Fermented Fulfillment: The Miracle of New Wine

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[1:00] Thank you.

[1:30] And last week was just kind of the introduction to the series. We looked at the story of Thomas where he doubts the miraculous and the resurrected Christ appears to him and his response is, my Lord and my God.

[1:46] And that really has been the prayer for this series is that we will believe in miracles, that we will encounter miracles, and that we will more than that be amazed at the one who performs miracles and his name is Jesus Christ.

[2:00] Tonight, we're going to look at the first miracle that Jesus performed in John chapter 2. And we got a lot of ground to cover. There is so much in this passage.

[2:11] I feel like I could preach multiple sermons out of this story. And so let's get started. If you're able to stand, please do so as we honor the reading of God's word.

[2:21] And let's look here at this first miracle of Jesus in John chapter 2. It says, On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

[2:33] Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. And when the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with me?

[2:49] My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. Now, there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding about 20 or 30 gallons.

[3:07] And Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water, and they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, Now draw out some and take it to the master of the feast.

[3:19] And so they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, he did not know where it came from, although the servants who had drawn the water knew.

[3:33] And the master of the feast called the groom and said to him, Everyone serves the good wine first. And when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.

[3:45] But you have kept the good wine until now. This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

[4:10] This is God's word. Would you pray with me and for me? And let's ask God to teach us tonight. God, we're here, and we're ready. Talk to us. Speak to us from your word tonight.

[4:25] Manifest Jesus before us tonight as we look at this first miracle. To the glory of Christ we pray. And God's people said, Amen.

[4:36] Amen. You can be seated. Well, it was supposed to be one of the biggest music festivals ever organized. It had the ideal location, a tropical private island in the Bahamas.

[4:52] It had a promise of gourmet food. It was going to include local seafood and fresh sushi and roasted pig. Attenders of the party were promised that they'd be able to party with celebrities like Ja Rule, who's a rapper, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid.

[5:15] Now, for the record, I don't have a clue who any of those people are, which tells you how cool I'm not, right? But nevertheless, it didn't keep over 8,000 people from paying anywhere from the lowest ticket price of $1,200 to the highest ticket price of $12,000 because they wanted to experience the concert of a lifetime.

[5:45] And yet the Fyre Festival of 2017 turned out to be nothing like it was hyped to be. In fact, in the end, one attender was quoted as saying it was a, quote, complete nightmare.

[6:01] You see, Faith Family, when thousands of attendees arrived in the Bahamas, everything was disorganized. Rather than luxury villas that they were promised, they were given small tents with wet mattresses that had been left outside in the rain.

[6:19] Instead of all that seafood and sushi and pig roast, guess what they got? Cheese sandwiches in a styrofoam container. Rather than the concert of a lifetime, not one single A-list performer showed up.

[6:39] As you can imagine, the attendees were furious, and it wasn't long until they started leaving en masse. They posted nasty tweets.

[6:50] Videos went viral of disappointed ticket holders. Brian Burrow, who is a correspondent with Vanity Fair, said this, quote, in the concert industry, there has never been anything that remotely rivals the disaster that was the fire festival, close quote.

[7:11] Now, there's a lot of reasons for this, but one of the main ones was the promoter of the event, a man by the name of Billy McFarlane. He underestimated the logistics of organizing an event at that scale.

[7:24] His vendors told him, it's going to take well over a year to plan for an event like this, but he tried to pull it off in just a few months. It ended up costing him and his investors $26 million.

[7:43] And he spent six years in prison for fraud. Great anticipation!

[7:57] Incredible buildup! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity turned out to be a total disaster.

[8:08] Faith family, have you ever experienced anything like that? What I mean is, have you ever been a part of a situation or an event that had lots of anticipation, lots of buildup, and it turned out to be a huge disaster?

[8:24] And don't say coming to church, okay? I'll kick you, alright? I mean, you know what I mean, like you prepared your whole athletic career and then you finally got to the championship game and you got wiped out?

[8:37] It was the most important speech of your life and when the time came, you froze like a deer in headlights. You planned your whole vacation around it and when you got there, the amusement park was closed.

[8:51] It was the once-in-a-lifetime interview for the perfect job and when you did the interview, you totally bombed. You finally asked her out and she finally said yes.

[9:03] And on that date, everything that could go wrong went wrong. You planned your wedding for months and when the special day finally came, it was a disaster.

