To make it real easy, the text for this morning is on the back of your bulletin.
So if you can read that fairly small print or turn in your Bibles, you can take a look at
that. We're going to be looking at what happened in John chapter 2.
All right, here's the text.
On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.
And the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine.
And Jesus said to her, woman, what does that have to do with me?
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 20 or 30 gallons.
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 some out and take it to the master of the feast.
So they took it.
When the master of the feast tasted the water, now become wine,
and did not know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew,
the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,
everyone serves the good wine first.
And when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.
But you have kept the good wine until now.
This is the first of his signs.
Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory.
And his disciples believed in him.
After this, he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples,
and they stayed there for a few days.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for this text.
Thank you for the opportunity to look at it together.
May we see the glory of Jesus in this text.
And then may we also see what your glory, being beheld by us, does to us.
We pray in your name.
Amen.
Well, of all of the miracles in the gospel accounts,
this may be the most difficult to understand.
Not because it's hard to understand what Jesus did,
but why he did it at all.
I mean, of all the things Jesus could have done,
why did he choose to do the first miracle at a small-town wedding?
And why did it have to involve wine?
And not just a little.
Further, the wedding was a human celebration
with little or no obvious spiritual connotation or application.
Many preachers of the Bible and Bible teachers
go to an effort to try to make this text
into some kind of allegorical story
about our joy in Christ, which gets better through time.
But I'm not convinced that was the purpose of the text.
It's important to know what John is doing
and why he includes this as he does.
He began with a thesis statement.
You've heard Pastor Mike say this a number of times
from John 1, verses 1 to 18,
declaring that Jesus is God in human flesh.
And then the last, toward the end of John's gospel,
really the theme of the gospel,
really the purpose for which he wrote the gospel,
in chapter 20, verse 30 and 31, say this.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book,
but these are written so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing, you may have life in his name.
That's why he wrote the book.
And that's why he included a number of signs in the book
to bring us to that conclusion.
So this first miraculous sign must have been designated
to make us know who Jesus is
by seeing something of his glory
and to respond to his salvation by faith.
So does this account do that?
That's the question.
This account is about a real wedding
in a real place with real people.
John specifically picked this miraculous sign
over many others.
Jesus did many, many miracles.
If you read the other gospels,
you'll see many, many more.
Why did John pick this one and the ones he picked?
Well, this would build the framework
of John's conclusion concerning Jesus
as the Messiah and the Savior.
But a bit of background before we continue.
The seven signs that John recorded,
which were done in the presence of his disciples,
were actually all leading up to showing us
something about who Jesus is,
that he is the Christ,
and that by believing in him,
we might have life through his name.
So with some help from a commentator
by the name of Merrill Tenney,
in an old commentary back many, many years ago,
he was writing and he was saying
that this first sign
actually demonstrated Jesus
as the master of quality,
accomplishing instantaneously
what would have taken months
to be accomplished.
And it showed Jesus as the Lord of glory.
The second sign in John chapter 4,
healing of the noble man's son,
that's an interesting one
because Jesus healed him,
but he was 20 miles away from him
when it happened.
Well, that demonstrated that Jesus
is the master of space and distance.
And Jesus healed him with his word.
And so the first miracle told us something
about the glory of God.
The second miracle told us something
about the true and living word of God.
The third sign in John chapter 5,
the healing of the impotent man
who had been waiting for 38 years
to be put into the water,
into the fountain there,
into the pool,
demonstrated Jesus as the master of time.
And it showed us that he was Lord
over the Sabbath.
The fourth sign was the feeding of the 5,000.
Showed us mastery,
the master of quantity.
Remember, Jesus took one little boy's snack
and turned it into enough
to feed 5,000 men plus women and children.
What did it tell us about that?
Well, Jesus actually preached a message
in the context of that miracle.
He's the bread of life.
The fifth sign, walking on water,
said something about Jesus being
the master of natural forces.
Remember, Jesus was in the boat.
He was asleep.
Storm, don't you care that we perish?
Says his disciples.
He speaks.
The waters go flat.
Peace.
Jesus is the God of peace.
The sixth sign,
the healing of a man born blind,
answered the question
why this man was afflicted.
Did he sin or was it because of his parents?
Well, this demonstrated Jesus
as the master of misfortune.
But showed us that Jesus
is the light of the world.
The seventh sign,
the raising of Lazarus from the dead,
demonstrated that Jesus
is master of death or over death.
He is the resurrection and the life.
