John 2:7-11

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it. 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 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.’ This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory. And His disciples believed in Him.” ~ John 2:7-11

A lot of people either don’t know or ignore the fact that Jesus’ first sign was turning water into wine to basically keep a party going. This was a wedding celebration where the people had drank all the wine and Jesus’ mom comes to him and says “They have no wine.” No wine, no celebration. Think about any wedding you have ever been to. What would happen if the alcohol ran out? I’m sure there was drunkenness and debauchery going on and Jesus could have said “No. There is sin going on here and I will not take any part in it.” But He didn’t. He turned water into wine. Does this mean Jesus sinned? Guilty by association? Certainly not!

Jesus was and is sinless. He took part in no drunkenness or debauchery. He was a guest at a celebration of two lives becoming one in His Father’s name. He blessed that marriage. Although some would take what He had given and use it to sin He left that choice to them. Jesus chooses to bless. He honors the choice he gave to us. He takes no responsibility for our poor choices, our sin, though He does pay for it in full. He did not judge, He blessed. Yet as Christians, literally “little Christs”, think we have the right to judge and control others. Jesus drank wine with his disciples. So did He sin? Drinking is not a sin. Drunkenness and debauchery are. It is the heart behind the action that is sinful.

Let’s get off our high horses and stop calling down fire and brimstone on actions and get out on the streets to get to the heart of the problems. Let’s not get puffed up with pride saying, “I don’t drink because that’s a sin,” and love our neighbor. Let’s bless people and leave their choices to them. You have no power to change someone. Only God has that power. So just love and leave it to Him. He can do it.