In areas where wine is made, there are places many go to sample the different varieties offered by each vineyard. People who are connoisseurs of wine — those who are critical judges in the matter of taste — can tell a good wine from a poor wine. The chief stew­ard in our text was one of those who knew the difference, as does the winemaker, Leigh.

After retiring from a career in special education, Leigh de­cided to take on a hobby, wine making. At first he bought grapes suitable for wine making. Then he fulfilled a dream by leasing land. There he planted, fertilized, and tenderly cared for his vines. After five years of maturity, Leigh had prime grapes to turn into wines.

Leigh did not sell his wines for profit— but donations to World Hunger were not refused. Leigh took pride in his hobby. He used wine-tasting parties thrown by friends to educate others in the appreciation of wine. These are some of the steps he takes guests through.

1.Open the wine bottle to let it breathe. Allow oxygen to enter it.

2.Clear your palette with water.

3.If using a chilled wine, the glass should be long-stemmed so that body heat will not warm the wine. If it is a red wine, use a short-stemmed glass with a wider bowl. If reusing the glass, rinse it with water and wipe it with a paper towel making sure no water is left. Never use soap!

4.Fill your glass with a small amount of wine.

5.Swirl the wine in the glass and look at its legs — the marks down the inside of the glass. If the legs are thin and few, the wine is so-so. If the legs are numerous and thick, it's a fuller and better wine.

6.Lift the glass of wine to the light to look for impurities.

7.Then put the glass under your nose (almost into it) and sniff its aroma.

8.Finally, sample the wine. Take a small amount of wine into your mouth and let it sit. Swish it around, and then spit it out! Imagine sampling ten bottles of wine and drinking a whole glass of each. Warning — gulping is hazardous to your health!

9.Saving the best for last, Leigh would serve a dessert wine that would cost about $40 a bottle followed by chocolates. It was his closing gift to friends. These parties were not a time to indulge, but times to celebrate.

Marriage festivals are times of celebration. How embarrassing it would be for the host to run out of wine. In Jesus' time, weddings were weeklong festivals, celebrating the life of the married couple. I'm sure that there were no party favors or long-stemmed goblets to give champagne toasts. The guests were many, since everybody in town was invited. It was considered an insult to refuse. Today we have a reception after a marriage ceremony and limit those invited. Imagine having to furnish food and beverage for a week for your guests! Arrangements had to be carefully planned. How embarrassing it would be for the host to run out of wine. It was not just a slip up, but it broke the laws of hospitality.

If this happened at one of our receptions, we would do all in our power to resolve the problem. So when Mary saw the distress of her host, she went immediately to Jesus to resolve it. She didn’t expect him to do a miracle, but asked that he would find more wine to solve the problem. She trusted that he would do the right thing. Jesus' answer to his mother's request is hard to understand, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour is not yet come" (John 2:4). Mary had no idea what Jesus would do, but she trusted him to do what she asked.

Mary knew her son would respond to a heartfelt need. Without further deliberation, she instructed the servants to do what her son told them. Looking around, Jesus spotted six ordinary stone water jars that were used in ceremonial washing. When full, each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water.

When the jars had been filled, he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. "A host always serves the best wine first," he said. "Then when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!" —John 2:7-10

Jesus saved the day. Like those at the wine-tasting party were surprised by the expensive dessert wine served last, the chief stew­ard was very surprised when he tasted the batch of new wine. He knew that the poorer quality of wine usually was brought out last. By that time people’s impaired taste buds and senses rarely knew the difference.

Three young women, all dressed up for an occasion, sat in the sandwich shop. "Hello, girls. Are you going to a wedding?"

 "Yes, we are. It's at Our Saviour's something church ... what's that name?"

"Oh, the one over on Crystal Lake?"

"Yeah, that's the one. The bride is a good friend. The reception is at that swanky golf club. We've heard that the food and wine are great."

