Chinese people place great importance on food, with a strong food culture and food tradition. Especially during festivals like the Spring Festival—the most grand and lively celebration of the year—people gather to celebrate and give blessings. This essential shared meal brings hearts together and strengthens relationships.
Recently, Pastor D from a church in an eastern Chinese city shared a sermon titled "Sitting at the Table Together." The goal was to help believers recognize Jesus' presence in life, feel his compassion, live in the companionship of Jesus, and prepare to sit at the eternal table with him.
Pastor D referenced the wedding at Cana, where, when the wine ran out, Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine—his first public miracle and the beginning of his public ministry. She pointed out that a wedding symbolizes great hope in life and a desire for harmony and happiness. But on such an important day, how could the hosts fail to prepare adequately, so that the embarrassing situation-the wine had running out of wine appeared?
A wedding is like a microcosm of life, and wine is like a symbol of joy in the soul. Pastor D noted that in Jewish life, both new and aged wine were household staples, and the process of harvesting grapes, pressing them, and making wine was filled with joy. This is why wine in the Bible represents many beautiful meanings such as "harvest," "blessing," "love," and "joy." On the long journey of life, there are moments when, unexpectedly, all joy and hope seem to vanish, and it becomes unclear where to find them again.
Pastor D said that it was not just a distant, ancient story that wine ran out at the wedding. The believer was guided to imagine whether he would blame each other for such an oversight if he were one of the newlyweds at the wedding, whether he would continue to trust and maintain harmony if he were a relative of the newlywed, whether he would face a major career mishap that could tarnish his reputation if he were the wedding steward, and whether he would step out the limelight and seek greater help if he were Mary who saw the real crisis.
When they had no wine, people struggled and thought it was the end after exhausting every option and effort. At this critical moment, Mary turned to Jesus and reported the situation to Him.
The miracle of Jesus changing water into wine came when Mary, as a representative of humanity, made a heartfelt plea to Jesus. Jesus heard the instruction from His heavenly Father, bringing divine mercy, hope, and transformation.
Everyone will face moments of running out of wine. If we turn our hearts and minds to Jesus, we will discover his presence in all things—he is right here. When you see him, you will find hope and a way out at the end of human effort. He can turn the embarrassment of "no wine" into the blessing of "fine wine."
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
中国人很讲究“吃”，有“吃的文化”和“吃的传统”。尤其在许多节日里面比如春节——一年最隆重、热闹的节日里，人们欢庆祝福。其中必不可少的“同席吃饭”，更是将人心聚拢，将关系拉近。
日前，华东一城市教会D牧师以“一同坐席”为题，展开分享。旨在帮助信徒看见耶稣凡事上的同在，感受耶稣天上的同情；经历耶稣一路上的同行，并预备与耶稣在永恒里的同席。
D牧师谈到在迦拿的婚宴上，当酒被用尽的时候，耶稣施行了 “水变酒”的神迹，这也是耶稣的第一次公开服事。
她提到“婚礼”，集中了对人生莫大的盼望，对家庭和幸福极深的渴求。但在这样一个重要的日子，主人怎么会没有充分预备，以致宴席进入到没有酒的尴尬境地里呢？
婚礼好比人生的缩影，美酒就好比心灵的喜乐。D牧师提到，在犹太人的生活中，新酒、陈酒几乎是家家必备。而且在葡萄丰收、醡酒、酿酒的过程里，都会充满着喜乐。这就有了圣经中“酒”所代表的各样美好含义，“丰收”、“祝福”、“爱情”、“快乐”等。漫漫人生路上，一路奔波；却在很重大的时间点上，一切喜乐与盼望，不知道在什么时候竟然消失了；也不晓得再从哪里能重新得回。
D牧师也提醒我们，“迦南婚宴中没酒的事”并非只是一个离我们很遥远的古老故事。信徒要进入到那个真实的场景里，想象作为婚礼中的某一方新人，是否会因为出现如此的失误，而互相怨怼？或作为婚礼中的某一方的亲属，还能继续信任与和睦以待呢？或站在婚礼管家的位置上，成为一次职业生涯中的重大事故与污点，而失去了事业的发展呢？亦或是作为前来帮忙的马利亚，在看见真实危机时，离开台前的体面，于慌乱中寻求着更大的帮助呢？
“没酒”了，人们挣扎着，办法想尽了；力气用光了，心里也说着“要完了”。这样一个紧急的时刻，马利亚找到了耶稣，她将“没酒”的情况报告给了“儿子”。
“没酒”变“美酒”的转折，在马利亚作为人的代表，向着耶稣发出烟火人间的呼求时；耶稣就听见来自天上父的指令，带来了属天上帝的怜悯，让一切来到了希望与翻转。
每个人都会遇见“没酒”的窘境。若我们的心思意念转向耶稣，便会发现祂凡事上的同在，祂正在这里。当你看见祂，也就在人的尽头看见了希望和出路，祂的手将把“没酒”的窘境变作“美酒”的祝福。
牧者：如何从“没酒”的窘境变成“美酒”的喜乐？
Chinese people place great importance on food, with a strong food culture and food tradition. Especially during festivals like the Spring Festival—the most grand and lively celebration of the year—people gather to celebrate and give blessings. This essential shared meal brings hearts together and strengthens relationships.
Recently, Pastor D from a church in an eastern Chinese city shared a sermon titled "Sitting at the Table Together." The goal was to help believers recognize Jesus' presence in life, feel his compassion, live in the companionship of Jesus, and prepare to sit at the eternal table with him.
Pastor D referenced the wedding at Cana, where, when the wine ran out, Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine—his first public miracle and the beginning of his public ministry. She pointed out that a wedding symbolizes great hope in life and a desire for harmony and happiness. But on such an important day, how could the hosts fail to prepare adequately, so that the embarrassing situation-the wine had running out of wine appeared?
A wedding is like a microcosm of life, and wine is like a symbol of joy in the soul. Pastor D noted that in Jewish life, both new and aged wine were household staples, and the process of harvesting grapes, pressing them, and making wine was filled with joy. This is why wine in the Bible represents many beautiful meanings such as "harvest," "blessing," "love," and "joy." On the long journey of life, there are moments when, unexpectedly, all joy and hope seem to vanish, and it becomes unclear where to find them again.
Pastor D said that it was not just a distant, ancient story that wine ran out at the wedding. The believer was guided to imagine whether he would blame each other for such an oversight if he were one of the newlyweds at the wedding, whether he would continue to trust and maintain harmony if he were a relative of the newlywed, whether he would face a major career mishap that could tarnish his reputation if he were the wedding steward, and whether he would step out the limelight and seek greater help if he were Mary who saw the real crisis.
When they had no wine, people struggled and thought it was the end after exhausting every option and effort. At this critical moment, Mary turned to Jesus and reported the situation to Him.
The miracle of Jesus changing water into wine came when Mary, as a representative of humanity, made a heartfelt plea to Jesus. Jesus heard the instruction from His heavenly Father, bringing divine mercy, hope, and transformation.
Everyone will face moments of running out of wine. If we turn our hearts and minds to Jesus, we will discover his presence in all things—he is right here. When you see him, you will find hope and a way out at the end of human effort. He can turn the embarrassment of "no wine" into the blessing of "fine wine."
- Edited & translated by Abigail Wu
Wedding at Cana: How Embarrassment of ‘No Wine’ Turned into Joy of ‘Fine Wine’?
