In these last days of great distress, it is important to be reminded that we, as Christians, have been redeemed from the hopeless and despairing sorrow of the unbelieving world and been brought into a kingdom of feasting and joy that will have no end. As wildfires rage, as wars and rumors of wars swirl all around us, as people use cars and bombs against their fellow man to take out their anger or further their cause, as week after week goes by and we can’t find jobs to provide for our families, it grows increasingly easier to give ourselves over to despondency and hopelessness. We can only seem to talk about how bad everything is locally and globally. And though the world is certainly growing darker as the return of Christ draws near, behold what Jesus does at the wedding at Cana. He doesn’t just perform a magic trick because He can. He manifests the glory of His kingdom. He provides an absurd amount of the finest wine the world has ever known. In this He shows forth not simply His divine nature and power, but the rich abundance of His mercy. As the Bridegroom of the Church, Christ chooses a wedding for His first and chief sign. The kingdom of Christ, the marriage feast of the Lamb, is a kingdom of joy because the Bridegroom has poured out His Blood to richly and abundantly forgive all your sins and crush the enemies of sin, death, and the devil. We, the Bride of Christ, in the very midst of the struggles of this fallen world, can lift up the cup of our salvation and fill our mouths with songs of joy and praise and rejoicing because we will not suffer the destruction of the fallen world. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Let us speak to one another of all the good that our Lord has done and continues to do in our midst. Let us encourage one another and strengthen one another and remind each other that we are children of the Most High God who richly and abundantly loves and provides for and protects His dear children. And let us all gather together to the marriage feast, the Holy Supper of our Bridegroom’s Body and Blood, and rejoice exceedingly with great joy around His throne. I look forward to seeing all of you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer