I want to thank Pete and Tina Matteson of "Portrait" for sharing the Gospel in song in such a beautiful way.  I had considered the idea of having no pastoral message but resisted the urge, especially with the Gospel Lesson about Jesus changing water into wine.  I've always been fascinated with what the Steward of the Feast said to the bridegroom, "You have saved the best [wine] till now."

          In this first recorded miracle of our Lord it's tempting to concentrate on the other details, such as the amount of wine Jesus created (180 gallons - that's 2 glasses a day for 8 years!), or the drama between Jesus and His mother (how did she know He could do it?), or first century Jewish wedding ceremonies (who could afford a feast that lasted an entire week?) or even what the servants must have thought (how can I get work with this guy!).  But I'd just like us to think for a moment what it means that the best wine was served last.

          To begin with, the chief steward congratulated the wrong person - the wine didn't come from the bridegroom, but from Jesus.  The steward had no idea where it had come from and he assumed it was all part of the groom's plan.  Leaving the good stuff until last was unusual because after days and nights of feasting, who cares what the wine tastes like any more - give them the old stuff, the dregs, the junk.  But Jesus made good wine because His mother asked Him to.  And He also did it for His disciples, who, we are told, gained a new respect for their Rabbi.  John 2:11 says, "They believed in Him."  That's a good enough reason for a miracle.

          And it wasn't just wine, it was GOOD wine.  Not the box wine I keep in the fridge - a true, quality vintage.  And yet it was brand new.  Good wine usually has some age to it.  A good vintner will sell no wine before its time.  Jesus bypassed the aging process and made some really good stuff right from the start.

          But that's understandable because God never does anything half-good.  The Bible says it's always VERY good.  He made you and me and everyone else, and God doesn't make junk.  There are no low quality people, no "losers" in the eyes of God.  We're all worth a fortune, no matter what we have in the bank.  No matter how much sin we've committed, we're all precious, worth the life of His only Son Jesus.

          God has given us a life to live and He always saves the best until last.  Like a fine wine improves with age, and a good worker improves his skills and a good marriage gets better, so also a Christian man or woman becomes more like Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, moving forward and not backward in our Christian walk.  In Christ, life gets better, or else there's something wrong.  It's true, Christian life comes with troubles, but that's Satan and he's been defeated.  We really can't use him as an excuse.  In Christ, the best comes last, for the best is life with God forever.

          It's like that woman who asked that a fork be placed in her hand in her casket when she'd died.  It would remind people that when the main course is done we're always told to "keep the fork because something good is coming."  When this life is over, for all believers, the best is yet to come - the best music, best worship, best fellowship, yes, even the best heavenly food.  With Christ, the best wine comes last, and so does the best of everything else.  God grant us this for Jesus sake, amen!

Copyright © 2004 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.