SO, WHAT DOES THIS MATTER TO ME?


John 2:1-11
2 Corinthians 13:4-13

 A scripture passage commonly read as part of a wedding ceremony, a story of a wedding in a far away land a long time ago -- together, they answer the question, "So, what does this matter to me?"

There's a knock at your office door  ... your phone begins vibrating in the middle of level thirty-four of your favorite video game ... the door bell breaks the peace you're enjoying after a long day ... someone corners you at a party ...  your mother whispers in your ear, "they've run out of wine ..."

There are times when all is right in our world until someone interrupts it with their problems.  Why should it concern us?  Really, it's none of our business.  And why would we want to bet involved any way?  We don't want the bother or the sacrifice of our valuable to our time,  to commit our emotions and resources to something that doesn't seem that important to us.

Jesus answered Mary, "Is that any of our of our business, Mother -- yours or mine?."

What did it matter to Jesus if the wedding party was going to be cut short because they ran out of wine?  Why perform a miracle at a social event, when no one except the his mother, the servants and his disciples would know what Jesus did?

Some would say that it was to prove to his disciples he was the "real deal."  But I think there's someone else he was concerned about.

Jesus asks the question, "What does this matter to us," which Mary answers by telling the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do.  See, this isn't a refusal on Jesus part, but rather a quiet demonstration of what it means to love one another as Christ loves us.

What matters to Jesus is what it matters to someone else.  Without drawing a lot of attention to himself, he gave the newly wedded couple a wonderful day to remember by saving them from being publically humiliated.

Yes, God loves us that much.

The love of God which Jesus showed the world is one that is other-centered.  It risks the cost of taking the needs of others into consideration, sometimes even above our own.

While I Corinthians 13 has been somewhat romanticized, Paul wrote it to the Christians of Corinth to explain what the love of Christ was like, the love that defeated sin and death.

Love (see 1 Corinthians 13:37, The Message):
  • Never gives up.
  • Cares more for others than for self.
  • Doesn't want what it doesn't have.
  • Doesn't strut around and brag.
  • Doesn't have a swelled head.
  • Doesn't force its will on others
  • Isn't always, "me first."
  • Chooses to be patient rather than fly off the handle.
  • Doesn't keep score of wrongs.
  • Doesn't revel at someone's  misfortune and humiliation.
  • Is empathetic and compassionate about the behavior of others.
To love like others as we have been loved by Christ means being willing to set aside "self," and to be attentively and intentionally listening to others with one ear to Jesus for discernment and guidance.  When we do that, we are able to understand both the concerns and needs of the "other" as well as their feelings.

The steward at the complimented the bridegroom for saving the best wine for last rather than offering his guests second-best.  When we answer the question, "So, what does this matter to me?' with "It matters to me because it matters to you," we bring our very best to our relationships, our church, our community, our ministry of sharing Christ's love, and our giving.  




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