Son of God reigns in victory, providing all our spiritual needs, and just knowing that makes all the difference in the world to people sorely in need of hope.

          I have a photo of my Mom and Dad by my bedside taken on our farm in a more simple time.  Our lives today are so complex and hurried.  Only yesterday it seemed most people were living in small towns or farms, attending schools where you knew everyone in your class, going to town for groceries once a week, and getting to bed early.  Now that's all been replaced by convenience stores, traffic jams, DVDs, and ATMs.  Nothing is simple any more, and our homes seem too busy.

          Not all of us live in a hurried home, but all of us are pressured to do so.  Our culture values the hurried life.  Businesses reward it, media exploits it, and often our sinful egos demand it.  What's the latest trend or gadget?  I have to have it!  Sin refuses to let us rest.  Others of us are doing our best to resist anything new, including what's good.  We think ourselves conservative martyrs who are sacrificed on the altars of liberalism.  Or else we pride ourselves in being able to explain to everyone how the world is going to hell in a hand basket.  One thing is sure - we're all seeking peace amid troubled times, just not in the same way.

          But what is true peace?  Is it living in a cabin high in the quiet mountains?  Or is it living hopefully on the banks of a river of surging and foaming waters during flood season?  Does peace depend on our environment, or is it a the condition of our heart?  In your mind's eye, what is your ideal of peace?

          Thirty years ago Simon and Garfunkel recorded a popular song, "Bridge Over Trouble Waters" in which the singers encouraged others to be a helpful connection for troubled people.  "Like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down," went the chorus line.  Another line said, "When you're down and out, feeling low, I'm by your side, I will comfort you."  Good sentiment for people willing to lend a helping hand.  Part of what made that song a success was its stark contrast to the pained songs of the war protesters or the angst-ridden screeching sounds of the druggies.  A bridge over troubled waters still sounds like a great thing in times like these.

          That's what Jesus is, you know -- the bridge between us and God, the One who connects sinners to the Almighty, the Son who connects wayward children to the eternal Parent.  He's the Bridge over troubled waters of life we must live until we meet them in eternity.

          In our text Jesus and His disciples had been invited to a wedding and His mother was there also.  Cana is only ten miles from Nazareth so she would have known the families.  It was a big wedding with much food and music, a merry affair where the wine flowed freely, at least until it ran out.  That must have been embarrassing!

          When Carol and I were married, the food ran out before we got to the reception and fortunately there was a King Soopers grocery store next door.  But there was no such store there in Cana, so a mother named Mary went to her son, not with an obvious request, but a hidden one.  "They have no more wine," she said.  In psychological terms, it's called "passive aggression."  You don't just come right out and say what you want;  you try to get your way by talking around it, by hinting at it.  Mothers are experts at doing this.

          "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" said Jesus.  He seems a bit perturbed with her request, but He knew she knew what He could do.  Furthermore, she knew He would not turn down her simple request.  Mothers have a way of knowing how to approach family members in these things.  Some fathers may be good at this, but most mothers are experts.  State the obvious and see who reacts.  When Jesus objected, it wasn't so much anger as He was surprised to be involved in such a small matter.

          But then to a mother, running out of food is no small matter.  It's a disaster!  Why else would Moms make twice as much food as we need for dinner?  It's because they remember this story!  No way are they going to run out of wine -- or potatoes or corn or pie.  Make an extra bowl of salad!  Fry another chicken!  No one will go hungry at my table!  Most men don't care about this.  As long as there's a little to eat for everyone, what's the problem?  Ah, but if a car should need a jump start or if the cable TV gets fuzzy - now that's another matter!  Move out of the way -- here comes Dad to the rescue!

          Mary's next statement is interesting:  "Do whatever He tells you."  What did Mary know that we don't?  What all mothers know, of course -- strengths and weaknesses of their children.  She knew her Son had special powers.  She knew He could remedy this situation with a word or a wave of His hand.  And what happened next showed she was right.  He told the servants to fill a few jars with water and take some of it to the banquet host.  What they took was not water, but new and tasty wine.

          I wonder if Jesus had done this before, perhaps surprising his hungry mother with fresh bread and new wine.  Whatever past experiences she was drawing on, she knew something good would come when her Son got involved.  She knew He was a bridge over troubled waters, willing to help people get from here to heaven in mercy and safety.  And He'd also help this banquet host with his embarrassing situation.

          God has given us eternal life in Jesus Christ.  We need only trust Him for what He's done for us.  This is the Gospel -- that God has fixed all our problems in His Son Jesus.  His death and resurrection are the bridge over the troubled waters of life.  All who depend on Him in faith are given a place at the Heavenly Banquet where there is joy and peace, and no more disease or sadness or sin.

          God loves us in Jesus Christ.  He gives us strength to live our days more wisely and He forgives our sins.  He gives us the Holy Spirit to change our lives.  The boy Jesus spent much time in His Father's house, and so should we.  Even busy people can spend time in God's Word.  Turn off the TV and open your Bible.  Speak to Him in prayer and let Him speak to you in His Word.  He has some great things to say.  Listen to Him and let Him give you the peace that passes all understanding.

          As I look at this story, I find four things I'd like to share:
(1)  "Do whatever He tells you."  Life has an Instruction Book, but we need to read it.  The Bible shows us the way of salvation, and also how God wants us to live.  Why struggle blindly, falling on our faces, when you can read the Heavenly Manual?
(2)  Forgive Yourself and others.  There's no greater block to peace in life than having unforgiven garbage lying around.  No one lives with garbage in their homes -- why live with it in our hearts?  Let Christ forgive you, and ask Him to help you forgive others.
(3)  Discipline your desires.  This means managing our resources.  The trouble with life is not lack of money or too many credit cards, but using them unwisely.  We must learn to discipline our desires so we can wisely use what God has given us.  We probably already have all we need;  we just need to be smarter in how we use it.
(4)  Find someone to help.  Service as the best antidote for a troubled life.  Nothing gives us joy like being a bridge for others!  Remember, if you do it for the poorest of those around you, you're also doing it for Jesus.

          Mother's Day has been a holiday in America since 1914.  It's been encouraged by Christians for centuries, beginning with a tribute to Mary.  It's a day to say thanks - thanks, Lord, for our mothers, and thanks, mothers for life.  They're not perfect and they need forgiveness too.  Thanks be to God we all are forgiven in Mary's Son.  Amen

Copyright © 2002 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.