We tend to focus our attention on the major characters in scripture. Moses and Pharaoh; Peter and the Pharisees; Jesus and the woman at the well and so on. This is understandable, as we are taught in school to focus on the major actors in any story. But if we confine our thoughts in this way, we can miss a lot.
Last week we saw the Baptism of Jesus with the manifestations of God through the Holy Spirit and God’s voice from Heaven. But if you think about it, those things were not for Jesus’ benefit, but for the crowds. The appearance of the three aspects of the Trinity was not for the main character, but for the minor ones, the crowd.
In today’s gospel, the wedding at Cana, we see the first miracle Jesus performs. This story comes after the baptism, and after Jesus has called his disciples. It would be easy, and logical, for us to focus our attention on Jesus, or his mother, or the disciples. But I want instead to look at the smaller actors in the story. For who exactly was it that witnessed the
miracle? Was it the bridegroom, or the wine steward, or the host? No, listen again. “His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the
steward tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew)”.
It was the servants of the household who were the real witnesses to the miracle, for they alone knew that what had been water was turned into wine. How so you think they reacted? This was outside of anything they had ever seen, and they watched it happen. Do you think they turned to one another and asked, did you see what I just saw? And when they realized that it was true, do you think they told anyone else? You bet they did.
The crowd at the baptism and the servants at the wedding are minor characters in the narrative, but they have a very important role. For it falls to them to tell others about their experience and, in so doing, to spread the good news. My brothers and sisters, We are the crowd. Most of us will never have the opportunity to influence millions of people. Most of us will not become TV personalities or get elected to high office, so we will not get the
chance to share our story with the world. But that doesn’t mean that we have no role.
Just as it fell to the crowd in Jesus’ time, it falls to us today to share our story with those whom we meet. As Christians, our call is to share the gospel and make disciples of all nations. We do that, not by getting on television and shouting it out, but by small day to day conversations with people we meet.
This can seem daunting and a scary proposition. Talking about faith is challenging. You must open yourself up to another person, and that makes you vulnerable. What if they don’t want to listen? Will they be mad at me? For most of us this is uncharted and potentially hostile territory. So how do we even begin?
Paul tells us that we can do this, not on our own, but through the gift of the spirit that God has given us. Each of us is given unique gifts through the Holy Spirit. It is these gifts which enable us to rise above our fear and share the good news. Some of us have been gifted with patience (that’s not me by the way), others with hospitality, or empathy, or listening.
Some have been gifted as teachers, or builders, or doctors. Some are given the ability to care for the elderly, or for children. Some can care for the ill, others for the dying. None of us are given the same gifts. Our gifts are unique to each of us. I think this is part of God’s plan. God wants us to live together and be one family in Him. That is why he gives each of us different, but complementary gifts. That way, we need to use our gifts in concert with
one another. Only by working together can we accomplish what God has in store for us.
What are your gifts? You may know some of them, and some of you may feel that you don’t have any at all. If you think I am talking about you, you are wrong. We all have been given gifts. The trick is to figure out what they are. We are continuing a series of sessions called “discerning God’s call” that may be helpful to you in this regard. But this is not the only way.
If you pray, and worship, and learn God’s word, you will begin to figure out what gifts God has given to you. And if you still have a hard time, talk with your friends, your family, and the people in the seats next to you. I have found that oftentimes others can see the things in you that you cannot see yourself. Once you have discovered your gifts, use them. Not for yourselves, but for others. Use them to share your story. I am not talking about accosting people and asking them if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior, and I am not talking about taking a megaphone and standing on the strip shouting at people. What I am saying is share YOUR
story. Look for opportunities to talk about how your faith has mattered to you personally.
There was a time in my prior career when I was out of work for nearly a year. It was a very stressful time for me and for my family. When friends would ask me how I was coping, I would use this as an opportunity. I would tell them that my family was a wonderful comfort, and that I relied upon prayer and my faith in God to get me through. For some, that was enough. But that invited others to ask about how my faith had helped me, and
this was a great way to introduce people to the Gospel through the lens of my personal story. It is from such moments that the gospel is shared.
Sisters and brothers, use your gifts, share your story, be the crowd. For the kingdom message is spread not by Monarchs and celebrities, but by plain old ordinary us. And that too is good news.