[9:15] This bride and groom are describing, of all things, their wedding. Just look at the photos. Wedding guests being loaded onto stretchers. Melissa and Jesse Abbott planned a picture-perfect reception here at this rustic lodge in upstate New York.

[9:30] The meal was served at 3 p.m. Then, three hours later, it started. Someone said, something's wrong with one of your guests, so I ran out to see what was wrong with her. She was basically in and out of consciousness.

[9:42] She was incoherent. She was vomiting and getting sick in a bag. Nearly half of Melissa and Jesse's guests became violently ill, throwing up, diarrhea. Some people even fainted.

[9:53] The bathrooms inside became so full that they actually threw tarp on the ground out here for the sick guests. Ambulances were called. All of a sudden, this beautiful reception area turned into a triage area.

[10:05] I've never been so sick in my life. My son started throwing up. And while we were trying to clean him up, my daughter started throwing up as well. Many of the guests were so violently ill, they were rushed to the local hospital.

[10:17] Doctors found they were suffering from a serious case of food poisoning called Staphylococcus aureus, or staph. It can be spread by people who don't wash their hands properly.

[10:28] The statistical analysis is pointing to the macaroni and cheese that everybody ate. Don't eat the macaroni and cheese. Can you imagine being a part of something with such expectation that ends in total disaster?

[10:52] Well, faith family, that's what's happening behind the scenes in John chapter 2. That's exactly the feeling that's taking place at this wedding.

[11:03] Look at verse 1. On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

[11:16] Now stop there for just a moment. In order for us to understand the weight of this situation, we need to know a few things about weddings in the ancient Near East. Most of you know that weddings in the ancient Near East would go on for several days, usually a week, and it was the feast to end all feasts.

[11:35] All of life would be put on hold. Everything in the village would shut down and focus on this event. There was a betrothal period where the man and woman would be considered married, and at the end of that time, the man would leave his father and mother's house.

[11:53] Where have you heard that language before? Right? Genesis. And he would go to his bride's home, and there would be like a preliminary ceremony there. When that was finished, they would go back to the groom's home for the actual wedding ceremony.

[12:08] And on the way to the groom's home, it was a processional like you wouldn't believe, usually at night. And they would be escorted with torches and bridesmaids, think of the parable in Matthew 25.

[12:22] Friends and musical instruments. And picture all this in your mind as I'm describing it. There is singing and dancing and laughter. It is an enormous spectacle.

[12:36] And then, once the wedding ceremony is complete, instead of a honeymoon, the couple would have basically what's like an open house for an entire week. They would be dressed in their best attire.

[12:48] People would bring gifts over. They would literally be treated like a king and queen. Parents, parents, would spend everything to make this event the special moment of their life.

[13:05] Now, you need to keep in mind, and I think this is a point that's often not emphasized here, is remember that people in the ancient Near East are poor. Most of them. And so what I mean here is that this is their one shot.

[13:19] This is the biggest event of their life. And there's not even a close second. It's the big game. It's the important speech. It's the big interview. If you mess this moment up, it's going to haunt you in that village for the rest of your life.

[13:36] And you thought pressure on weddings today was bad. This was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which is why what happens is so serious.

[13:49] Look at verse 3. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine.

[14:00] Boy, this party really died. That's a problem, all right? This is a serious, serious problem. Why? Because as I have just described to you, it's not just that the wedding's the most important event of their life, but the wine is the most important part of the wedding.

[14:19] Of all the things that they would have in terms of food and music, the wine was the most important thing. Faith family, these are Hebrew people.

[14:30] I don't have to describe to you the importance of wine in the Old Testament. I mean, in fact, suffice it to say that Jewish law, listen, allowed you to file a lawsuit against anyone at a wedding that didn't serve wine.

[14:49] That's how serious this was. Some of you are like, man, I wish we could do that today. My point is, and I'm doing everything I can to teach you well that this is a serious social disaster.

[15:04] As serious as anything you can imagine in the ancient Near East. And Mary understands that. Mary, the mother of Jesus, knows that this is a big problem.

[15:15] And listen, listen, listen. Jesus is the only hope. The only way out of this situation, the only way to overcome this disaster is Jesus.

[15:26] In other words, they need a miracle. And only Jesus can give them what they need. How many of you have ever been in this kind of a situation where your only hope was Jesus?

[15:42] Your only way out was Jesus. That's the context of this first miracle. Now, be honest. If you were writing the script in Hollywood, this wouldn't be the first miracle in Jesus' ministry.

