Grace at the Table

“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” —John 2:11 (NRSV)

This past Friday evening, we celebrated the marriage of our oldest son, Kirk, and his wife, Cassie. It was a joyous time surrounded by family and friends who had been with them from the start of their journey. As part of the religious ceremony, I mentioned that Jesus’ first miracle—what John calls a sign—was done at a wedding: the turning of water into wine (John 2:1-11).

It’s no accident that Jesus begins his public ministry not in a synagogue or a roadside healing of lepers, but at a table, among family and friends, in the midst of celebration. His first sign isn’t a dramatic healing or a sermon on a mount—it’s a quiet act of abundance, preserving joy and honoring relationship.

In this, we glimpse the heart of God made flesh in Jesus: not distant or austere, but present in the laughter, the worry, the wine, and the waiting. The miracle at Cana reminds us that grace often arrives not with spectacle, but with sufficiency—just enough, and then more than enough. 

The water becomes wine. The jars are filled to the brim. The immediate need is met—yet grace doesn’t stop there. It’s not just any wine, but the finest. Not merely enough, but an abundance. Six stone jars, overflowing with joy. The best saved for last.

This is the kind of grace Jesus offers:

• Grace that meets us in celebration and in shortage.

• Grace that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

• Grace that flows quietly, abundantly, and relationally.

As we reflect on this first sign, may we remember that God’s glory is not reserved for grand gestures alone. It is revealed in the everyday moments—in weddings, in meals, in the noticing of needs, and in the gentle acts of love that preserve joy.

God of joy and quiet miracles, You meet us at the table, in celebration and in need. Fill our lives to the brim with your grace, so that we may pour out love, with joy that endures and hope that overflows. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim