III.

Second Sunday after Cpiphany.

THE MARRIAGE FEAST.

"This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory."— St. JOHN ii. 11.

WE are still in the season of the Epiphany. Epiphany means "manifestation" or "showing forth." It is the "showing forth" of the Godhead of our LORD Jesus Christ that this season has to teach us. First came the "sign" or "miracle" of a star, given to guide the wise men from the East to the humble home at Bethlehem.

Last week the showing forth of the Divine wisdom of the Holy Childhood was taught us. This week the first

the

sign or miracle wrought by Jesus Himself is brought before us. There will be other miracles for Epiphany-tide thoughts, the cleansed leper cured paralytic the calmed tempest— the mercy shown to the devil-possessed of Gergesa. But now I want you to draw some lessons from our blessed LORD's first miracle. Never forget why miracles are so introduced into the Epiphany Gospels. The LORD Jesus is GOD, and that is why He could do these things. But these proofs of His Divinity are all full of other lessons. And some of these I am going to remind you of now.

This was His first miracle.

It was wrought to add to the enjoyment of a village marriage-feast. There is much meaning for us in this: so let me remind you of the circum

stances.

Jesus was GOD, and knew the

times which the Father had put into His power. Last Sunday we saw Him obedient to His parents in His home at Nazareth. To-day we are to think of an event in His life long afterwards. He had grown in wisdom and in stature, because He had become really man. And at thirty years old-oh! think of His patience in waiting so long-He had left the quiet home where He had lived; He had gone down to the Jordan and had been baptized. His mother had been left at home: yet Jesus stayed away. You know how this time was spent. It was spent in the wilderness, being tempted of the devil and his angels. And after about two months He goes home again and with Him go others His first chosen disciplesAndrew and Peter, and James and John, and Philip and Nathanael the son of Talmai. I want you to notice His companions-for this had a

great deal to do with His mother's conduct at the feast. Remember how she had "kept and pondered in her heart" upon all the wonderful things which had already happened. How glad she must have been to see His return! How eagerly she must have expected that, having now chosen disciples, He would do something to show forth Himself! She expected some manifestation.

The mother of Jesus was at the feast for Joseph was probably now dead, and so we hear of Mary there alone and both Jesus and His disciples were invited too. Perhaps the house belonged to one of the friends of Mary. Mark, then, these three things! First, that the scene was a feast. Next, that Mary was known to them of the house.

Next, that Mary felt in her heart that the time long waited for of her

Divine Son's Epiphany was drawing

near.

I will take these two last points first.

Mary knew the servants. When the wine ran short she told them what to do.

But Mary also wanted to force as it were, the Epiphany of Jesus' power. So she spoke first to Him. She told Him that they wanted wine. You know what He said. He told her not to interfere with that which was not her province. And yet He did as she asked, though He asserted plainly His Divine freedom of action-oh! so tenderly in the very words in which He spoke to her from His Cross on Calvary, when He gave her over to the keeping of His loved disciple.

He told her it was not hers to interfere with GOD. And yet He worked the miracle she asked for.