[15:57] I mean, come on. Let's start with a resurrection. Amen? I mean, let's start with a healing of a leper. 150 gallons of wine? Really? That's your coming out miracle?

[16:08] That's what you're going to start this thing with? And yet, even though it feels anticlimactic at first read, as we now unpack this passage, we're going to see that this is the perfect first miracle because it teaches us who Jesus is and it teaches us what he came to do.

[16:31] Verse 11, this, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory and his disciples believed in him.

[16:46] So my question to this text is, what does this miracle manifest to us about Jesus? That's what John says. What this miracle did is it manifested his glory.

[17:00] It tells us about who he is. So what does it tell us? Number one is this, that Jesus is the source of ultimate pleasure.

[17:11] That Jesus is the source of ultimate pleasure. Now, wine. Wine. Wine in the Old Testament is a symbol, and it's literal as well, of good times, of joy, of happiness.

[17:27] It's a symbol of celebration. Let me give you just a few examples. Psalm 104, 15. Wine is given to gladden the heart of man. Isaiah 24, verse 6.

[17:39] God promises that he will give the people a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine. Amos 9, verse 14.

[17:51] God's restoration of Israel is pictured as, quote, they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine. In other words, wine in the Old Testament, it's literal and it's symbolic for joy, happiness, good times, enjoying the blessings of God.

[18:10] Now, don't misunderstand. The Bible is very clear against drunkenness. Amen? So even though the Bible, I mean, we want to have a view that the Bible holds.

[18:21] Amen? And the Bible holds that wine was a part of God's gift, God's blessing. It was a symbol of joy, but it was not to be abused.

[18:32] You're to be controlled by God, not by wine. Amen? So, the point here that I want us to see is this, that running out of wine, like what happens in John 2, is not just a social disaster, it's a practical reality in life.

[18:51] Here's what I mean. Faith, family, no matter what it is in life, the wine eventually runs out. All worldly pleasures do not last.

[19:06] That doesn't mean they're bad. That doesn't mean they're evil. Some are. It doesn't mean that they're not to be enjoyed. Here's what it means. It means they're temporary. temporary.

[19:16] And temporary things cannot satisfy you permanently. Amen? And there's no greater example of this, I think, in the Bible than the book of Ecclesiastes.

[19:28] It's why I wrote a book on that shameless plug, right? It's, I think, the best example. Look at Ecclesiastes 2, verse 1. I said in my heart, come now, and I'll test you with pleasure.

[19:41] Enjoy yourself. And behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, it is mad, and of pleasure, well, what use is it?

[19:52] I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine, my heart still guiding me with wisdom and how to lay hold on folly till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.

[20:08] The entire book of Ecclesiastes, as you know, is a search for satisfaction under the sun. To try to find meaning in life. And the conclusion after every turn is, it's vanity.

[20:24] Temporary things are good. Are you with me tonight, faith family? Temporary things are good. The things that we're to enjoy in life, it's fine, but they can't give you meaning.

[20:35] It will not give you ultimate satisfaction. You enjoy the great meal, but you'll eventually get hungry again. You enjoy that beautiful sunset, and eventually, it's going to go down.

[20:50] You go on that family vacation during the summer, and it's the best time of your life, but the vacation eventually ends. You spend 50, 60, 80 years together, and they're great years, but eventually, they pass.

[21:07] The point is, faith family, all worldly wine runs out. All worldly wine runs out.

[21:19] And that doesn't make it bad. Here's what it means. Please, listen. I'm fighting for your joy tonight. What this means is, you can't build your life on the pleasures of the world if you want lasting and forever joy.

[21:40] Maybe the best human example of this, or certainly a good example, is Ernest Hemingway. I mean, Hemingway's entire life was devoted to living it to the fullest.

[21:53] I mean, he was like the Coelith of Ecclesiastes. There was nothing he didn't try and honestly accomplish. He was successful as an author.

[22:04] He had friendships with celebrities. He traveled the world, but eventually, the wine ran out. It's sad. Here's how Carlos Baker, in his book, Hemingway, A Life, describes it.

[22:20] And I quote, Sunday morning dawned bright and cloudless. Ernest woke early, as always. He put on the red emperor's robe and padded softly down the carpeted stairway.

[22:34] The early sunlight lay in pools of the living room floor. He had noticed that the guns were locked up in the basement. The keys, as he well knew, were in the window ledge above the kitchen sink.

[22:49] He tiptoed down the basement stairs and unlocked the storage room. It smelled as dank as a grave. He chose a double-barreled boss shotgun, one that he'd used for years of pigeon hunting.

[23:04] He took some shells from one of the boxes in the storage room, closed and locked the door, and climbed the basement stairs. If he saw the bright day outside, it didn't deter him, for he crossed the living room to the front foyer, and he slipped in two shells, pressed the twin barrels against his forehead, and tripped both triggers.

[23:30] It's heartbreaking. But I'm telling you that what is true of John 2 is true of life.

[23:42] That no matter what worldly wine you go after, eventually, it runs out.

[23:52] Don't you see, Faith Family, what Jesus is manifesting in this first miracle is this. He and he alone can give you forever joy.

[24:07] Amen? Are y'all with me tonight? That Jesus alone provides the wine that never runs out. Psalm 16, verse 11, You make known to me the path of life, and in your presence there is fullness of joy.

[24:24] At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 36, 7, and 8, How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

[24:37] They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. John 10, 10, The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came that you might have life and life abundantly.

[24:56] He is the Lord of the wine and this life and in the life to come. Faith family, John 2 teaches us that in this life the wine is going to end, but in the kingdom of God the wine never ends.

[25:12] In fact, it keeps getting better and better and better and what gets served 10,000 years from today will be even sweeter. But it's not the wine.

[25:26] It's the one who has the power to turn water into wine. He is the ultimate source of pleasure.

[25:38] Now, this is just the first point and I have so much I want to say, but I want to stop for just a second and I'm going to say this. We have got to start, as I have just done, presenting Christianity differently.

[25:52] And here's what I mean. When I grew up in church, Christianity was like this. A good Christian doesn't ever enjoy anything. If you do, repent. Right?

[26:03] I mean, don't even smile at church. Right? Don't enjoy anything in life. And what I would submit to you is that that is not Christianity at all.

[26:16] The Christian response to a world searching for pleasure is not stop pursuing pleasure. The response is feast yourself on the one in whom the wine doesn't run out.

[26:31] The bar runs out. The relationship eventually runs out. The Saturday night eventually runs out. Jesus never runs out.

[26:41] Don't stop pursuing pleasure. Pursue all your pleasure in Him. Amen? This is just the first point and I'm just getting warmed up.

[26:52] Here we go. Alright? The first clear manifestation of Jesus' glory in this miracle is that He is the source of ultimate pleasure. Here's the second. Look at verse 6.

[27:04] Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

[27:17] And Jesus said to the servants fill the jars with water and they filled them up to the brim. Here's the second manifestation of Jesus that we see in this miracle and it's this.

[27:28] Jesus is the source of final purification. Jesus is the source of final purification. Now here's the question. Why in the world would Jesus choose these stone jars to fill with wine?

[27:43] Alright? Are you tracking with me? Why these jars? Who needs a hundred and fifty gallons of wine? What is He, Lutheran? I mean, come on! Nobody needs that much wine.

[27:57] Oh, that's Catholic. My bad, right? That's so much wine we could do Lutherans and Catholics. And even the Baptist might take a sip. Who knows, alright?

[28:08] But who needs this much wine? Secondly, there are plenty of other things of which you could fill. I don't know, like the empty wine containers? Thirdly, these jars, notice this image, these jars are more like bathtubs.

[28:25] Do you see how big some of those jars are? They're used for washing. In other words, this is like drinking out of the bathtub. Seriously.

[28:37] And so, the reader is meant to say, why in the world would he pick those jars? Well, these jars, according to the text, were used for religious cleansing.

[28:51] Rites of purification. Now, stop for just a second, okay? Come on, come on. Can we just note how awesome it is that Jesus doesn't waste anything? Can I get an amen, right?

[29:02] Here's what I mean. Jesus, notice this on the screen, if Jesus is going to do a miracle, Jesus is going to send a message. He is not just going to solve a problem, he's going to show you the kingdom.

[29:17] He's not going to waste this moment. So, he intentionally picks these large jars, bathtub-like things that the religious leaders used for ceremonial washing.

[29:32] The religious leaders would cleanse themselves before their priestly duties and they would use these big, giant jars to clean. What is Jesus doing?

[29:47] This is so good. I may be the only one excited, but I'll be excited for you. Notice it on the screen. that just as the wine of life eventually runs out, so has the old covenant.

[30:03] Just as the wine of life, wine represents joy in life, just as that runs out and Jesus is the only one that can give you true joy, the old covenant has run its course.

