WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.200 I'm going to ask that as you turn in your scriptures this morning, and for some of you who do this electronically, this is going to be cumbersome. 00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:16.960 But I would like you to be in two places at once. Now, I don't mean two places at once, but I want you to double finger this. 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:26.960 I want you to look, first of all, at John chapter 2 and put one finger there and then go to John chapter 20, verse 31. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:31.060 Kind of, remember I said for electronic people it's a little difficult this morning. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:35.179 You're going to have to wait between the page refresh and all that. 00:00:35.260 --> 00:00:44.120 But I want us to begin this morning by, first of all, hearing the word read in John chapter 2. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:49.679 On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:54.620 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 00:00:54.619 --> 00:01:00.739 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. 00:01:01.959 --> 00:01:06.039 And Jesus said to her, woman, what does this have to do with me? 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:08.679 My hour has not yet come. 00:01:09.959 --> 00:01:12.739 His mother said to the servants, do whatever he tells you. 00:01:13.979 --> 00:01:22.180 Now, there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding 20 or 30 gallons. 00:01:22.180 --> 00:01:29.620 Jesus said to the servants, fill the jars with water, and they filled them up to the brim. 00:01:31.420 --> 00:01:34.700 And he said to them, now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. 00:01:34.740 --> 00:01:35.540 So they took it. 00:01:37.080 --> 00:01:43.820 When the master of the feast tasted the water, now become wine, and did not know where it came from, 00:01:44.240 --> 00:01:48.580 though the servants who had drawn the water knew, the master of the feast called the bridegroom 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:58.140 and said to him, everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. 00:01:59.039 --> 00:02:02.340 But you have kept the good wine until now. 00:02:04.099 --> 00:02:04.879 Let's pray. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:13.159 Our precious Father, this morning, as we who are your people, delight in the Lord Jesus Christ 00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:19.519 and the incredible blessing we have of holding your word in our hands 00:02:19.519 --> 00:02:23.699 and following along with our heart and with our ear. 00:02:23.699 --> 00:02:30.719 We do ask this morning that you would enable me, as the one you have appointed to preach the word today, 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:36.139 to do so in the power of the Spirit and to do so in such a fashion that the Lord Jesus Christ 00:02:36.139 --> 00:02:42.079 is the one that is held up and exalted and that we glory in him and we are satisfied with him 00:02:42.079 --> 00:02:46.799 and we love every opportunity of speaking of his worth. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:53.700 I pray also, Father, this morning for those that are here today that need the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:02:54.760 --> 00:03:00.939 that even as we study the Scriptures together, that your Spirit would be at work convicting them 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:04.980 of the darkness and the absolute despair of their soul, 00:03:05.220 --> 00:03:10.960 and that you, by your kindness, would lead them to the cross and to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:17.540 I pray, Father, also for the heart with which your word is received, 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:21.939 that it would be prepared by the Spirit to be good soil, 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:27.400 and that the seed of your word falling on hearts that have been prepared by your Spirit, 00:03:27.740 --> 00:03:34.300 it would produce a blessing not only in the life of the individual who hears the word, 00:03:34.379 --> 00:03:38.180 but in the lives of those that are touched accordingly. 00:03:38.180 --> 00:03:45.640 And so this morning as we open your word, we're glad to confess our need, 00:03:46.140 --> 00:03:52.040 and we also confess our confidence that you will work to your glory. 00:03:52.659 --> 00:03:55.240 We ask this in your precious name. Amen. 00:03:56.340 --> 00:03:59.860 I had you look with me, first of all, at John chapter 2, 00:03:59.920 --> 00:04:03.640 and we opened up with just the reading of that passage that is going to become 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:06.579 the frame in which we study together this morning. 00:04:06.799 --> 00:04:09.399 But let me ask you this, if I may. 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:16.300 How many of you can tell me what John said was the reason that he wrote the book? 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:20.899 Wave your hand. Don't tell me out loud, but just wave your hand. 00:04:21.099 --> 00:04:24.219 I want you to get it up high so I can kind of take, kind of track. 00:04:24.459 --> 00:04:29.319 How many of you know why John said he wrote the book? 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.079 Raise your hand high because I'm counting. 00:04:31.659 --> 00:04:36.519 Jack, Greg, Connie, Pastor Andrew, good job. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:40.139 And Ethan, you know? Excellent. 00:04:41.159 --> 00:04:45.019 Is there anybody younger than Ethan that knows why John wrote the book? 00:04:47.420 --> 00:04:48.839 I know they're in the nursery. 00:04:49.300 --> 00:04:49.439 Okay. 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:51.199 Ethan, good job. 00:04:51.579 --> 00:04:54.719 Is that something you learned at home when your mommy and daddy kind of reviewed this? 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:56.780 Okay. 00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:57.580 Okay. 00:04:58.540 --> 00:04:59.640 I was on this side. 00:04:59.700 --> 00:05:02.040 How many of you over on this side know why John wrote the book? 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:03.180 I'm looking for hands. 00:05:03.300 --> 00:05:03.660 Okay. 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:04.380 Okay. 00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:05.200 We're doing great. 00:05:05.780 --> 00:05:05.960 Okay. 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:07.640 Here, how many of you know the verse? 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:09.120 I mean, it's like, bang, you got it. 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:10.720 John chapter 20, verse 31. 00:05:11.320 --> 00:05:11.480 What? 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:12.680 What's he say? 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:13.680 Help me out? 00:05:14.880 --> 00:05:15.780 I don't remember. 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:17.200 You know, what is it? 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:22.040 A lot of muttering. 00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:22.480 Okay. 00:05:23.819 --> 00:05:24.580 Turn in your Bibles. 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:25.640 Remember I said two fingers. 00:05:25.840 --> 00:05:26.400 Back we go. 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:29.819 Keep your finger in John 2 because we are coming back there. 00:05:29.960 --> 00:05:30.140 But here. 00:05:31.280 --> 00:05:39.220 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:43.939 And that by believing, you may have life in his name. 00:05:43.939 --> 00:05:57.360 So, I bring that to your attention because as we start out this morning, we're going to be looking at what on the surface may seem to be a rather insignificant little event in the life of Jesus. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:18.060 I mean, if you were going to start your public ministry and you wanted to make a world of difference, would you pull off a minor miracle seemingly at some little insignificant wedding and only really have about six or seven people know about it to start with? 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:48.040 Or I should put it this way. 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:57.600 And I remind you that in the Old Testament, it speaks about the fact that Christ would be marked by this profound humility and tenderness. 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:07.580 And it tells us that he would not break a bruised reed or he would not crush out a flickering flame. 00:07:07.780 --> 00:07:15.840 He was going to be marked by this gentleness and this carefulness in coming into people's lives and affecting them for the glory of Christ. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:28.299 And so, as we look here, we look at the story and we find, first of all, that it tells us there on the third day, this is after Jesus' baptism and calling of the first disciples. 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:30.859 After that, there was a wedding in Cana. 00:07:32.099 --> 00:07:34.919 And Jesus' mother evidently was invited. 00:07:35.539 --> 00:07:37.359 We can't tell for certain. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:44.840 And by the way, when you can't tell for certain, what that's telling you is the text doesn't give you adequate detail for you to fill in. 00:07:46.220 --> 00:07:54.160 There is some speculation, being that she ends up in this position of knowing about the wine running out. 00:07:54.420 --> 00:08:01.780 If you are outside the favored circle and there's problems in the kitchen, you aren't usually going to find out about it. 00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:06.759 I'll never forget when we were actually doing a funeral dinner. 