This original goodness is ruined by sin: Genesis 3 describes the fall of humanity not in abstract or even just in individual terms but as a failure in a marriage relationship. The first human beings exchange the truth of being in God's image but different, separate from and subject to God, for the lie that they can be "like God". They reject the rightful authority of the Father and reach out for the thing that they were warned against, thinking that this would bring them an alternative reality of 'freedom from oppressive laws' as Satan suggested, but instead it brought shame and exclusion. The rest of the OT is about God's action to re-include those who don't deserve it, through a community of believers -- and looks forward to a time of re-inclusion of people from every nation.

Fast forward to the Gospel of John. The first two chapters echo and allude to Genesis 1 and 2. We have learned in Genesis that the Spirit is with the Father at creation: in his prologue John shows how the eternal divine Son was also with God in the beginning. As reality began in spiritual form and then the material universe was created, so the Word became flesh. As God's creative activity was divided into "days", so in John 1 we see a narrative developing on different days: John the Baptist identifies Jesus, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, then Philip and Nathanael. Human beings in relationship with the Christ.

Chapter 2 begins "on the third day". The third day from what? Looking back (1:29; 35; 43), it is the third day from the third day. The sixth day. And where is the incarnate Word, the one sent to re-create what has been devastated by the fall? Attending a wedding. Though we don't know the names of those getting married, the strong echo of Genesis 1 and 2 is unmistakeable.

A man and woman in relationship under God, doing his will, tending to his creation, with potential for producing new life -- this is the pinnacle of God's creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Men and women, different from each other but brought together in special fruitful relationship. Individuals relating to God in whose image they are made, but very different from him.

That's why marriage between man and woman is a symbol of humanity's relationship with God. So on one level John 2:1-11 is a simple village ceremony where Jesus is present to bless two people's love for each other. But it also points to something spiritual, to the eternal relationship that God made all of us for. That relationship was damaged at the Fall, but God worked to restore it, supremely by sending his Son to re-connect at such terrible cost to himself, but with such fruitful results for us.

So Jesus is at a wedding, meaning he's wanting to renew and bless again God's plan for harmonious and fruitful humanity. But what about the wine? We are told that in this wedding feast, they had run out of wine. The Bible warns against the dangers of too much alcohol and drunkenness, but also sees wine as a good thing, and a symbol of celebration and happiness in community. If the wine has run out, it means not just that the party is losing its swing and the hosts are embarrassed -- but it's a picture of humanity, created by God and for God, but the "Spirit" has gone. We're carrying on with life but God has got lost somewhere.

Here is a wedding symbolizing and remembering God's final great act of creation -- man and women in his image, different but coming together in intimate partnership for fruitfulness and stewardship. God is present, but incognito, and sees that the wine -- the spiritual heart of celebration and shalom -- has gone. V6 mentions jars were used to hold water for Jewish purification ceremonies. They are empty.

Religious ceremonies, whether Jewish, Christian or otherwise, only point to the spiritual, supernatural dimension to life -- they cannot in themselves connect us to the life of God. What Jesus has come to do is to restore the 'God dimension' to our humanity which religious works in themselves can't do. But of course at that time in the story Jesus had not yet gone to the cross to die for our sins, he had not yet risen from the dead, breaking through death and showing God's plans for eternal life for all who believe in him; he had not yet sent the Holy Spirit -- so at that time his hour had not yet come. But for us it has come!

So Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding is a picture of a divine restoration of humanity as originally intended: communities of celebration in relationship with God the Father who saves, communicates and sustains by his Word, built on the foundation of men and women in happy marriages. Instead of worship and witness being confined to empty religious forms, the presence and the truth of Christ and the free flowing new wine of the Spirit spill over into the whole of life. This is what churches are called to model.

But of course this brings huge questions for our day. What about people who are not married, and what about same sex marriage? Here are some brief thoughts:

Marriage between man and woman is a picture of salvation -- it shouldn't become an idol in place of salvation. It's supposed to remind us of eternal life with God -- it shouldn't make us satisfied with human life without God.

Being single, especially in the form of people who have not married, is not being incomplete. Jesus was single. But he related to women and men, had friendships in life giving and holy way, keeping within guidelines of God's word. And single people can be available to be productive in serving the community in ways that married people can't. Both marriage and singleness is a calling from God, with great blessings but also real challenges, so both need support.

The whole area of marriage, sex, relationships, family, has been corrupted by sin. For example, in marriage: power plays, manipulation and bullying; human "love" without the wine of the presence of God, living in denial of his truth. And outside marriage, the pull of sexual immorality -- according to Scripture any sexual relationship (and according to Jesus, any sexual fantasy) outside monogamous heterosexual marriage.

In the light of the clear teaching of the first two chapters of Genesis and John about God, creation, humanity, sin and salvation, the concept of "same sex marriage" simply does not fit. As Professor Robert Gagnon has pointed out, it would require an alternative creation narrative. Romans 1:25-27 suggests that same sex unions come from Genesis 3:5 rather than Genesis 1:27 or 2:24.

This is not about a religion of rules. Both Genesis and John show that God is pro humanity. He is pro life, pro marriage, pro people, pro you and me. He wants to draw us to himself -- he sent Jesus to forgive what we've done wrong and bring his pure perfect life into our relationships and our emotions.

However, God the Trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, wants us to flourish, not to put ourselves at risk in terms of spiritual, physical or mental health. He is against anything which diminishes us and prevents us from thriving in his image, even if it seems in the short term to feel right.

Surrounded as we are by controversial questions about marriage, it's tempting to follow the teachings of the culture, or keep our heads down and say nothing about it. But the issues should give the church a great opportunity to try to explain and demonstrate what the Bible says about who God is and who we are as human beings, designed in his image, and destined for a heavenly union which is what we are created to yearn for.

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