[30:19] That just as wine can't bring you lasting joy, the old covenant can't bring you lasting forgiveness. The writer of Hebrews says, it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to remove sin.

[30:30] This miracle is manifesting the purpose for which Jesus came into the world, namely, to cleanse you of all your sins.

[30:43] Hebrews chapter 1 verse 3, He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down.

[30:58] Why? Because it's finished at the right hand of the majesty on high. Faith family, Jesus is not only the one that can give you true joy, He's the only one that can wash you as white as snow.

[31:11] religion cannot do that. Rituals cannot do that. Morality cannot do that. What can wash away my sin?

[31:23] Say it because you just sing it. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Is anybody excited tonight?

[31:35] Come on, are you kidding me? You look at me like, oh, I'm not talking about their sin, I'm talking about yours. I'm talking about the crap you've done.

[31:50] I'm talking about your failures. I'm talking about the things that you're embarrassed about. Jesus says, all of the religious rituals that pointed you to purification cannot get you clean.

[32:10] I can. I am doing a miracle. It's a miracle of forgiveness and it will wash you white as snow.

[32:22] And you say, do you have any proof of this in the text? I'm glad you asked in the time that we don't have. Let me give you the reasons that I see. I'm going to give you two clues. I think there's more, but these two I think are obvious.

[32:36] The first is in verse three. Here's the first clue that Jesus is talking about his work of purification. Verse three, when the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine.

[32:47] And Jesus said to her, woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. Now, if your translation says my time has not yet come, the literal reading here is hour, and that's significant.

[33:01] Jesus here is not disrespecting Mary when he calls her woman, but he is disappointed that she doesn't understand that his work of redemption is not ready. It's not time.

[33:12] On the surface reading, it appears like Jesus is saying, woman, don't you understand that I'm not going to do a miracle? The time is not yet for me to do a miracle. But then why does he turn around and do a miracle?

[33:26] Jesus here is actually pointing us to something else, and that's why that phrase, my hour has not yet come. Because as you continue reading through the rest of the Gospel of John, what you will discover is that every time that phrase, my hour has come, or my hour has not yet come, it's referring to his death.

[33:50] John 7 30, John 8 20, John 12 23, John 13 1, if you want those references. Here's what Jesus is saying, I will not do the ultimate act of purification now, but I will give you a picture of it.

[34:06] I will not do the ultimate work of forgiveness now, but I will give you a sign of it. That's the first clue, my hour has not yet come.

[34:17] Here's the second clue, and I think it's a bit obvious, particularly if you know the background. Look at verse 1. Everybody say this with me, say what's in purple. On the third day.

[34:31] Hello! Antennas might want to go up on this one, alright? That ought to mean something. What does on the third day mean? Well, first of all, the third day in Jewish life symbolized the birth of something new.

[34:47] This is all throughout the Old Testament. Give me just a second here. The third day of creation, plant life and vegetation came forth. It was the third day that Abraham was brought to the spot where a covenant would be made with him.

[35:00] It was the third day that God meets Israel at Sinai and makes a covenant with them. It was the third day that the Lord revives Israel in the book of Hosea.

[35:11] It was the third day that Jonah was brought up from the pit of the great fish and given new life. John is deliberately mentioning here that the wedding is on a third day.

[35:22] By the way, a lot of Jewish weddings were on the third day because on that wedding you're entering into a new covenant. What is John doing? He's preparing us for the ultimate third day when Jesus will rise from the dead and purify his people forever and he will offer us a new covenant for all who will believe.

[35:51] And God's people said, Amen. Amen. In other words, the clues in the text of my hour has not yet come and on the third day is when this wedding is happening.

[36:02] It's pointing you in this sign, the first of which Jesus does, to the ultimate third day, the ultimate work of purification where Jesus will finish the sacrifice for your sins once and for all.

[36:23] Put it on the screen. only Jesus can give you lasting joy and only Jesus can make you right with God. The miracle of forgiveness can only be performed by Jesus.

[36:38] Can I just ask you two things quickly and then we'll move to the last point. Do you have joy? Stop all the nonsense. do you have joy?

[36:53] Come and drink by faith in Jesus Christ tonight. Why are you messing around with broken cisterns that can hold no water when Jesus is saying come and drink?

[37:10] have you dealt with your sin once and for all? Have you been forgiven of everything that you will do and everything you have done?

[37:28] Come to Jesus and drink. He will wash you white as snow. This isn't a game and I'm not up here trying to give you an entertaining sermon.