00:08:08.299 --> 00:08:10.439 And here's what happens for funerals. 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:13.199 We ask the family, would you like to have a dinner here at the church? 00:08:13.359 --> 00:08:20.059 And yes, we have a chance to meet with people that are coming from, you know, Prescott, Arizona or whatever else. 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:22.299 And we only see them at funerals and weddings. 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:23.439 And so, we're going to have a dinner. 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:26.839 And I remember one of the things we always do is, how many people are coming? 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:28.899 Oh, nobody will be here. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:29.619 We'll have five. 00:08:29.719 --> 00:08:30.119 You know, whatever. 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:32.940 And so, we ended up having a funeral dinner. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.000 And how many of you remember when we ran out of ham? 00:08:36.060 --> 00:08:36.639 Anybody here? 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:37.960 I remember that. 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:41.240 It was kind of as the dinner was devolving. 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:42.379 You know what devolving mean? 00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:43.379 It was going downhill. 00:08:44.139 --> 00:08:48.960 People in the kitchen were having these anxiety attacks about, I think we have too many people. 00:08:49.460 --> 00:08:55.060 And so, I remember we sent someone buzzing up to, I think it was Meyer. 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:57.060 Yes, it had to be Meyer. 00:08:58.200 --> 00:08:59.560 It did have to be Meyer. 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:00.199 Okay. 00:09:00.199 --> 00:09:05.519 We sent someone running to a store and said, we need ham. 00:09:05.839 --> 00:09:06.159 No. 00:09:06.779 --> 00:09:07.819 You know, cut, sliced. 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:09.479 And then you're in the microwave. 00:09:09.659 --> 00:09:11.719 You know, ding, out. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:13.019 Ding, out. 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:13.659 Ding. 00:09:13.659 --> 00:09:17.000 And so, here is Mary's mother. 00:09:17.579 --> 00:09:18.199 Mary's mother. 00:09:18.199 --> 00:09:23.279 We find Jesus' mother aware that there's a problem at the party. 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:30.100 I do want you to think with me just a little bit about what a wedding was like. 00:09:30.379 --> 00:09:31.179 It was a party. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.059 And ancient weddings were big-time social events. 00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:37.100 Will you keep that in your mind? 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:43.060 When we do weddings today, most of the time, you may have a rehearsal. 00:09:43.060 --> 00:09:45.480 In fact, it's a good idea to have a rehearsal on Friday. 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:45.600 Okay. 00:09:45.980 --> 00:09:47.840 But then the wedding is what? 00:09:49.259 --> 00:09:52.220 I mean, the people who are doing the decoration, they work hard. 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:55.399 And the people who are working, catering it work hard. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:59.440 But, you know, we're going to have the wedding at 2.30, and it's going to be off. 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:04.940 And they're going to be on their way to wherever they're going for a honeymoon in a couple, three, four hours at best. 00:10:04.940 --> 00:10:12.940 And someone has, on more than one occasion, said to me, Pastor, how long will the ceremony take? 00:10:14.220 --> 00:10:15.480 I said, well, that's up to you. 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:19.580 My part is pretty simple. 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:23.080 Will you take this woman to be married to this man? 00:10:23.220 --> 00:10:26.320 And it comes down to I do, I do, we will, you know. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:29.600 And then from there on to having to hold and all those details. 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:34.600 I can be done if I'm pressed in under 25 minutes. 00:10:35.380 --> 00:10:37.380 I mean the whole thing. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.460 Now, I wouldn't recommend that. 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:45.800 Ancient weddings were long-running parties. 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:54.780 In fact, don't need to turn back, but if you were to look in Judges chapter 14, you would find that Samson's wedding went on for, 00:10:54.780 --> 00:10:55.720 does anybody have an idea? 00:10:56.220 --> 00:10:58.060 What was the perfect number in Israel? 00:10:59.120 --> 00:10:59.560 Seven. 00:10:59.760 --> 00:11:00.560 Seven days. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:00.619 Seven days. 00:11:01.939 --> 00:11:06.879 Now, you might think to yourself, how could they run out of wine in a couple hours? 00:11:08.139 --> 00:11:09.459 Well, we'll get to that a little later. 00:11:09.539 --> 00:11:15.439 But if you stop and think about this, this is a seven days event, and you can understand how things would get a little dicey. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.660 Something else that you need to understand. 00:11:19.660 --> 00:11:24.220 In ancient culture, there was this attitude of reciprocity. 00:11:24.380 --> 00:11:28.860 In other words, I invited you to my wedding party, and I fed you for seven days. 00:11:28.860 --> 00:11:29.440 Guess what? 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:31.080 Don't tell me. 00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:37.120 I'm going to show up at your wedding party, and I'm going to be fed for seven days. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:48.180 In fact, there's indication that lawsuits played out over inadequate care at a wedding or an inadequate wedding gift. 00:11:48.300 --> 00:11:48.940 Now, isn't that neat? 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:55.379 I mean, you know, you invite someone to the wedding, and if they don't bring the gift proportionate to what you gave them. 00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:57.939 Now, we don't do anything like that around Christmas, I understand. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:11.720 But in the ancient culture, there was a lot of pressure on the wedding party people at making a hit. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:15.379 And so here is Mary. 00:12:15.939 --> 00:12:17.179 She's at the party. 00:12:18.100 --> 00:12:19.940 Jesus is at the party. 00:12:19.940 --> 00:12:24.620 And we find out in verse 3, it says, 00:12:24.880 --> 00:12:28.500 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 00:12:28.940 --> 00:12:30.720 They have no wine. 00:12:32.400 --> 00:12:39.920 Now, given that I spent a fair amount of time preaching on Ephesians 5, verse 18, 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:45.439 And in that context, I spoke about the matter of alcohol and the lives of believers. 00:12:46.079 --> 00:12:51.120 I really am not under obligation this morning, I trust, to really go into the detail. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.799 But I will say this. 00:12:53.439 --> 00:12:59.939 I have no question from the text that what this involved was alcoholic content wine. 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:02.219 And I'll explain to you just a little bit of detail. 00:13:02.220 --> 00:13:09.700 In the normal process of stomping on grapes in a vat, there are several different things that are released. 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:11.779 One is the juice of the grape itself. 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:20.500 But also, as the skins are bruised, those skins produce a chemical that aids in the, what is the word? 00:13:20.680 --> 00:13:24.100 Fermentation of the product. 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:29.540 And it balances out without any distillation between 12 and 14 percent. 00:13:31.180 --> 00:13:34.379 And as you look there in verse 10, just kind of skip ahead a little bit. 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:42.019 We're going to see here that the master of the feast, the one who's responsible for seeing that everything came off, 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.240 He says, Hey, everyone serves the good wine first. 00:13:45.680 --> 00:13:49.080 And when people have drunk freely, let me help you there. 00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:50.420 I'm going to come back to that again later. 00:13:50.420 --> 00:13:53.480 But he says, When everybody has drunk freely, then the poor wine. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:55.120 Now stop and think with me just for a moment. 00:13:56.620 --> 00:14:00.659 Three or four glasses of water does not dull your taste buds. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.580 Everybody agrees with me? 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:13.080 Three or four glasses of wine does dull your sensibilities and dulls your ability to taste. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:18.120 And so the normal thing to do was kind of jazz it up at the beginning and give them the better stuff. 00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:23.740 And then towards the end, you were kind of buying that big K cola and stuff like that and handing it off to them. 00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:25.899 Okay? 00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:27.240 You got that? 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:36.259 Now, I do think that since we live in a day and age where the issue of lifestyle is so very important, 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:39.620 I don't think the question is whether a Christian can drink. 00:14:39.700 --> 00:14:41.120 I think the question is this. 00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:42.639 Should a Christian drink? 00:14:43.439 --> 00:14:51.319 And how does my choice reflect on the testimony of Christ and the impact that I'm going to have for the gospel in the brief life that I'm going to live? 00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:58.000 Well, let's come now to digging in a little deeper to verse 3. 00:14:59.300 --> 00:15:03.040 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:04.879 They have no wine. 00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:07.520 So let's break this down and say, 00:15:07.640 --> 00:15:08.320 What's the problem? 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:11.460 And why the tone? 00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:15.240 We don't know the exact order of events, 00:15:15.460 --> 00:15:18.100 but it's safe to assume that Mary found out about this, 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:21.639 and she was aware of who her son was. 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:28.700 She had heard the shepherds. 00:15:29.400 --> 00:15:31.060 She had seen the wise men. 00:15:31.680 --> 00:15:35.300 She had been advised by the Holy Spirit of who this baby was going to be, 00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:41.639 and she was fully persuaded that this indeed was the son of the living God and the one who could pull this off. 00:15:42.699 --> 00:15:46.259 And she knew that Jesus had power to solve this problem. 00:15:46.339 --> 00:15:47.699 I think you need to understand that. 00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:51.339 So when she came to Jesus there in verse 3, 00:15:51.479 --> 00:15:54.399 and she says they have no wine, 00:15:55.459 --> 00:16:00.539 she had complete confidence that he could solve the problem at the moment. 00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:09.319 Her expectation was that he, hearing her express a concern, 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:15.159 would respond immediately and do what Jesus could do. 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:19.839 So why did Jesus answer her the way he did? 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.939 Look at the verse 4. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.799 Jesus said to her, 00:16:22.939 --> 00:16:26.279 Woman, now how many of you kind of, that puts you off a little bit. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.759 I mean, how many of you would like to be in a public situation 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:34.039 where, I mean, I cannot imagine my mom is sitting over there. 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.639 Hi, Mom. 00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:35.639 Okay. 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:39.740 I honestly cannot think of speaking to my mother and saying, 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.299 Woman, I'd be in big trouble. 00:16:44.419 --> 00:16:45.639 But here is Jesus. 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:53.059 And by the way, did Jesus ever say anything that was wrong or off color or inappropriate for the moment? 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.439 And the answer we know was never. 00:16:57.059 --> 00:16:59.120 And Jesus says, Woman. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.759 Woman. 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:00.879 Woman. 00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:06.039 In the ESV, and it depends on which translation you have, 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.700 but you look there in verse 4, it says, 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:10.339 What does this have to do with me? 00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:17.779 Probably a more literal rendition would be, 00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:20.680 What is this to me and to you? 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:25.119 His term was not discourteous, first of all, 00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:27.119 when he spoke to her as woman. 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:33.939 We find that he used that term in John chapter 19, verse 26, 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:39.479 when he spoke to, remember, to his mother, who was there at the foot of the cross. 00:17:39.579 --> 00:17:41.479 He said, Woman, behold your son. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:43.299 And he poured into John the Baptist. 00:17:43.459 --> 00:17:45.939 And he said, And, you know, you take care of her. 00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:46.339 Okay. 00:17:46.659 --> 00:17:50.119 But he also used the same phrase after his resurrection. 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:53.559 Remember, I think it was Mary was the one who was at the tomb, 00:17:53.979 --> 00:17:58.500 and comes and, you know, just so excited when she finally figures out that it is Jesus. 00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:01.639 And he says, Woman, don't mess with me right now. 00:18:01.719 --> 00:18:02.539 Free rendition here. 00:18:02.639 --> 00:18:04.739 But, you know, hey, go tell the rest of them. 00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:05.159 Woman. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:07.219 Woman. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:07.279 Woman. 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:08.279 Woman. 00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:13.599 I do want you to mark what really is behind this. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:15.220 So what is this to you or to me? 00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:19.359 In one sense, I want you to know that when Mary came to Jesus, 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:23.680 she was persuaded that her problem should be his problem. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.160 Do you follow that? 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:30.139 And sometimes mothers try to do that obliquely. 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:31.139 How many of you have done that? 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.200 Particularly with older children. 00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:32.859 Everybody smile. 00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:35.019 Someday you will have older children. 00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:39.460 But when you speak to older children, you have to use a little more nuance. 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:41.539 You know, you have to put a little bit of English on the ball. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:43.839 So it's not like, hey, do this now. 00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:52.559 It's like, we're having a problem with, you know, maybe you could do something about that. 00:18:52.660 --> 00:18:53.599 You know, how that plays out. 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:55.200 How many of you ever heard that tone? 00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:56.680 You know, it's like, I got it. 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.420 I'll take care of it. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:57.980 It's all right. 00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.500 I'm on it. 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:04.440 And actually what Jesus says to her is, what's this for me? 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:07.519 You're having a problem. 00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:10.359 But it's not mine. 00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:18.079 And I want you to stop and think with me just for a moment of what actually was happening. 00:19:19.639 --> 00:19:25.199 As we think about that, it's fair, and this is one of the things that a Bible student always does, 00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:30.039 is that when you find a passage that's a little confusing and a little unsettling, 00:19:30.139 --> 00:19:31.599 what's the first thing you should do? 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:35.359 I know, trick question. 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:37.559 What would you do? 00:19:37.719 --> 00:19:38.439 Just try that. 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.579 What would you do, Tom? 00:19:39.639 --> 00:19:42.039 I'm calling on a deacon, so we're going to risk. 00:19:42.139 --> 00:19:46.039 But Tom, what would you do if there was a passage that you were having some difficulty with? 00:19:48.679 --> 00:19:52.319 First thing is pray, if you haven't already done it, right? 