WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.919 his glory, and his disciples believed in him. Amen. Imagine, for a moment, a world without 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:20.500 signs. The next time you head to the supermarket, you are left bewildered. How much does it cost? 00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:27.140 You go to an electronics store, and you want to compare gadgets, but you don't know what they do. 00:00:27.140 --> 00:00:33.660 You are on a journey, perhaps on holiday, and you come to an unfamiliar roundabout, and the question 00:00:33.660 --> 00:00:41.380 becomes, where do I go? We probably don't think about it, but once we do, we realize how important 00:00:41.380 --> 00:00:47.299 signs are for our lives. They are vital to give us both information and to point us towards the right 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:56.079 destination. So, as we begin to explore these seven signs that we find in John's gospel, we're going to 00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:02.759 be looking for information in which we're going to see that these signs point to Jesus as God's 00:01:02.759 --> 00:01:13.000 appointed messenger, that he is revealing God's glory, and they also point us towards our destination, 00:01:13.739 --> 00:01:17.980 the destination God would have each one of us go to. And we find it here in verse 11, 00:01:17.980 --> 00:01:23.140 like the disciples, that we would see the signs and believe in Jesus. 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:35.400 John actually tells us at the very end of his book the purpose of these signs. John 20 at verse 30, 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:40.080 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:45.780 So, he's carefully choosing these seven. These are written that you may believe 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:54.859 that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 00:01:54.939 --> 00:02:00.460 So, that's what the signs are going to be about. We're going to see the glory of Jesus on display 00:02:00.460 --> 00:02:05.620 with a purpose that you and I might believe in him. We're going to see the signs begin at a wedding, 00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:12.719 and the last will take place at a funeral. We'll see his signs helping both rich and poor, 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:18.699 meeting the needs of the hungry and the helpless. And in all of these, we're going to see the glory 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:27.120 of Jesus break in very publicly into our world. And for some, it leads to faith. And that's the goal 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:36.360 for all of us as we spend this time thinking about who is Jesus. Today's sign, and this is borrowing from 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:42.580 a chap in the States called Anthony Salvagio, which seems quite ordinary in many ways. Here is Jesus 00:02:42.580 --> 00:02:51.820 helping out at a small community wedding, is actually a sign that in Jesus, a new world order has begun. 00:02:53.880 --> 00:03:03.180 Some of us are old enough to remember 1989. I remember as a 10-year-old switching on the breakfast 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:10.099 news and seeing these images of the Berlin Wall coming down. And with the coming down of the Berlin 00:03:10.099 --> 00:03:18.500 Wall was the collapse of communism and the Cold War, that a new world order had begun. Very dramatic 00:03:18.500 --> 00:03:26.540 signs. Well, we need to understand that here at this wedding is another sign of another collapse of an 00:03:26.540 --> 00:03:32.480 old order. It's the old order of Judaism, which was relying on laws and rituals and ceremonies, 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:41.139 here is this new era as God's King comes, as God's Kingdom comes, with Jesus and His message of 00:03:41.139 --> 00:03:48.060 salvation by grace, which is always the message of salvation. So, what we're going to do today is 00:03:48.060 --> 00:03:52.199 we're going to look at this sign, and this sign is a miracle. Not all the signs are miracles, but this 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:58.599 one is. We're going to look at it from the standpoint of some of the main characters to help us to see 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:05.460 different aspects of the glory of Jesus together so that we might, in turn, believe in Him. 