[37:44] I'm after your joy and I want you forgiven forever and only Jesus does that miracle. Are you with me? Only Jesus does that miracle.

[37:58] One last manifestation that I want to point out in verse 9 and 10. Verse 9 and 10. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine he didn't know where it came from.

[38:12] Although the servants who drew the water they knew the master of the feast calls the groom underline that that's important and here's what he says to him everybody serves the good wine first I mean because when people have drunk freely and they can't tell anymore then you bring out the poor wine but you've kept the good stuff until now.

[38:39] Here's the third manifestation that I want us to see and that is that Jesus is the source of righteous perfection. Jesus is the source of righteous perfection and you may say okay listen I get the other two the purification that's clearly seen in the text and the joy yeah I get that the whole wine thing I don't know that I see this one I don't what do you mean the righteous perfection well here's what you need to know why does right here listen listen listen come here come here why does the master of the the ceremonies the one who's kind of in charge of making sure everybody's having a good time why does he speak to the groom why does he call the groom forward to address this listen because it was the groom's responsibility for the wine in other words the groom unbeknownst to everybody else totally blew it the mistake is his he is a total failure in this moment and I don't know why they ran out of wine

[39:48] I don't know if like Billy McFarlane and the fire festival they didn't plan for enough or maybe he just didn't care I don't really know what the reason is but I know this from the text this groom should have been exposed for the failure he is like he's literally he is seconds he is moments from being seen by everybody in the village as an absolute total failure he's gonna go down in the record books of that guy that didn't have enough wine that's his story the rest of his life but what happens instead Jesus steps in and does what he couldn't do Jesus steps in and makes up the difference of the failure of this groom in other words notice this on the screen like the wine that runs out and like the old covenant that runs out the groom's performance ran out and then the real groom stepped in and provided the performance that was needed far greater than that num-num the original groom could have ever done amen and the point is faith family is that all of us are this groom all of us are this guy we have failed in so many ways as husbands and fathers and moms and wives and church members and pastors and business owners and citizens we have failed in big ways and small ways and lots of ways amen is there anybody here that hasn't failed okay good all right just making sure the good news of the gospel is this that when our obedience fails

[41:45] Jesus his obedience fulfills Jesus steps in for us when our righteousness runs out we like the groom deserve shame and embarrassment but what we get is blessing and honor look at this on the screen the groom went this is so under emphasized in this passage the groom went from deserving social shame to social hero because Jesus did for him what he couldn't do think about that he's about to be known for a numb numb and now he's the talk of the party where'd you get this wine and why did you save it to the end that's brilliant and everybody's gonna walk away giving him a status he doesn't deserve and that's the gospel that's my story amen and that's your story that we have been given the righteousness of Jesus the real groom at the wedding provides for us where our life falls short that's the gospel so I end tonight by saying that after studying this passage it makes perfect sense why this is his first miracle we don't have to start with a resurrection we don't have to start with healing leper let's start with this because in this we see the clearest picture of the gospel here's the summary on the screen that you and I are imperfect grooms living in a world where the wine runs out we are sinful people living in a world of temporary pleasures but if we are willing to be married to Christ the true groom by faith he will not only give us wine that overflows wine that never runs out and wine that keeps getting better and better he will purify us from all our sin and instead of shame for our failures he gives us status in his kingdom forever that's the gospel that's the first miracle of Jesus and how is that reality possible it's possible because the one that filled every single cup in Cana drank every last drop at

[44:41] Calvary faith family John chapter 2 is not the only time the wine ran out do you remember the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus asked if the cup could pass and yet!

[45:02] and yet it was the father's will that the wine run out on his son the good news of the gospel is that Jesus drank the wine of God's wrath so that according to Revelation 19 someday at the marriage supper of the lamb you will drink from the cup of God's grace and it will get better and better and better forever and all God's people said amen pray with me pray with me God thank you for what you've taught us tonight in this first miracle thank you for how you have manifested Jesus before us in this text and we can study and we can get all technical but what it comes down to is tonight do we have joy have we experienced the forgiveness of our sins have we come to the point where we realize that we have failed and only

[46:23] Jesus righteousness is enough for us the miracle of salvation is the miracle you want to do in our lives tonight and for those that have experienced that miracle of salvation oh that tonight we would drink and enjoy and celebrate all that is ours in Jesus oh let us toast in preparation for a toast one day with all of your redeemed at the table this is the kingdom of God and it is the best news in the world give us faith like the disciples to believe what tonight we have seen in Jesus name we pray amen