00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:55.839 I need the Holy Spirit's help into understanding this. 00:19:55.919 --> 00:20:00.599 Secondly is kind of check out the context and look at the immediate passage around that. 00:20:00.939 --> 00:20:02.379 But there's something else that you should do. 00:20:02.419 --> 00:20:04.879 How many of you have a study Bible that have cross-references in it? 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.419 Raise your hand. 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:09.500 Cross-references are not a bad idea. 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:16.619 And I'm going to cross-reference for you whether or not you have these cross-references in your Bible. 00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:22.019 But let me remind you, first of all, if you were to turn back to Luke chapter 2, 00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:26.619 you remember that when Jesus was 12, they went up to Jerusalem, 00:20:27.059 --> 00:20:33.759 and the family is hiking back home, and they discover that Jesus is not with the crowd. 00:20:35.619 --> 00:20:38.939 I always wondered about, it must have been a fairly relaxed... 00:20:38.939 --> 00:20:42.099 How many of you would not miss your child for two or three days? 00:20:42.179 --> 00:20:42.579 You know, whatever. 00:20:42.719 --> 00:20:43.939 It's like, yeah. 00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:49.039 I mean, I see some of you walking around the lobby with what I call the Klingon grip. 00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:50.960 You know, you've got them hooked here. 00:20:51.019 --> 00:20:53.480 It's not a bad idea because these kids buzz around sometimes. 00:20:53.620 --> 00:20:55.460 But Jesus was gone. 00:20:56.900 --> 00:20:59.600 Finally, they go back to Jerusalem, and they find him there in the temple, 00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:04.460 and he is conversing with the scribes and the leaders of Israel. 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:07.940 And when his mom scolds him... 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.660 How many of you remember what he said? 00:21:09.660 --> 00:21:14.960 Don't you get it? 00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:17.500 I should be about my, what? 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:19.360 Father's business. 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:23.720 Another illustration would be over in Matthew chapter 12. 00:21:23.840 --> 00:21:30.000 Remember, Jesus is teaching in a house, and up comes somebody into the room and says, 00:21:30.080 --> 00:21:33.200 Oh, I want you to know your mother and brothers and sisters are outside. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:40.559 Now, in the ancient culture, parents had a lot of lifting power. 00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:41.460 Do you follow that? 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:43.640 Hmm? 00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:48.580 I think it's important for us to understand. 00:21:48.579 --> 00:22:02.399 The contemporary culture we live in with this incredible lack of respect is nothing but a devolution and a breakdown of Bible truth. 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:12.019 However, Jesus, in this case, when he hears that his mother and his brother's family, you know, that's points, 00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:14.319 and his sisters, they're outside. 00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:15.579 You know what he says? 00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:19.980 He looks around and he says, Let me tell you who my brother and sister and mother are. 00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:23.039 It's those who obey the word. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:26.519 Those are my disciples. 00:22:27.439 --> 00:22:31.319 And so I do want you to understand that here when Jesus says to his mother, 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.240 What's the deal? 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:33.740 What's this have to do with me? 00:22:34.419 --> 00:22:37.599 I want you to understand that while he was not discourteous, 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:42.619 he was clear as to his office and his work. 00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:46.759 Who was Mary actually addressing? 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:53.000 The Son of the living God, the Savior of the world, 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:57.599 who had come to be the Redeemer. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:05.099 And Christ's mother really did not have authority over his life. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:13.559 The decision to do the miracle was not one that flowed from his mother's perception of the problem. 00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:23.079 How many of you on occasion have thought that something you were having difficulty with was a problem that really God should solve now? 00:23:23.659 --> 00:23:24.099 Been there? 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.179 And you know what? 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:31.399 In my life, more often than not, he didn't do it the way I thought he should do it. 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:34.859 Nevertheless, in retrospect, I look back and say, You know what? 00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:39.799 You knew what you were doing, and I'm thankful that you took care of it according to your wisdom rather than mine. 00:23:41.639 --> 00:23:43.319 I want you to understand something else. 00:23:43.419 --> 00:23:49.059 Remember I said that while Jesus was not discourteous, he was clear in his office and his work. 00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:59.639 Look, all and everything that Jesus did was directly related to his Father's will. 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:10.179 The point is important to grasp because here is Jesus, when his mother asks him to do something, 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:14.539 the first thing he says is, So, what's this have to do with me? 00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:17.399 What's my responsibility here? 00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:21.840 I want you to look at a couple different passages to firm this up in your mind, 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:27.040 that all Jesus ever did was directly related to his Father's will. 00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:31.820 John chapter 6, we're going to stay in John here. 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:34.400 John chapter 6, verse 38. 00:24:35.580 --> 00:24:39.160 For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will. 00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:44.220 How many of you many times do your own will? 00:24:44.220 --> 00:24:47.980 Well, I'd like to do this. 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:52.059 I mean, I deal on a regular basis as a shepherd and a pastor. 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:58.259 I deal regularly with people that have done their own will and then would like to undo what the consequences were. 00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:04.640 Well, I think Jesus says, I didn't come down from heaven to do my own will. 00:25:04.819 --> 00:25:09.000 I came down here to do exactly what my Father wants. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.000 Okay? 00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:14.000 He said, but the will of him who sent me. 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:16.859 John chapter 12. 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:23.400 I could look at a passage in John chapter 8, but we're going to skip ahead to John chapter 12, verse 49. 00:25:23.940 --> 00:25:25.579 John chapter 12, verse 49. 00:25:25.579 --> 00:25:33.779 For I have not spoken of my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a command, what to say and what to speak. 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:40.220 In other words, the words that I've said, I didn't say because I wanted to say them. 00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:48.079 I said them expressly and explicitly because these are the words that the Father chose for me to say. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:26:03.359 How many times have you, have I, said things that had no divine value and certainly were not prompted by the word of God or the will of God? 00:26:05.439 --> 00:26:08.619 John chapter 14, verse 31. 00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:21.239 But I do as the Father has commanded me so that the world may know that I love the Father. 00:26:22.739 --> 00:26:23.659 What am I doing? 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:27.579 I'm doing exactly what the Father has commanded me. 00:26:28.179 --> 00:26:32.739 In another passage, Jesus says, I only do what the Father commands. 00:26:32.740 --> 00:27:02.720 I only do what the Father has commanded me. 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:09.160 Look, if you will, at verse 9 or not, verse 4. 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:11.700 Woman, what does this have to do with me? 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:14.059 My hour has not yet come. 00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:17.319 Now, let's put this together a little bit. 00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:24.000 Number one, Mary knew he could do a slam dunk miracle. 