A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 22 February 2026, First Sunday in Lent by Hope Antone. The scripture readings that day was Pslam 104:14-15, John 2:1-11, Matthew 13:31-32
Sermon – "Good News is … so good it catches us by surprise"
San nin fai lok! Spring greetings! And welcome to our First Sunday in Lent here at Kowloon Union Church.
I used to find the story of Jesus turning water into wine difficult to follow. As a pastor’s kid, I grew up learning from our church elders what the early missionaries had taught with some verses from scripture:
➜“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1)
➜Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…” (Ephesians 5:18)
But other verses in the Bible speak of a “bountiful harvest, abundance of grain and new wine” as a sign of God’s blessing (Gen. 27:28; 49:11-12; Prov. 3:9-10; Deut. 32, 33). In 2 Timothy 5:23, Paul advises young Timothy: “No longer drink only water, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” ➜which means that wine was acknowledged for its medicinal value.
On this first Sunday in Lent, let us re-visit the story of Jesus at a wedding in Cana. We do not know how Jesus turned the water into wine. I borrowed the photo on the PowerPoint slide from Kevin Carden of the Christian Digital Artwork, knowing that he came up with this piece of artwork based on his creative imagination and digital technology skills.
To revisit the story, I will use the three ways of reading the scriptures ➜ i.e., to consider (1) what is in the text, (2) what is behind the text, and (3) what is in front of the text. We might find new insights of the good news that never stops to surprise us.
In the first place, let us consider what is in the text. The story of Jesus turning the water into wide is unique to the gospel of John. Seen together, the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke provide a summary of what Jesus did in his ministry of healing, teaching, exorcism. The gospel according to John focuses on who Jesus is, hence, it is more theological and philosophical.
The passage may have described an actual wedding of someone very close to Jesus; but John highlighted its rich images and symbolic meaning. Some scholars say that the phrase, “On the third day” at the beginning of the passage cues hearers into the symbolic nature of the story – the third day being a reference to Jesus’ resurrection after three days.
In a culture that valued lavish hospitality, having wine run out at a wedding feast could have caused shame and dishonour for the hosts. Perhaps, like our practice in Asia, families would save and spend a lot on a wedding – feeding people not only for a meal, but for several days.
Some scholars say it was customary for guests to brings gifts of wine to a party. “Bring Your Own Wine” (BYOW) was a way of supporting and being in solidarity with the hosts. Having left their jobs to follow him, Jesus’ disciples lived as itinerants. So, they probably came with no gifts of wine but with the thirst of the poor. While Jesus’ mother raised the problem to him, Jesus responded with “My hour has not come.” Scholars take this as referring to the time of his crucifixion or simply to his yielding to God’s time and will.
It is not clear how Jesus changed the water into wine. He simply instructed the servants to fill up six stone jars with water. Those stone jars were customarily used to hold water for the Jewish purification rites. As the water changed into wine, those stone jars became the bearers of the new wine. The contrast between the water of his baptism and the wine or blood during his crucifixion is rich with symbolism. Contrast also the water for purification of the Jews and the shed blood for the salvation of all. Those are some insights that we can glean from what is in the text.
In the second place, let us consider what is behind the text -- who the audience were, their context, and the purpose in narrating the story.
Bible scholars say that John’s audience primarily consisted of Hellenistic Jews and Gentile God-fearers in Asia Minor (now Western Turkey). They would have been familiar with the Greek gods and their respective festivals, ceremonies and rituals.
One of the Greek gods whose festival was celebrated at the beginning of each year was Dionysus, believed to be the god of wine and plants. Legends say that the vines that grew from the ground where the blood of Dionysus fell, produced thick clusters of red grapes that were ideal for wine. Regarded as the originator of wine, Dionysus was known to have taught humanity how to create wine.
Some ancient texts recount how fountains of wine flowed from the sanctuary of Dionysus’ temple and that freshwater springs tasted like fine wine during the festival. No matter how it appeared at the festival, wine symbolized the presence of Dionysus’ return to earth. So, in the Greco-Roman world, when water turned to wine or tasted like wine, the people believed that Dionysus was there.
Knowing that the audience understood the concept that wine revealed the presence of the god who brought life to earth, John made it very clear that it is Jesus, not Dionysus, who is the real God-with-us (the Word-made-Flesh among us).
In the third place, let us consider what’s in front of the text. That means you and I, the present-day listeners or readers of the text, who are so diverse, and with our different backgrounds. We wonder how this story is still good news about God’s abundant goodness and love when new issues keep coming up, raising new questions and concerns. Questions may include what the meaning and purpose of marriage is – given the ongoing struggles of sexual minorities. Some people are questioning the significance of marriage altogether and are turning to AI-generated personas in search of more meaningful relationship and intimacy.
Many can appreciate the theological symbolism of Jesus changing the water into wine, but those who struggle with alcoholism may have a different perspective. The American country music singer/composer T. Graham Brown brought to the text his own personal struggle with alcohol addiction and his desperate call for God’s help. Here are some lines from the song he composed,
“Wine into Water” (1995):
I’ve tried to fight this battle by myself,
but it’s a war that I can’t win without your help. …
Once upon a time you turned the water into wine,
And now on my knees I’m turning to you, Father
Could you help me turn the wine back into water?
Interestingly (or thankfully), this song, “Wine into Water,” has helped several people overcome alcoholism.
In celebrating Ash Wednesday this week, Pope Leo brought his interpretation of ashes to the text – saying that today ashes symbolize the devastation of creation due to wars and the environmental crisis. The UN Secretary-General has also spoken of how global warming has now become global burning, signifying the worsening climate crisis.
The first miracle of Jesus happened at a wedding, a social gathering. We know that weddings have become a big business these days, and invitation lists must be drawn.
But we can take the assurance that Jesus – shared as the broken bread and the shed blood (during the Holy Communion) – is an open invitation to all who believe and who have need for him. That is the greatest miracle of all.
While the water-to-wine miracle is attributed to Christ Jesus himself, it is worth noting that ordinary people played important roles in helping to make it possible. Jesus’ mother raised the problem; the slaves filled the jars with water and served the guests. There must have been people who fetched the water from a distance. So ordinary as we are, we who have partaken of the broken bread and the shed blood of Jesus, are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, reaching out to those who need God’s love and grace the most.
During this Lunar New Year, we exchange words or gifts of blessing with one another, usually with the people we already know. But instead of asking God to give us more blessings, let us try praying that God will turn us into a blessing for others. By “others” we mean not only human beings but also creation. How can we be a blessing not only to our fellow human beings, but also to Mother Earth? Perhaps we can start by finding/honouring the sacred in the ordinary. Let us continue to reflect on this during this Lenten Season. And let us offer our little acts of kindness and our little seeds of love to God who will bless them and give them growth. Amen.
Preached on 22 February 2026 by Hope Antone
# posted by Kowloon Union Church : Tuesday, March 10, 2026
