"Join Us at the Party"

Sermon by The Rev. Cindy Carter

January 19, 2025

If we focus too much on the details of a story, and it is very detailed, the details of the miracle, if you will, then I am afraid we might miss the bigger point. We may miss the sign, the showing of something very important about the true identity of this one who was born in a manger. Sort of like seeing the trees, but missing the forest. Trying to figure out all the details of the story, but missing its meaning. So how can we avoid the trap of focusing on the story's details and miss its significance? At a wedding in Cana of Galilee, Jesus turned water into wine to point us to the glory of his father, a God who I believe absolutely loves to hear the laughter of God's people, and who desires God's children to live their life together in a spirit of celebration and abundance. In her book 'Searching for Sunday', Rachel Held Evans wrote this, "The church is God saying, I'm throwing a banquet and all these mismatched, messed up people are invited here. Have some wine, join us at the party where the wine never runs out. And the best is saved for last." Amen.