00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.740 There's no question. 00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:34.180 And I think she was hoping this would be the moment. 00:27:36.099 --> 00:27:36.940 It's reasonable. 00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:41.920 I mean, everybody's sitting there with an empty glass, 00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:45.920 and they're beginning to wonder what the deal is with the waiter. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:56.820 And suddenly, you know, right there, out of the kitchen come 300 different streams of beautiful wine, 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:58.700 and it just flows directly into the glass. 00:27:58.779 --> 00:28:00.039 You don't have to have anybody carry it. 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:00.960 Could he have done that? 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:01.560 What's the answer? 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:02.820 Come on, help me. 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:03.620 Yes. 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.560 He could have done all kinds of things. 00:28:08.560 --> 00:28:10.920 Mary probably was hoping something would happen, and he says, 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:12.560 Hey, listen, my time is not yet. 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:18.860 What he was saying at that point in speaking about his time, 00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:21.660 Jesus was looking at the cross. 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:26.560 Mary was saying, Hey, listen, I'd like to have a miracle. 00:28:27.779 --> 00:28:30.200 In fact, I want you to get some credit for it. 00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:33.980 It's time for you to show your stuff. 00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:37.720 And Jesus says, It's not time yet. 00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:46.819 Jesus made it clear over and over again that actually the cross and the empty tomb 00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:51.059 were going to be the significant event and miracle of his ministry. 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:56.200 Over in John chapter 2, we're going to get to that, I think, next week, 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:58.480 when we look at the cleansing of the temple. 00:28:58.579 --> 00:29:00.900 But remember when people kind of stomped up to Jesus and said, 00:29:01.259 --> 00:29:04.559 All right, why are you doing this, and what right do you have to do this, 00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:06.900 and, you know, what authority, blah, blah, blah. 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:13.580 And he says, Hey, listen, destroy this temple and, what, three days. 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:20.400 That was the miracle that would prove undeniably his deity 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:23.640 and his ministry as the Savior of the world. 00:29:25.120 --> 00:29:26.880 So that leaves us a question. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:36.280 If Jesus respectfully reminded his mother of the chain of command that he was under, 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:41.960 why did he turn the water into wine for a starter miracle? 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:44.020 I mean, that's a fair question, isn't it? 00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:48.640 And I have to tell you that I chewed on this for about two weeks. 00:29:50.100 --> 00:29:52.860 Now, part of my chewing had to do with just my own nature. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:54.220 How many of you understand what I'm saying? 00:29:54.220 --> 00:29:57.120 Let it go, it's all right, blah, blah, blah, you know, just teach it. 00:29:57.259 --> 00:29:58.980 But why? Why this one? 00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:01.259 Why? 00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:07.759 So let's think about the sign and why the miracle. 00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:13.339 For one, we know from what the Scripture tells us 00:30:13.339 --> 00:30:18.079 that everything that is recorded in the book of John 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:22.059 is directing attention directly to Christ, 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:25.759 in essence to say, this is the Son of God. 00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:29.819 And so the things that are recorded are for the glory of Christ. 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:36.740 So let me run through several things in relationship to this. 00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:40.079 First, while Mary was the one who did ask for help, 00:30:41.099 --> 00:30:43.740 it had to be the Father who commanded that it be done. 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:46.380 How do we know that? 00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:48.740 Because Jesus has told us over and over again 00:30:48.740 --> 00:30:50.400 as we read our way through the book of John 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:54.180 that the only things he did, he did because the Father commanded him to do it. 00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:55.680 Mary asked. 00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:59.799 She saw the need, but she wasn't the one who leveraged relationship to pull it off. 00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:02.339 Now, Mark, in the passage, 00:31:02.659 --> 00:31:08.059 that Mary does have the confidence to tell the servants, 00:31:08.579 --> 00:31:10.440 hey, go do what he says. 00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:18.579 And evidently, Jesus gave indication of his willingness to handle the situation, 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:19.839 and so she gives instruction. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:22.960 But while Mary did ask the question, 00:31:23.379 --> 00:31:26.240 what Jesus did was only at the bidding of the Father. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:27.720 And I want you to have that fixed in your mind. 00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:29.700 At the bidding of the Father. 00:31:30.139 --> 00:31:34.200 He did not comply so as to obey his earthly mother, 00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:36.379 but to obey his heavenly Father. 00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:40.599 And by the way, I think that's important for us to think about. 00:31:41.639 --> 00:31:44.779 The idea that anybody can appeal to Mary 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:47.839 and have Mary leverage her relationship with Christ 00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:50.299 to pull off anything spectacular for you 00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:51.759 has no Bible basis. 00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:59.339 Having said that, I think it is appropriate for us to understand 00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:04.599 that Mary deserves credit for her humility and being the mother of Christ. 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:06.419 I don't think we should be dismissive of her, 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:08.679 but understand we can't leverage the relationship. 00:32:09.199 --> 00:32:11.879 Second, this first sign, 00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:15.740 and that's what John calls it in verse 11. 00:32:15.820 --> 00:32:16.900 If you kind of skip ahead, it says, 00:32:17.100 --> 00:32:19.540 this, the first of his signs, 00:32:20.540 --> 00:32:22.620 was all about manifesting his glory. 00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.280 That's what we read. 00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:23.900 Okay? 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:27.160 This first of his sign was all about manifesting his glory. 00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:29.259 And stop and think with me just for a moment. 00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:30.040 This is interesting. 00:32:30.660 --> 00:32:33.360 How many of you know how many miracles are recorded in John? 00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:34.720 Guess. 00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:36.240 Only seven. 00:32:37.860 --> 00:32:38.540 Only seven. 00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:40.680 That's not many. 00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.580 We just used one up. 00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:44.460 You follow that? 00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:47.500 So it must be good enough. 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:51.440 Third, 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:53.799 this first sign 00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:56.059 was a potent demonstration 00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:57.700 of his deity 00:32:57.700 --> 00:32:59.740 in the small circle 00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:02.360 that he chose to reveal himself to. 00:33:04.100 --> 00:33:05.299 Let's go back for a minute. 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:07.400 You're in John chapter 2, 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:08.779 but go back for a second 00:33:08.779 --> 00:33:10.019 to John chapter 1, 00:33:10.120 --> 00:33:11.700 verse 1 through 3. 