"Enjoy. I'll see you there. I'm the pastor’s wife."

The three invited guests were looking forward to attending their friend's wedding and the reception following. Good food, free drinks, and dancing! It'd be a fun night. At least these friends would attend the marriage ceremony. Most invited guests today skip the wedding and head for the reception, missing the real reason for celebration.

People look everywhere but to God for excitement. Jesus at­tended wedding celebrations. In fact, in today's reading he pro­vided the wine. For some reason, people expect God to be dull and lifeless. God has a sense of humor and enjoys displaying it. God has fun at picnics and ice cream parlors. I've even seen him mak­ing hospital patients laugh. God is in everything. He gives us his best, so why not expect the best?

Taylor was excited. It was her thirteenth birthday — a mile­stone. After opening cousin Jenna's gift, a CD of her favorite singer, a gift certificate to her favorite clothing store from her older sister, and a card with $3 in change from her youngest brother, Billy(prob­ably his paper route tip money, bless him), she hoped she had saved the best for last. With eagerness she unwrapped her parents' present, praying it was that new top she wanted. She laughed with glee as she found a box that contained a box that contained another box. "Oh, you guys are jokesters. This is too small for that top I wanted."

"Open it, honey," her mother encouraged.

"I think it will pass the school dress code," her dad chuckled.

Her eyes opened with surprise as she lifted out a velvet box. Opening it, she found a beautiful birthstone necklace. A gift so unexpected, a gift given in love. A gift that was the best she'd ever received. She hugged her mom and then her dad, "I never expected this. It's beautiful. I'll never take it off." It was a gift she was to wear every day of her life.

Think about the gifts you have received throughout the years. For a birthday, marriage, anniversary, a shower, the arrival of a baby, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, and other events we celebrate. Gifts given with a lot of thought.

Hoping for a special gift on Valentine’s Day, Sonya was con­fused when she opened her gift and found an odd-looking golf club. "What is this?" she asked.

"They call it a power pod. It'll really help you improve your score," her husband exclaimed.

"You know I don't golf."

"Oh, that's right. I guess I'll have to use it," he said smiling as he went outside to practice.

On his birthday, Sonya gave a lot of thought to her husband's gift. She watched his face in amusement as he opened her gift — a certificate for a spa weekend — facial, manicure, and pedicure included.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Honey, it's for the best weekend of your life. If you don't want it, I'll use it," and she grabbed it with delight.

Jesus was at a wedding. The wine ran out. The guests would notice. The hosts would be embarrassed. What could be done? Jesus provided as he always did, and the gift of wine was appreciated, accepted, and used.

Back to our story of winemaker Leigh. He had a fond spot in his heart for his pastor’s son. He'd watched him grow up in the church from fifth grade to graduation. During his college years, he'd kept tabs on him. When the invitation came to his wedding, he remembered that Justin had enjoyed a special white Sauvignon Blanc at one of his wine-tasting parties. Leigh decided that his gift to the wedding couple would be forty bottles of wine to be used in toasting their life together as husband and wife. A gift unexpected and a gift of only the best.

Only the best! A host gift of the best dessert wine to friends. Only the best! A wedding gift at that son's reception. Only the best! A gift at a Cana wedding. Only the best! A gift given to you and given to me for the forgiveness of sin. Only the very best! The gift of holy communion.

As Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover meal, he first passed a cup of blessing. Then he took a loaf of bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in the remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).He did the same thing with the cup shared after sup­per, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new cov­enant in my blood" (Luke 22:20).

What a gift we have received. What a gift we celebrate. God gives only the best, and that costly gift is ours to share.

Open your hearts, allow Jesus to enter. Take an honest look at yourself, look at the impurities of your life, and ask God to cleanse you. Through Jesus' body (bread) and his blood (wine) you are cleansed. Only the best gift for his children, only the best God can give: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (John 3:16). Thank you, Lord, forgiving us only the best. Amen.