So these seven signs together
were chosen that we might believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God,
and that by believing
we may have life in his name.
So let's find out
what there is about this first sign
that will lead us to that conclusion.
Unlike some miracles,
such as the feeding of the 5,000,
this one has no supporting dialogue
or discourse
to help us zero in
on the meaning of the miracle.
Does this miracle declare Jesus
to be the Lord of glory,
drawing us to believe
that he is the Christ?
Is that what this does?
I suggest that this miracle
establishes the base,
the groundwork,
on which we are going to build
the case of who Jesus is,
that of his glory.
This case is built
on a human connection,
it's built on the miracle itself,
and then the revelation
of the Lord following the miracle.
So that's where we're headed.
Alright, let's start
with the human connection.
So here we are at a wedding,
Jesus and a wedding.
This first sign
that Jesus performs
is not in a synagogue,
it's not in the temple,
it's not at a funeral
raising the dead,
it's not in an infirmary
healing the sick,
it's at a wedding
in a small town
not far from the town
where Jesus grew up.
It was in a place
where everyone knew
everyone else.
It involved refreshment
and the sparing
of family embarrassment.
We'll get to that in a bit.
Perhaps our first reaction
is to assign
some more spiritual application,
but maybe we ought to resist
that temptation
and read more
into this text,
not to read more
into this text than it's there,
but to read the text
and actually see
what is there,
what is in front of us.
So this was a real wedding
and Jesus,
his mother,
his disciples,
and himself
all were there
to attend
and then to do
such a miraculous sign
actually removes
a picture of Jesus
that some might
think
like some kind of
a cloistered rabbi
or something,
but it wasn't Jesus.
In fact,
it may have added
to the rumored
reputation
of Jesus
being a white bibber
and a glutton,
said some of his enemies.
Anyway,
Jesus' attendance
affirms his approval
of the institution
of marriage.
Well,
that's a needed issue
throughout times,
even today.
It reminds us
that Jesus was
fully human
in every way,
even attending
parties
and family celebrations.
I should make
some observations
about first century
Middle Eastern weddings.
It was a celebration.
Now,
we have weddings today.
We go to weddings
and after the ceremony,
after the exchange
of vows
and so forth,
then usually
there is some kind
of a party.
There is a reception.
There is a time
where there is laughter
and joy
and sometimes dancing
and there's
all kinds of things
happening.
Food,
refreshment,
all kinds of things.
And how long
does that last?
A few hours maybe
and then we go home.
Middle Eastern weddings
were not quite that way.
They could last
even up to
a week.
Can you imagine that?
And then
also at these weddings,
wine was considered
to be a necessity
on those occasions.
To run out of wine
was a serious issue.
It was a social
embarrassment.
And this is interesting.
It can also become
a legal matter
because if
the wine ran out,
relatives of the bride
might, in fact,
sue
their daughter's
husband's family
for running out
of wine.
See, the groom
bore the financial
responsibility
for the wedding.
Now, if you have
daughters,
you would probably
love to have that
one reinstated.
But anyway,
the groom was
responsible for the
payment of this
grand party.
whatever else we
can say about this,
Jesus was
absolutely
in normal
human life.
Now, let's talk
a little bit about
Jesus and Mary.
Recorded here
is a conversation
and then some action.
So, what do we
make of this?
Jesus asked,
or Mary asked
and Jesus kindly,
though nevertheless
pointedly,
rebukes her,
reminding her
that something
had changed.
In verse 4,
when he says
woman,
that's not
necessarily
an endearing term,
though neither
is it necessarily
a derogatory term.
Like, woman?
I doubt that he
said that,
that way.
But Jesus
uses the term
in another place
in the Bible.
You remember when
Jesus was hanging
on the cross?
And as he's
hanging there,
he
talks to
John,
his disciple,
and he also
speaks to Mary.
And he says,
woman,
behold your son.
He wasn't talking
about himself.
He was talking
about John.
He was leaving
the care of his
earthly mother
in the hands
of his disciple.
So, it wasn't
derogatory necessarily,
but at any rate,
it might seem
a bit odd
for Jesus
to say that,
say this
to his earthly
mother.
By the way,
the apostle John
does not name
Mary in his
gospel.
He also
does not name
himself in his
gospel.
Perhaps that was
done so as not
to, for Mary,
so as not to
confuse her,
the mother of
Jesus,
with several other
people named Mary.
If you ever
spend any time
reading the New
Testament,
you probably
come to the
conclusion that
every other woman
in the New
Testament's name
was Mary,
but there's a
lot of them,
but so he
doesn't mention
her name,
but anyway,
what we have
here,
and this is
important,
it's a reminder
by Jesus
that his
ministry shall
ever be free
of any kind
of human
advice,
agenda,
or manipulation.
His purpose,
and he made
clear many times
his purpose
was to do
his Father's
will,
the Heavenly
Father.
That's an
important point.
Though Mary
had precious
responsibility
during Jesus'
earthly life,
she could no
longer view him
in the same way
that she may
have earlier.
There were no
prerogatives of
motherhood in
relation to
Jesus.
In fact,
everywhere she
appears,
Jesus puts
distance between
himself and
his earthly
family.
See,
Mary,
like every
other person,
would have to
come to him
as a sinner.
She would have
to recognize
him as the
Messiah,
the Lamb of
God who takes
away the sin
of the world.
Neither she
nor anyone
else could
claim any
kind of inside
track to
Jesus.
When Mary
approached Jesus
as his mother,
she was
reproached.
After a mild
rebuke,
she shook
it off and
told the
servants to
do whatever
he said.
In other
words,
when she
responded to
Jesus as a
believer,
her faith
was honored.
And then
Jesus said,
my hour has
not yet
come.
That referred
to Jesus'
death on the
cross and
his exaltation
bound up with
that.
In fact,
there are a
number of
places where
he mentions
that term.
If you move
forward in the
gospel,
in chapter 7,
the scripture
says,
they were
seeking to
arrest him,
but no one
laid a hand
on him
because his
hour had
not yet
come.
Chapter 8,
verse 20,
in John's
gospel.
These words
he spoke in
the treasury
as he taught
in the temple,
but no one
arrested him
because his
hour had
not yet
come.
Chapter 12,
verse 23,
the hour
has come
for the
Son of
Man to
be glorified.
Same
chapter.
Now is
my soul
troubled,
and what
shall I
say?
Father,
save me
from this
hour,
but for
this purpose
I have
come to
this hour.
Chapter 13,
verse 1,
this is the
time when
Jesus is with
his disciples
in the
upper room.
Now before
the feast
of Passover,
when Jesus
knew that
his hour
had come
to depart
out of the
world to
the Father,
having loved
his own
who were
in the
world,
he loved
them to
the end.
And then
in that
prayer that
Jesus prayed
to the
Father in
John 17,
verse 1,
it says,
Father,
the hour
has come.
Glorify
your Son
that the
Son may
glorify you.
So Jesus
was saying
that what
was to
come was
his focus.
This wasn't
that.
The fact
that he
ran out
of wine
wasn't
that,
that wasn't
his hour.
That's not
the point.
But there
was a
request and
there was a
miracle.
And so what
is all this
about?
So let's
look at the
supernatural
demonstration
here.
Let's start
with what
the miracle
was.
Whatever
else we do
with this
account,
Jesus does
do a
miracle.
Now there
was an
Old Testament
connection
between
weddings and
wine and
the coming
of Messiah,
believe it or
not,
in the
Messianic
age.
You could
find a
little bit
of that
in Jeremiah
chapter 31,
a little bit
in Hosea
chapter 14.
There's also
some interesting
connections with
this in Amos
chapter 9.
I'm going to
read a few
verses from
there.
Behold,
the days are
coming,
declares the
Lord,
when the
plowman shall
overtake the
reaper,
and the
treader of
grapes,
he who
sows the
seed.
The
mountains
shall drip
sweet wine,
and all the
hills shall
flow with it.
I will
restore the
fortunes of
my people
Israel,
and they
shall rebuild
the ruined
cities and
inhabit them,
and they
shall plant
vineyards and
drink their
wine,
and they
shall make
gardens and
eat their
fruit.
I will
plant them
on their
land,
and they
shall never
again be
uprooted out
of the land
that I have
given them,
says the
Lord your
God.
In other
words,
Jesus makes
it clear that
his time had
not yet come,
but this is a
solid statement
regarding the
identity of
him coming
ultimately as
the Messiah to
establish his
kingdom.
His glory is
about to show
up.
So the
narrative is
fairly easy to
understand.
Again, it's a
wedding, the
wine is gone,
and the host is
about to be
greatly embarrassed.
Mary speaks to
Jesus.
Why did Mary go
to Jesus?
Was she
expecting him to
do a miracle?
Keep in mind,
what does the
scripture say in
this text about
this miracle?
It was the
first one.
Jesus hadn't
done any
miracles yet.
So it's
probably not
that.
Perhaps
whenever there
was a problem
at home,
she may have
turned to him
for help or
counsel or
advice.
We don't
know.
But certainly
Jesus always
gave good
counsel and
he was always
compassionate
toward others.
Mary simply
said they have
no wine.
Jesus reminded
her of her
place and
his place and
then he gave
the servants
the assignment.
Fill six stone
water pots.
And they do
that.
Now think about
that.
These big pots,
20 to 30
gallons, and
six of those
are filled.
That's pretty
interesting.
And the
servants know
that they put
water in the
pots, right?
Okay.
So they do it.
So he gives
the second
assignment.
Draw some out
for the master
of the banquet.
I wonder what
they were thinking
right about then.
Oh, this is not
going to be good.
They do.
And the water
is now wine.
But not just
any wine.
The best wine.
So what's the
miracle point
to?
Well, again,
resisting the
temptation to go
beyond the
text.
I think we can
say with some
confidence that
there may be
some symbolism
here.
The water pots
were to hold
water for
ceremonial washings
or cleansings.
What Jesus did
was to replace
that situation,
those ceremonial
cleansings,
with something
new and
something better.
In chapter 1,
verses 16 and
17 of the
Gospel of John,
Mike mentioned
this a number
of times.
For from his
fullness we have
received grace
upon grace.
For the law
was given
through Moses,
grace and
truth came
through Jesus
Christ.
In other words,
something new,
something better.
So there's
coming a day
when Jesus
shall supply all
that's needed
at a great
banquet at a
Messianic,
as the best
Messianic bridegroom.
Though the time
has not yet
come,
come it will.
Certainly this
is true,
but does this
miracle have
anything to do
with that?
Well,
some would also
suggest that
just the sheer
quantity of wine
might speak of
the lavish
provision of
the age to
come,
perhaps.
But whatever
else we can
make of this
event,
this is the
beginning of
the unveiling
of God.
That is,
God who is
now veiled
in human
flesh.
And this
leads to the
final point,
the divine
revelation.
Jesus,
the Messiah.
Remember that
John had said
about these
signs and the
design for
them.
These signs
would give
ample proof
that Jesus
was the
Christ,
the
anointed
one,
the Messiah.
The miracle
was more
than just a
great
demonstration
of Jesus'
power.
This was a
revelation of
his deity.
Keep in
mind that
this is
the bridge
between
Jesus'
private life
and his
public
ministry.
See,
people knew
him,
but they
didn't really
know him.
Actually,
this was only
a semi-public
because only a
few people
knew what
happened.
Most had
no idea.
They just
thought the
wedding host
had saved
the best
wine for
last.
And then
there's Jesus
the glory.
John declares
this to be
the first
of Jesus'
miraculous
signs.
What does
first mean?
I got
first in
the race.
That never
happened,
really,
but I got
first in
the race.
That would
be chronological.
First one
across the
line.
But first
can also
mean primary.
That is,
most important.
Perhaps
John was
saying that
this miracle
was of
primary
importance
because it
pointed to
something
altogether
new.
You see,
something new
was happening
here of
great importance.
And so
what we're
doing is
we're building
the foundation
of showing
the glory
of God
as Jesus
presents
himself.
What John
said in
chapter 1
verse 14,
we have
seen his
glory full
of grace
and truth
is here
inaugurated.
By this
first sign,
Jesus revealed
something of
his glory.
Though his
glory would
be revealed
in greater
measure in
his cross
work and
the resurrection
and his
exaltation,
every step
along the
way
shows us
this course
of his
ministry
is marked
by glory.
Particularly
the disciples
and we
who read
the gospel
accounts
are given
an unfolding
picture
of the
revelation
of his
glory.
It
basically
begins
here.
So the
servants,
when they
saw the
sign
that happened,
they saw
that,
but they
didn't see
the glory.
The
disciples
perceived
Jesus'
glory
behind
the
sign
and
they
put
their
faith
in
him.
It
was
early
and
there
would
be
many
more
signs,
but this
is the
beginning
of the
revelation
of his
glory.
That's
why John
includes
this story
of the
miraculous
wedding
wine.
Do you
see
something
of his
glory?
Jesus
is starting
to show
who he
is.
Now
remember
these things
were written
that we
might believe
that Jesus
is the
Son of
God
and that by
believing we
might have
life in
his name.
That was the
effect of this
miracle and
the others that
John recorded
on the lives
of his
disciples.
It's not the
miracles per se
that caused
people to
believe.
Miracles do
not in
themselves
produce
faith.
But the
miracles revealed
the person
of Christ
Christ.
And when
the disciples
saw who
he was
they saw
him for
who he
was.
They saw
his glory
and they
continued to
place their
trust in
him.
Throughout
Jesus'
ministry he
manifested
his glory.
Some saw
it and
believed.
Others
were present
but did
they see
it?
They
know some
of them even
called for
his death.
Today
through the
pages of
scripture and
in the
proclamation of
the word we
can see his
glory.
Some believe
some turn
away.
But whatever
our response
to the glory
of God is
it is glory
and he is
God.
Reject him
and you've
rejected the
God of glory.
Receive him
and you have
received the
God of glory.
glory.
So who
could
wondrously
save you
and bring
you all
the way
home to
his glorious
presence?
This
glorious
God.
And all
along the
way if we
are paying
attention we
can see his
glory and
there's more.
This I find
interesting.
Paul picks up
this theme
and he says
this.
Just listen to
what he said
to the
Corinthians in
the second
letter in
chapter 3.
And we
all with
unveiled face
beholding the
glory of
the Lord
are being
transformed
into the
same image
from one
degree of
glory to
another.
It's not
just seeing
the glory of
God.
When we see
it God is
changing us
to make us
more like
him.
And so
as Paul said
we are being
transformed
into that
same image
from one
degree of
glory to
another.
The commentator
that I mentioned
at the beginning
of this message
had this to
say about
these miracles.
These seven
miracles then
are preeminently
signs because
they point to
those aspects
of Jesus'
ministry in
which he
demonstrated
his transcendent
control over
the factors of
life with
which man is
unable to
cope.
Quality,
space,
time,
quantity,
natural law,
misfortune,
and death
circumscribe
humanity's
world.
Daily
existence is
a struggle
against these
limitations.
Christ's
superiority over
them as
revealed in
these events
called signs
was proof
of his deity
and a clue
to understanding
what the
writer desired
to say about
him.
So back
to where
we started,
these things
are written
that you
might believe
that Jesus
is the
Christ,
the Son of
God,
and that
believing you
might have
life in
his name.
These things
were recorded
so you would
see Jesus
for who he
is.
And that we
would believe
and that our
faith would be
strengthened as
we are
transformed by
the glory
of God.
God.
So when the
Bible speaks
of life
through his
name, it's
not just mere
existence, it
is life defined
by Jesus
himself.
In John
chapter 17
verse 3 in
his high
priestly prayer
if you will,
to the Father
right before his
arrest and
crucifixion, he
said,
and this is
eternal life
that they may
know you, the
only true God,
and Jesus
Christ whom
you have
sent.
Do you
know him?
And the
word became
flesh and
dwelt among
us and we
have seen
what?
His glory.
Glory as of
the only son
from the
Father, full
of grace and
truth.
Is he the
object of
your trust?
Are you
seeing his
glory?
And as
Pastor Mike
works our way
through the
gospel of
John, you'll
begin to see
glory after
glory stacked
on top of
glory of who
Jesus is.
And when you
start to see
him for who
he is and
you embrace
him for who
he is and
you trust him
for who he
is and you
worship him,
he begins to
do something in
you that changes
you into,
this is amazing,
into an image
like unto
himself.
We're just
getting started,
but that's the
picture.
Do you know
him?
Have you
trusted him?
Have you
seen his
glory?
Are you
worshiping him?
That's the
question.
Let's pray.
Father, thank
you for this
text.
Thank you for
everyone here
today that has
opportunity to
read from
your word
these accounts
of the life
of the Lord
Jesus and
to see one
event on top
of another
showing,
demonstrating,
declaring your
glory.
May we not
only see it,
but may we
embrace it
and bask in
it, be
overwhelmed by
it.
May you
cause us to
bow before
you, worship
you with our
whole heart
because we
see who you
are.
Thank you,
Lord Jesus,
for your
grace and
your mercy.
Thank you for
the salvation
that you bring.
And if there
are some here
who do not
know you,
Father, I
pray that you
would quicken
their hearts
to believe
the gospel.
That you
would give
them new
life in
you.
Thank you
for our
time together.
May you be
glorified in
all that we
say and do
for the glory
of your name
we pray.
Amen.