Today’s reading from St John’s Gospel has Jesus enabling the bridegroom - the host of the Wedding Banquet - to do exactly that for his guests. To serve the choicest wine last. What is Jesus teaching here and what are we to make of the reading from the book of Revelation, by the same author?

In St John’s Gospel, this is the first of Jesus’ signs [miracles, by another name.] This miracle of changing water into wine is one of the few non-healing miracles that Jesus performed and is only recorded by John, who gives it considerable prominence. [Our lectionary writers also give it prominence by including it in each year of our three-year cycle.]

John sees this as the first sign that points to the divinity of Jesus. Jesus is human, yet he is also divine. As we move through John’s Gospel we discover seven further “signs of glory” which culminate in the ultimate sign, the resurrection of Jesus.

Unlike the other gospel writers, John doesn’t record the Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper but some see this narrative as his comment on it.

On this occasion, six stone jars were filled to the brim with water, producing something like 180 gallons of wine. That in itself must have been a pretty impressive miracle and was perhaps an over-the-top response by Jesus. They may have run out of wine at a relatively early stage in the wedding celebrations, but to be short by 180 gallons would indicate a very serious miscalculation indeed. On the other hand, it might be an indication of God’s over-abundant response to all his children whenever they ask for anything?

Jesus’ response to his mother seems uncharacteristically harsh when she points out the wedding party’s need. It almost sounds like a, “what’s it got to do with you?” kind of answer. The key lies in the second part of his response, “My time has not yet come”. He knew he had more work to do before his hour would come.

How often in our own prayers do we expect God’s timing to coincide with ours? Perhaps this miracle is to teach us that our extremity is God’s opportunity to provide help and relief to his people. Then his hour is come when we are on our knees, come to the realisation that we cannot save ourselves, we need God’s help.

Turning to our first reading: the book of Revelation is classed as apocalyptic writing or literature, which means it claims to reveal things which are normally hidden and to unveil the future. So here, [in Rev 19.6-10] John alludes to the great Marriage Banquet at the end, when Christ returns, to which all believers are invited. [This is a timely reminder during this week of prayer for Christian Unity and in preparation for our CTED Unity Service this evening, here in St John’s].

We are told at the beginning of the book that it is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God, through an angel to John”.  We pick it up from what is known as the “Marriage Song”, which will be sung at the Wedding Supper of Jesus, whose Bride is the Church universal.  One would expect a marriage song to be pleasing to the ear, so what first strikes as unusual is the reference to “the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder-peals” - in human terms, hardly melodic (almost “Heavy Metal”, in fact!). In biblical terms, stormy seas and oceans normally symbolise chaos; the wrath of God or judgement, yet here in Revelation they signify a concert of heavenly music. Here, in these glorious praises to God, there is no disharmony - the morning stars sing together; there are no jarring strings, no un-tuned keys; only pure and perfect melody.

This song celebrates God’s supreme reign over His entire kingdom. He has redeemed his Church by his own blood, through Christ on the Cross, and is now in a more public way betrothing his Church to himself.  John seems to be confused about who is who at the wedding: if the Church is the bride (that is, all redeemed believers), who are the invited guests? Some say, these are the Saints of the Old Testament and subsequent periods. But John makes no such distinction - his language is fluid. The Church [vv 7-9] is pictured both as the bride and as the guests who are invited to the wedding. (This kind of freedom is a normal characteristic of apocalyptic writing).

John gets a bit carried away by all this that he’s being given -overwhelmed, he ends up almost worshiping the angel who is giving him the information. But (in v 10) he is told off and reminded that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: worship God, not me - says the angel, which is Jesus’ message throughout his teaching. In the gospels, whenever Jesus’ disciples make the same mistake, Jesus always points them to His Father: “Worship God, not me”, he tells them.

Today we are invited to imagine that day when we will come face to face with Jesus at the Great Wedding Banquet when he comes again in glory. Today and every time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, the invitation is the same: the potential is there every time for it to be, for us, a foretaste of what is to come.

I have just returned from Whitby [where Saint Hilda founded the Abbey] on a five day Retreat, in the company of fellow members of the Community of Aidan and Hilda (people of all Christian denominations and none) from around the world. In communion through prayer, food, study; the Eucharist; we worshipped together using our Community pattern of prayer which all of us live by when we are apart, as well as when we are together. This gives us a shared rhythm - in the rhythm of the Holy Trinity, wherever we are, whatever our circumstances, every day of the week.

We share a common vision, which includes a desire to weave together the separated strands of Christianity [striving for unity not uniformity], a concern to care for creation - healing and reconciliation of peoples and lands, and mission. We are each committed to a personal way of life, which holds to the Community’s vision and reflects our individual calling, and we each have a soul friend.

It was my first “Voyagers Retreat”, so I was able to put faces to names of people I’ve been praying for, for years. There is a bond between us, made stronger for me because I have met with them, prayed with them, broken bread and shared the cup with them. “I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” is the scripture that comes to mind: it was a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.

And a reminder that it can be the same for us here - in this Body of Christ. By the grace of God, each person is called for a specific purpose. Each with a part to play. Each having different gifts. Like Geoffrey and Marjorie, I am excited about our S4G [Study for Growth] series, which Marjorie has written, because I believe it will energise us and move us along in our pilgrimage, both as individuals and as a church.

Returning to the theme, “Saving the best till last”. I don’t know if any of you are fans of “Only Fools and Horses”? Well, Buster Merryfield, who played “Uncle Albert” was 63 years old when he joined the cast. He only starting acting when he was 57, following a 40 year career in banking. [He died in June 1999 at the age of 78]. So you might say, his best was saved till last.

Then there is Mary Wesley, who died at the age of ninety. Who’s she? I hear you ask. Well she was one of our finest authors but she was 70 years old before her first novel was published, and her first commercial success, The Camomile Lawn, occurred when she was 72! When she was 57 she wrote two children’s books, when she was reported to have said, “I have no patience with people who grow old at sixty just because they are entitled to a bus pass”. There we are [I’m not targeting anyone here, I’m only ruminating on a theme!]: 60 should be the time to start something new, not put your feet up! “Saving the best till last!!”

When we receive Holy Communion, God’s grace is freely given to us in the sharing of the bread and wine. We are invited to the wedding feast. All we need is an open heart and the intention to receive the gift as it is meant, full of overwhelming love, support and care.

And on this reading, Jesus keeps the best until last. In Christian terms, those who are in the latter years of their life are reaching the most mature point in their journeys. We cannot all become actors or authors in our 60’s and 70’s, but we can all allow those Christian gifts which we have received through the ages to be seen in all their glory.

Paul describes the “fruit of the Spirit” as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. [Galatians 5.22-23]. Those who reach old age with these characteristics shining from them - and here we are blessed with Saints in our midst - these truly have followed Jesus and kept the best wine until last.

God longs for each of us to blossom and flower, growing in maturity, so that the older we get, the more evident our faith in the fruits that we bear: saving the best till last then, could mean God working in us in our later years even more mightily than before, freeing greater creativity within us in our old age.

There is hope for us all!

Amen.