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:12.079 So, let's begin with Mary, the mother of Jesus. And what do we learn from Mary? We learn that faith 00:04:12.079 --> 00:04:18.959 looks to Jesus. First five verses is where we find Mary featuring prominently. So, the scene is set in 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:25.540 the first three verses. We discover there's a wedding in Cana. Weddings in those days would be large 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:31.760 affairs. The whole community would be their extended family, friends, neighbors among the guests, Mary, 00:04:32.200 --> 00:04:39.600 Jesus, the disciples. And for some reason that we're not told, Mary has access, as it were, to the 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:46.180 kitchen. So, she discovers the problem. Verse three, when the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:55.259 they have no more wine. Jesus is told that by Mary. Now, the response of Mary when she says that is really 00:04:55.259 --> 00:05:06.339 to say, Jesus, will you do something? Jesus, will you fix this problem? Information being passed so that 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:15.620 Jesus might act. When we got married up in Dingwall, just as the meal was getting served, there was a 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:21.139 lengthy pause, and we were wondering what was happening. And the message came to us from the kitchen, 00:05:21.139 --> 00:05:28.659 the dishes. So, it was a carvery, and all the dishes containing all the beef where the light bulbs 00:05:28.659 --> 00:05:35.000 had overheated and smashed. There was glass in all the beef. And so, they needed to bring out some 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:41.959 substitutes. Now, when that message came to me, they weren't expecting me to do anything. It was 00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:48.279 information, but they weren't expecting me to intervene. But that's not the case with Mary and Jesus. 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:53.779 But the question is, why does Mary tell Jesus? After all, Jesus isn't wealthy, and he doesn't have the 00:05:53.779 --> 00:05:59.399 resources to go and purchase vast amounts of wine. He's not a wine merchant with stores available. 00:05:59.639 --> 00:06:09.299 So, why tell Jesus? Well, it must be because of realities about Jesus that Mary already knows. 00:06:09.300 --> 00:06:19.300 Let's go back to that familiar reality that we discover and we celebrate every Christmas. Luke 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:28.040 chapter 1. Here are just some of the truths about Jesus that Mary knows. The angel came to Mary. 00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:34.460 Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:41.019 and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:48.879 God will give him the throne of his father, David. The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:54.419 the Most High will overshadow you. So, the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 00:06:55.319 --> 00:07:01.839 Mary heard those words and knew that experience personally. She was there when the shepherds came 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:09.439 and worshipped. She was there when the wise men came and brought their gifts. And so, Mary's faith 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:15.560 leads her to look to Jesus as the Son of God, as the one who can help. 00:07:18.019 --> 00:07:21.500 Jesus' reply is interesting, though, isn't it? Verse 4, 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:27.899 "'Women, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.'" And when Jesus calls his mother 00:07:27.899 --> 00:07:31.899 woman, that's not being disrespectful, that's not being disrespectful. But it's a way of Jesus to 00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:40.139 create a respectful distance. Mary needs to understand that the one directing Jesus' ministry 00:07:40.139 --> 00:07:49.579 will not be Mary. It will be his Father in heaven. And Mary needs to understand that while Jesus will 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:56.039 act and he will reveal something of his glory at this wedding, his full glory will not be revealed until 00:07:56.040 --> 00:08:01.900 his hour. And the hour, of course, is one of those themes that we see repeating in John's gospel, 00:08:02.379 --> 00:08:07.860 where Jesus is looking ahead, even at this early stage, towards his suffering and death, 00:08:08.900 --> 00:08:14.540 towards his resurrection, and towards his return to glory in heaven. That's when we'll see glory 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:21.720 fully revealed. And Mary needs to understand that. But we see Mary's faith again in verse 5, 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:30.240 when she said to the servants, "'Do whatever he tells you.'" That's wonderful wisdom. That's wonderful 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:37.820 wisdom for this particular situation. But it's wonderful wisdom for every situation, to be guided by 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:45.180 God's Word, to live in obedience to Jesus. Our King is the way of wisdom. 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:57.779 Mary had her faith in the right place. Jesus would act to save the day. And so, we can learn from Mary 00:08:57.779 --> 00:09:07.259 that for us, to see that faith trusts in Jesus, it's important for us to see that we don't need to 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:12.679 know everything about Jesus to have faith in him. Mary didn't know everything. This was really early in 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:18.479 Jesus' ministry. She didn't know about the cross and the resurrection yet, but faith acts on what we 00:09:18.479 --> 00:09:25.939 know. And Mary had come to know that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior for sinners, and so faith 00:09:25.939 --> 00:09:35.959 looks to Jesus. Significant, and I imagine this will be true for many of us in our own stories, our own 00:09:35.959 --> 00:09:42.419 lives, that faith trusts in Jesus in a moment of crisis. Sometimes it's trouble that causes 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:48.799 faith to be faith to be activated. We can tend towards self-reliance until we come to a situation 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:55.639 of desperate need for ourselves or for someone else, and then faith kicks in and looks to Jesus. 