More than Problems

And we know one more thing: that the Lord Jesus was a guest at that wedding banquet, and his mother Mary had confidence that somehow he could make things come out right.

And he did.

There was wine enough, and more.

And more importantly, people began to wonder who this Jesus is and to marvel at his words and deeds, and maybe, just maybe, to believe that he has something of greatest importance to say and do with them.

It is just the same with us this day.

One doesn't even have to ask.

We know that there will be imperfections in the events of this day.

They may be large things,

or they may be small details....

but there will be some, and have already been some.

Before someone starts to lament, “Oh, it is all ruined, completely ruined.”....let us hang onto this:

The Lord Jesus is present.

Where two or three are gathered in his Name,

where two or three or 100+ people listen to his Word, he is here and somehow it will all turn out right.

In our preparatory conversations, Adam and Lynn and I talked about some of the twists and turns of life that have preceded this day.

Oh, of course there have been problems.

But during this time they have been confident that there will be a way through the problems.

To the Corinthians Paul says,

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then, face to face.

That's the way it is; we can only experience time one tick of the clock per second.

We don't know what good or evil things lie in front of us because we are not there yet.

We might make some guesses, but still we do not know for sure.

The one thing of which we can be confident is that the future is in the hands of the Lord God, and that in Holy Baptism he has promised to remember us, and to make something of us, even when we cannot guess what that might be.

Despite all of their long planning, Adam and Lynn do not know what is next.

In addition to confidence that the Lord will do something with them, where else will they be looking for aid, assistance, a good and kind word?

Today there is a whole room full of people who are agreeing to be there for Adam and Lynn.....everyone here.

We know that Jesus says:

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.

And just following their vows, I'll quote it again and invite all present to give the AMEN to it.

And as you speak that AMEN you will be agreeing to support and encourage Adam and Lynn in this marriage, and conversely, to do nothing that would drive them apart.

They need to know that they can count on you, each of you, family and friends.

Sin tugs at us constantly, trying to undo God's good gifts.

We need to call upon God in prayer;

and we need to call upon family and friends for another kind of assistance.

So at the Announcement of Marriage, give a formal cheer for God...Blessed be the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever.

And to Jesus' admonition about supporting marriage, give a firm AMEN.

Adam and Lynn need to hear it and be able to count on it;

You need to speak it, and then to live it.

It is a new day, a fresh day, a day of beginnings for Adam and Lynn and for the relationship of everyone else to them.

We are in the same position as Mary in that wedding at Cana in Galilee.

We recognize that there are problems, and we cannot see a way through them or around them.

We take the problems to Jesus, trusting that he will show us what will be good and true and mutually helpful and holy.

And he does. Thanks be to God.

There was a prayer written over in England in the troubled times right before the start of WWII.

It speaks well of our right attitude of trust and hopefulness that is the heart of the reading from 1 John today:

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending,

by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.

Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go,

but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.