The Scripture reading is John 2:1-12

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.^[a] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. ¹² After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

The Confessions reading is the 5^th Commandment

You shall not kill. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.

Meditation: Today in our reading we see the Work of the Word of God Incarnate. Jesus is both God and man, and we see in this miracle today that He is truly God. Man’s word cannot change creation, but God’s Word does. Jesus spoke and changed water into wine. This isn’t a figurative thing, but literally a change of substance. Jesus heard of a need, meaning they had run out of wine, and His response was to change creation and create something new. Jesus changed water into wine by means of His Word.

This same thing continues to happen today. Take the 5^th commandment today. We do hurt and harm our neighbor. We don’t have our neighbor’s physical wellbeing always before us. We aren’t looking out for our neighbor and thinking of his well being above our own. We look out for number one. We look out for ourselves and focus on those things that best please us. Because of this, we stand accused and condemned by the Law of God. The Law tells us to think of others all the time, and all we do is think of ourselves and our own welfare. We stand then under the wrath of God and, if left here, will suffer the eternal consequence of our transgressions. God’s law declares us sinful, unclean, and condemned.

However, just as Jesus changed water into wine by means of His Word, so He now declares we sinners to be forgiven and therefore saints under the mercy of our heavenly Father. Jesus hour came on the cross, where he assumed all our hatred, anger, and frustration with our neighbor and there on the cross put it all to death. Jesus suffered for our self-centeredness by giving His all for both our physical and spiritual wellbeing. Jesus thought of us and our welfare before His own. This is why He laid down all that is His on the cross so that we may inherit everything that belongs to Him. Our sin now belongs to Jesus and His righteousness is our very own. Jesus thought of us and continues to do so as we receive the Gospel and the blessed sacraments. Take heart then my friends. Jesus’ Word declares you righteous, and what Jesus speaks is reality here on earth and in heaven forever.

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the peaceful voice of your Savior Jesus who says, “I forgive you. I love you. I claim you as My own forever,” Amen

Jesus Sheepdog