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:12.900 Let me read it to you 00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:14.420 and just have it resonate in your heart 00:33:14.420 --> 00:33:15.560 as you think about 00:33:15.560 --> 00:33:16.880 who we're talking about. 00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:19.100 In the beginning was the Word, 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:20.259 and the Word was with God, 00:33:20.320 --> 00:33:21.320 and the Word was God. 00:33:21.660 --> 00:33:23.900 He was in the beginning with God. 00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:25.880 All things were made 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:27.920 through him. 00:33:29.300 --> 00:33:30.680 And without him 00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:32.780 was not anything made 00:33:32.780 --> 00:33:34.259 that was made. 00:33:35.640 --> 00:33:37.620 As I was sitting over here in the front 00:33:37.620 --> 00:33:39.420 and singing one of the songs, 00:33:39.580 --> 00:33:40.640 and heaven help me, 00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:41.500 I forget the words, 00:33:41.580 --> 00:33:42.740 but we were singing a song 00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:43.779 about the power of God, 00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:47.079 and my heart began to think 00:33:47.079 --> 00:33:48.799 about Genesis 1. 00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:52.480 In the beginning, 00:33:53.700 --> 00:33:58.519 God created the heavens 00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:59.579 and the earth. 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:02.039 And how did he do that? 00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:04.880 He did that out of nothing. 00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:08.320 And here at the beginning 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:10.240 of Christ's ministry, 00:34:10.900 --> 00:34:13.800 we find that the one 00:34:13.800 --> 00:34:15.240 who it tells us in Scripture 00:34:15.240 --> 00:34:18.220 is the creator of this universe, 00:34:19.220 --> 00:34:21.300 chose to respond 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:23.099 to the small need 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:25.480 of those that he was around 00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:29.140 by instructing the servants 00:34:29.140 --> 00:34:31.019 to go ahead and fill up 00:34:31.019 --> 00:34:32.059 these stone jugs 00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:35.539 that held between 20 and 30 gallons. 00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:37.039 That's a fair amount. 00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:41.380 Now, without getting into 00:34:41.380 --> 00:34:42.340 all the details of it, 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.659 there was a difference 00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:45.440 between drinking water 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:48.519 and water for washing your hands. 00:34:50.860 --> 00:34:53.219 Regardless of that little nuance difference, 00:34:53.480 --> 00:34:54.079 I want you to know 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:55.780 that they filled those jars 00:34:55.780 --> 00:34:57.259 right to the very top. 00:34:57.260 --> 00:34:59.920 What does water to the very top imply? 00:35:01.660 --> 00:35:04.960 There's not room for anything else. 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:09.260 Some liberal scholars suggest 00:35:10.080 --> 00:35:12.080 that really there was quite a bit 00:35:12.080 --> 00:35:13.340 of wine left over, 00:35:13.580 --> 00:35:14.760 and so they kind of added 00:35:14.760 --> 00:35:15.580 a little bit of water 00:35:15.580 --> 00:35:16.700 and watered it down. 00:35:17.100 --> 00:35:19.240 That is not the case. 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:22.120 We read there in verse 7, 00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:23.460 Jesus said to the servants, 00:35:24.040 --> 00:35:25.660 fill the jars with water 00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:28.980 and they did that 00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:30.339 and then in verse 8, 00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.059 now draw out some 00:35:32.059 --> 00:35:33.039 and take it to the master 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:33.559 of the feast. 00:35:33.819 --> 00:35:34.599 So they took it. 00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:35.639 Now, can you imagine 00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.920 you're the one 00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:38.619 who's been serving people 00:35:38.619 --> 00:35:41.739 and Judith and I 00:35:41.739 --> 00:35:42.559 were eating 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:43.920 at a Mexican restaurant, 00:35:44.379 --> 00:35:45.199 something a diabetic 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.119 probably shouldn't do, 00:35:46.199 --> 00:35:46.859 but I was 00:35:46.859 --> 00:35:48.940 and if there's anything I like, 00:35:49.019 --> 00:35:49.920 it's chips and salsa. 00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:50.599 How many of you 00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:51.920 are in the chips and salsa crowd? 00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:53.460 And, you know, 00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.480 I like salsa. 00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:56.300 They don't give me a spoon. 00:35:56.440 --> 00:35:57.099 That's the one thing 00:35:57.099 --> 00:35:57.800 that I regret. 00:35:58.039 --> 00:35:58.679 A spoon. 00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:05.139 And I had finished off 00:36:05.139 --> 00:36:05.940 the first thing of salsa. 00:36:05.940 --> 00:36:06.639 It was exceptional. 00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:08.280 Fresh onions, 00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.639 fresh cilantro, 00:36:10.300 --> 00:36:11.079 tomatoes were canned, 00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:12.079 but it was really good. 00:36:12.360 --> 00:36:13.340 It was really outstanding. 00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:15.219 And I'm just eating this. 00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:18.740 I'm using a halfway design chip 00:36:18.740 --> 00:36:20.059 as kind of a dip. 00:36:20.519 --> 00:36:20.860 I mean, you know, 00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:23.159 it's a spoon of sorts 00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:24.119 and I'm going through this 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:24.960 and pretty soon 00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:26.500 we're out of the salsa 00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.239 that I'm enjoying. 00:36:27.339 --> 00:36:28.079 And guess what I'm doing? 00:36:28.819 --> 00:36:29.440 What do you think? 00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:31.440 I'm holding up the little salsa, 00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:32.719 the teeny little thing. 00:36:32.779 --> 00:36:33.480 I mean, I think this would be 00:36:33.480 --> 00:36:34.239 about that big for me, 00:36:34.299 --> 00:36:35.599 but I'm holding this thing up. 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:36.019 I'm going, 00:36:37.019 --> 00:36:40.059 oh, coming. 00:36:40.399 --> 00:36:40.619 You know, 00:36:40.659 --> 00:36:40.960 it's like, 00:36:41.299 --> 00:36:42.000 bring it on. 00:36:43.059 --> 00:36:44.319 And so here are the servants 00:36:44.319 --> 00:36:44.940 who had been dealing 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.759 with this tension 00:36:45.759 --> 00:36:47.219 in the wedding party 00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:49.919 and they fill up 00:36:49.919 --> 00:36:51.139 these pots with water 00:36:51.139 --> 00:36:51.980 and Jesus says, 00:36:52.379 --> 00:36:52.819 all right, 00:36:53.279 --> 00:36:54.259 you take it 00:36:54.259 --> 00:36:55.099 to the master 00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:56.139 of the feast. 00:36:56.299 --> 00:36:56.480 I mean, 00:36:57.879 --> 00:37:00.879 and I would imagine 00:37:00.879 --> 00:37:01.679 they had a little bit 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.339 of anxiety 00:37:02.339 --> 00:37:03.439 as they were taking it. 00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:04.480 Now maybe 00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:05.639 when they kind of 00:37:05.639 --> 00:37:06.519 came around the corner 00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:07.519 they sniffed it. 00:37:08.599 --> 00:37:09.739 Oh, okay. 00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:11.099 We don't know that. 00:37:11.439 --> 00:37:12.039 Stop there. 00:37:12.399 --> 00:37:12.879 But anyway, 00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.839 they bring it 00:37:13.839 --> 00:37:14.480 to the master 00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:15.159 of the feast 00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:18.299 and he tastes it 00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:20.599 and he's just, 00:37:20.759 --> 00:37:20.980 whoa, 00:37:21.299 --> 00:37:22.639 this is good. 00:37:23.679 --> 00:37:26.179 This is really good. 00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:27.559 I mean, 00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:28.460 what kind of wine 00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:28.879 do you think 00:37:28.879 --> 00:37:29.839 Jesus would make? 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:31.500 You know, 00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:32.679 something like 00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:34.000 fly high with Thunderbird? 00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:34.239 No, 00:37:34.339 --> 00:37:34.460 I mean, 00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.460 it was real stuff. 00:37:35.539 --> 00:37:36.359 It was good. 00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:37.920 Now, 00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:40.719 the master 00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:41.739 of the feast 00:37:41.739 --> 00:37:42.440 verifies 00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:43.759 that this is good wine. 00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:46.879 And I want you 00:37:46.879 --> 00:37:47.519 to understand 00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:48.639 that when the servants 00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:49.299 put the water 00:37:49.299 --> 00:37:50.500 in the jars 00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:51.460 they had no idea 00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.219 what was going to happen. 00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:53.839 So, 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:55.259 another detail 00:37:55.259 --> 00:37:55.739 that I want you 00:37:55.739 --> 00:37:56.279 to recognize 00:37:56.279 --> 00:37:56.920 is that 00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:58.159 Jesus chose 00:37:58.159 --> 00:37:59.239 his first sign 00:37:59.239 --> 00:38:00.019 to have very 00:38:00.019 --> 00:38:01.339 limited impact. 00:38:03.579 --> 00:38:04.139 Could he have done 00:38:04.139 --> 00:38:04.719 something else? 00:38:05.379 --> 00:38:05.759 I mean, 00:38:05.819 --> 00:38:06.759 something spectacular 00:38:06.759 --> 00:38:07.139 by, 00:38:07.839 --> 00:38:08.099 I mean, 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:08.879 just let's say 00:38:08.879 --> 00:38:09.859 walk out in the middle 00:38:09.859 --> 00:38:10.879 of where everybody else 00:38:10.879 --> 00:38:11.399 is thirsty 00:38:11.399 --> 00:38:13.440 and grab a stick 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:13.860 or something 00:38:13.860 --> 00:38:15.159 and whack the ground 00:38:15.159 --> 00:38:15.679 and suddenly, 00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:16.960 you know, 00:38:17.320 --> 00:38:17.619 I mean, 00:38:17.659 --> 00:38:17.980 it's like, 00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:18.619 you know how you have 00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:19.740 the chocolate fountain 00:38:19.740 --> 00:38:20.539 at the wedding 00:38:20.539 --> 00:38:21.420 where you get to dip 00:38:21.420 --> 00:38:22.460 strawberries in? 00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:22.760 It's like, 00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:23.360 hey, 00:38:23.539 --> 00:38:24.400 everybody's running up there 00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.260 to fill their cup. 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:25.599 No. 00:38:26.720 --> 00:38:27.280 He does it 00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:27.500 very, 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:28.200 very quietly. 00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:30.539 And if you kind of 00:38:30.539 --> 00:38:31.500 skip ahead 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:33.000 in verse 7, 00:38:33.059 --> 00:38:33.420 it says, 00:38:33.920 --> 00:38:34.099 this, 00:38:34.220 --> 00:38:35.220 the first of his signs, 00:38:35.380 --> 00:38:36.400 Jesus did at Cana 00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:37.119 in Galilee, 00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:39.200 manifesting his glory, 00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:40.619 and his disciples 00:38:40.619 --> 00:38:41.779 believed in him. 00:38:43.859 --> 00:38:44.460 Count them. 00:38:45.539 --> 00:38:46.319 By this point, 00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:47.480 there's five. 00:38:50.579 --> 00:38:51.799 I must confess 00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:53.079 that I'm speculating 00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:53.599 a little bit 00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:54.199 at this moment, 00:38:54.299 --> 00:38:55.199 but follow the logic. 00:38:57.099 --> 00:38:58.539 Early spiritual lessons 00:38:58.539 --> 00:38:59.599 in most of our lives 00:38:59.599 --> 00:39:00.900 are usually little steps. 00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:02.639 Wouldn't you agree 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:02.980 with that? 00:39:04.859 --> 00:39:06.019 And if you go back 00:39:06.019 --> 00:39:07.279 to John chapter 1, 00:39:07.339 --> 00:39:08.659 verse 47 and 48, 00:39:08.739 --> 00:39:09.259 and I do want you 00:39:09.259 --> 00:39:09.719 to look there, 00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:10.119 if you will, 00:39:10.199 --> 00:39:10.659 for a moment. 00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:11.959 John chapter 1, 00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:13.379 verse 47 and 48, 00:39:13.899 --> 00:39:15.000 we find that 00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:18.299 Jesus saw Nathanael 00:39:18.299 --> 00:39:19.299 coming toward him 00:39:19.299 --> 00:39:20.439 and said to him, 00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:21.059 or of him, 00:39:21.399 --> 00:39:21.819 behold, 00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:22.679 an Israelite 00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:23.179 indeed, 00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:25.579 in whom is no deceit. 00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:27.179 Jesus, 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:29.099 seeing the guy coming, 00:39:30.619 --> 00:39:31.019 says, 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:32.159 now that's a guy 00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:35.279 who is not deceitful. 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:37.839 Verse 48, 00:39:38.019 --> 00:39:39.099 Nathanael said to him, 00:39:39.099 --> 00:39:40.339 how do you know me? 00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:42.860 Jesus answered him, 00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:44.259 before Philip called you 00:39:44.259 --> 00:39:44.980 when you were under 00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:45.759 the fig tree, 00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:46.980 I saw you. 00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:50.319 Now what does that prove? 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:52.400 First of all, 00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.239 omniscience. 00:39:54.239 --> 00:39:55.099 Jesus knew everything. 00:39:55.980 --> 00:39:57.159 He knew the person's heart. 00:39:58.219 --> 00:39:59.460 He knew the person's 00:39:59.460 --> 00:40:00.839 position or place. 00:40:01.579 --> 00:40:02.920 It also indicates 00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:04.599 his omnipresence. 00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:06.039 I could see 00:40:06.039 --> 00:40:06.880 where you were. 00:40:08.619 --> 00:40:09.539 And we find 00:40:09.539 --> 00:40:10.360 that Nathanael 00:40:10.360 --> 00:40:11.920 is kind of struck 00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.480 by this. 00:40:12.759 --> 00:40:13.380 Verse 49, 00:40:13.779 --> 00:40:14.819 Nathanael answered him, 00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:15.139 Rabbi, 00:40:15.319 --> 00:40:16.319 you are the son of God. 00:40:16.380 --> 00:40:16.960 You are the king 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:17.480 of Israel. 00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:19.759 And Jesus 00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:20.639 says, 00:40:20.739 --> 00:40:21.079 relax, 00:40:21.460 --> 00:40:21.880 you're going to see 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:22.860 bigger things than this. 00:40:23.719 --> 00:40:24.500 I like that, 00:40:24.539 --> 00:40:24.739 right? 00:40:25.420 --> 00:40:25.599 Look, 00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.199 I'm sorry, 00:40:26.259 --> 00:40:26.639 that was a little 00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:27.319 too fresh for you, 00:40:27.400 --> 00:40:27.900 but it will try. 00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:28.819 Verse 50, 00:40:29.300 --> 00:40:30.100 Jesus answered him, 00:40:30.160 --> 00:40:31.180 because I said to you, 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:32.380 I saw you under 00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:32.960 the fig tree, 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:33.660 do you believe? 00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:34.860 You will see 00:40:34.860 --> 00:40:36.320 greater things than these. 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:37.300 And he said to him, 00:40:37.360 --> 00:40:37.640 truly, 00:40:37.780 --> 00:40:37.980 truly, 00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:38.700 I say to you, 00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:40.240 you will see heaven open 00:40:40.240 --> 00:40:41.720 and the angels of God 00:40:41.720 --> 00:40:42.800 ascending and descending 00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:44.280 upon the son of man. 00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:46.200 That's how good 00:40:46.200 --> 00:40:46.900 it's going to get. 00:40:49.340 --> 00:40:50.400 God starts small, 00:40:51.260 --> 00:40:53.720 but he works in our life 00:40:53.720 --> 00:40:54.380 to help us know 00:40:54.380 --> 00:40:55.080 who he is. 00:40:56.280 --> 00:40:57.480 And then day by day, 00:40:57.480 --> 00:40:59.300 he demonstrates 00:40:59.300 --> 00:40:59.780 his grace 00:40:59.780 --> 00:41:00.519 and his power 00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:02.800 and brings us 00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:03.500 to appreciate 00:41:03.500 --> 00:41:04.699 who he is 00:41:04.699 --> 00:41:05.699 and what he's come to do. 00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:07.219 And so I want you 00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:07.780 to think with me 00:41:07.780 --> 00:41:08.360 just for a moment 00:41:08.360 --> 00:41:08.840 this morning 00:41:08.840 --> 00:41:10.019 as we kind of 00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:10.920 push this together 00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.760 as we close. 00:41:13.159 --> 00:41:13.559 Remember, 00:41:14.300 --> 00:41:14.960 one of the things 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:15.760 I said last week 00:41:15.760 --> 00:41:16.199 is that 00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:18.760 the book of John 00:41:18.760 --> 00:41:19.619 is really about 00:41:19.619 --> 00:41:20.920 worship and witnessing. 00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:22.840 That's, 00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:23.500 you could summarize 00:41:23.500 --> 00:41:24.199 in two words, 00:41:24.300 --> 00:41:24.920 worship witness, 00:41:25.380 --> 00:41:26.300 or you could put it 00:41:26.300 --> 00:41:26.760 this way, 00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:27.800 you could say 00:41:27.800 --> 00:41:28.460 that it's about 00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:30.120 edification 00:41:30.120 --> 00:41:32.080 and it's about evangelism. 00:41:32.720 --> 00:41:34.520 And we find both pieces here. 00:41:34.640 --> 00:41:35.700 We come face to face 00:41:35.700 --> 00:41:36.900 with the Lord Jesus 00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:38.040 who is the only one 00:41:38.040 --> 00:41:38.900 who has the power 00:41:38.900 --> 00:41:40.640 to radically transform 00:41:40.640 --> 00:41:41.920 water into wine. 00:41:42.140 --> 00:41:43.600 And if he can do that 00:41:43.600 --> 00:41:45.620 in a situation like that, 00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:47.340 can he do something 00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:48.460 for the heart 00:41:48.460 --> 00:41:49.540 that is broken 00:41:49.540 --> 00:41:50.660 and confused 00:41:50.660 --> 00:41:52.800 and utterly affected 00:41:52.800 --> 00:41:53.420 by sin? 00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:54.520 And the answer is what? 00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:55.260 You bet. 00:41:55.260 --> 00:41:55.320 You bet. 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.520 You bet. 00:41:58.720 --> 00:41:59.520 And so I got to tell you, 00:41:59.580 --> 00:42:00.240 if you're sitting here 00:42:00.240 --> 00:42:00.720 this morning 00:42:00.720 --> 00:42:01.420 and your life 00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:02.140 is just absolutely 00:42:02.140 --> 00:42:03.800 bound by sin, 00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:06.440 there is only one 00:42:06.440 --> 00:42:07.380 Savior in the world 00:42:07.380 --> 00:42:08.520 who can make any difference. 00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.000 Years ago, 00:42:11.060 --> 00:42:11.680 I heard the story 00:42:11.680 --> 00:42:12.860 of Donald Barnhouse. 00:42:13.260 --> 00:42:14.080 You don't know him. 00:42:14.560 --> 00:42:15.560 But he was preaching 00:42:15.560 --> 00:42:16.460 on a street corner 00:42:16.460 --> 00:42:19.320 with the Salvation Army. 00:42:19.320 --> 00:42:23.460 And he was waxing eloquent 00:42:23.460 --> 00:42:24.440 and there was a band 00:42:24.440 --> 00:42:24.800 with him. 00:42:24.840 --> 00:42:25.620 In the good old days, 00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:26.740 the Salvation Army 00:42:26.740 --> 00:42:27.820 always used instruments 00:42:27.820 --> 00:42:29.120 to draw people together 00:42:29.120 --> 00:42:29.620 to listen. 00:42:30.140 --> 00:42:31.519 And there was a crowd 00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:32.720 of about 30 of these 00:42:32.720 --> 00:42:34.720 Salvation Army band members 00:42:34.720 --> 00:42:36.580 and Donald Barnhouse 00:42:36.580 --> 00:42:37.220 was just preaching 00:42:37.220 --> 00:42:37.860 his heart out. 00:42:38.960 --> 00:42:40.240 And on the periphery, 00:42:40.300 --> 00:42:41.200 there happened to be a guy 00:42:41.200 --> 00:42:43.840 who was a noted skeptic 00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:45.380 and atheist walked by. 00:42:47.340 --> 00:42:49.660 He was known nationally 00:42:49.660 --> 00:42:51.880 for his ability 00:42:51.880 --> 00:42:53.320 to debate Christians 00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:54.220 and in many cases 00:42:54.220 --> 00:42:54.680 humble them. 00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:56.860 And so he said 00:42:56.860 --> 00:42:58.000 to Donald Barnhouse, 00:42:58.079 --> 00:42:58.380 he says, 00:42:58.600 --> 00:42:59.519 I'll tell you what, 00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:01.940 this Thursday, 00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:03.160 we're going to have 00:43:03.160 --> 00:43:04.800 a debate about religion 00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:06.579 in the National Academy 00:43:06.579 --> 00:43:07.220 of Science 00:43:07.220 --> 00:43:07.860 wherever it was 00:43:07.860 --> 00:43:08.220 in the city. 00:43:08.280 --> 00:43:09.079 I think it was Los Angeles 00:43:09.079 --> 00:43:09.500 or something. 00:43:10.100 --> 00:43:10.920 And Donald Barnhouse 00:43:10.920 --> 00:43:11.120 says, 00:43:11.280 --> 00:43:11.760 you're on. 00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:15.420 here's what I want you to do. 00:43:16.460 --> 00:43:18.620 I want you to bring with you 00:43:18.620 --> 00:43:19.920 three people 00:43:19.920 --> 00:43:21.680 whose lives have been changed 00:43:21.680 --> 00:43:23.260 by what you believe. 00:43:27.180 --> 00:43:28.240 And Donald Barnhouse 00:43:28.240 --> 00:43:29.000 looked around 00:43:29.000 --> 00:43:31.860 to those just average 00:43:31.860 --> 00:43:34.880 Salvation Army people 00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:35.300 and he says, 00:43:35.640 --> 00:43:36.020 I wonder, 00:43:36.120 --> 00:43:37.080 do I have any volunteers 00:43:37.080 --> 00:43:38.060 here in the crowd 00:43:38.060 --> 00:43:38.780 that could come 00:43:38.780 --> 00:43:39.740 and be my witnesses 00:43:39.740 --> 00:43:41.600 of how Jesus changed 00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:42.239 his lives 00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:44.920 and they all 00:43:44.920 --> 00:43:45.659 were ready to go. 00:43:46.460 --> 00:43:47.259 By the way, 00:43:47.980 --> 00:43:49.279 that famous skeptic 00:43:49.279 --> 00:43:50.519 when put on the spot 00:43:50.519 --> 00:43:53.779 laughed and walked away 00:43:53.779 --> 00:43:55.960 and had nothing else to say. 00:43:56.759 --> 00:43:57.119 Why? 00:43:58.319 --> 00:44:00.139 Only Jesus can change a life 00:44:00.139 --> 00:44:01.099 and if you're sitting here 00:44:01.099 --> 00:44:01.679 and your life 00:44:01.679 --> 00:44:03.259 is messed up by sin, 00:44:03.460 --> 00:44:04.759 there is no remedy 00:44:04.759 --> 00:44:05.719 for the brokenness 00:44:05.719 --> 00:44:06.259 of your heart 00:44:06.259 --> 00:44:07.480 but Jesus Christ. 00:44:09.019 --> 00:44:10.119 And my question to you 00:44:10.119 --> 00:44:10.440 is this, 00:44:10.679 --> 00:44:11.579 do you need 00:44:11.579 --> 00:44:13.039 any more evidence 00:44:13.039 --> 00:44:14.299 of how hard 00:44:14.299 --> 00:44:17.159 a disobedient life is? 00:44:19.159 --> 00:44:20.179 I'll tell you this, 00:44:21.380 --> 00:44:22.039 a fool 00:44:22.039 --> 00:44:24.460 is someone 00:44:24.460 --> 00:44:25.699 who makes a career choice 00:44:25.699 --> 00:44:26.099 of it. 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:29.159 One who is broken 00:44:29.159 --> 00:44:30.039 and humbled 00:44:30.039 --> 00:44:30.940 comes to Christ 00:44:30.940 --> 00:44:32.039 and pleads. 00:44:32.039 --> 00:44:34.860 let me say also 00:44:34.860 --> 00:44:35.800 that if you are here 00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:36.380 this morning 00:44:36.380 --> 00:44:37.019 and you are one 00:44:37.019 --> 00:44:37.679 of those believers 00:44:37.679 --> 00:44:38.279 whose heart 00:44:38.279 --> 00:44:39.099 has drifted away 00:44:39.099 --> 00:44:39.800 from Christ, 00:44:40.480 --> 00:44:41.559 he's ready to help you. 00:44:42.860 --> 00:44:43.779 You know Christ 00:44:43.779 --> 00:44:44.400 as your Savior 00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:45.320 but you've lost 00:44:45.320 --> 00:44:46.360 your first love. 00:44:47.480 --> 00:44:48.039 Your life's not 00:44:48.039 --> 00:44:48.840 what it should be. 00:44:50.579 --> 00:44:52.019 The one who saved you 00:44:52.019 --> 00:44:53.380 is bound 00:44:53.380 --> 00:44:53.860 and determined 00:44:53.860 --> 00:44:54.679 to change you 00:44:54.679 --> 00:44:56.380 and I would plead 00:44:56.380 --> 00:44:56.719 with you 00:44:56.719 --> 00:44:57.739 that you humble yourself 00:44:57.739 --> 00:44:58.900 and let him do that. 00:44:58.900 --> 00:45:01.760 Let's close in prayer.