00:09:57.419 --> 00:10:05.439 And it's important as we look to Jesus that we recognize who he is. Our faith rests in his person, 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:12.399 that he is none other than the Son of God. Faith rests in the work that he has come to do. 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:21.439 to be Savior for the world. And so, in this action of Jesus, in this miracle, in this sign, 00:10:21.579 --> 00:10:26.819 he's going to show his glory to strengthen the faith of Mary and also the disciples. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:34.759 And so, we discover that faith looks to Jesus. Well, let's move from Mary to the servants, and the 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:43.279 servants are central to the story in verses 6 to 10. That's where we see the sign itself. So, 00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:49.259 Mary says, do whatever he tells you. What does Jesus tell them to do? He says, go and fill up some 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:56.399 large pots with water. Fill them to the brim. Draw some of that water out. Take it to the master of the 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:03.179 banquet. And as they do so, the water becomes wine. The master tastes it, and he's never tasted anything 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:15.819 like it. The water becomes wine. It becomes lots of wine, about 600 liters or so. It becomes the very 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:27.740 best of wine so that the celebration, so that the joy might continue. Now, a brief pause at this stage 00:11:27.740 --> 00:11:33.879 to ask ourselves the question that many people ask, is this really a miracle? Do miracles really 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:41.940 happen? So, some have tried to explain away the supernatural in this story. So, they'll suggest, 00:11:41.940 --> 00:11:46.480 well, maybe those pots had some dregs of wine in the bottom, and as the water got filled up, 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:53.500 you kind of had a diluted, whiny kind of a substance. Why do people do that? What's the issue? 00:11:56.120 --> 00:12:01.640 Well, think of someone like David Hume. Statues all around Edinburgh. David Hume, speaking of miracles, 00:12:01.800 --> 00:12:08.500 said a miracle is a violation of the laws of nature. A miracle simply cannot happen, David Hume says, 00:12:08.500 --> 00:12:14.759 because laws of nature are all there are. The universe is a closed system. Natural processes 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:19.879 rule all. There is no creator. There is no higher power. There are, therefore, no miracles. That was 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:27.240 David Hume's understanding. Now, perhaps that's the understanding of many today, to not recognize 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:34.539 the supernatural. Of course, what we all need to understand is that in itself is a faith assumption, 00:12:34.539 --> 00:12:40.360 because there are other scientists and philosophers and scholars that will recognize 00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:46.240 what's sometimes known as the fine-tuning of the universe, what's sometimes known as the Goldilocks 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:52.159 principle behind the universe. Remember that nursery at Ryan Fairytale where there is the chair, 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:58.279 the porridge, the bed that's just right? Well, there's an understanding as people study science that 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:05.000 the universe is just right. The conditions are just right for human life to survive, for life on this 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:10.819 earth to flourish. If you change those conditions even a little way, the distance that the earth is 00:13:10.819 --> 00:13:18.079 from the sun, the angle of rotation, the elements within the atmosphere, and life as we know it would 00:13:18.079 --> 00:13:24.919 fail to exist. So, there's a faith assumption to imagine all these processes come together without a 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:30.120 creator. And then we add in all the beauty that we see, all the order that we see, the complexity that 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:35.679 we appreciate with our telescope, with our microscope, and we understand that it takes faith to say there's 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:44.899 no such thing as God and no such thing as miracles. For John, the gospel writer, an eyewitness to the life 00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:54.039 of Jesus, here is how he begins to introduce Jesus. Chapter 1 of John, speaking of Jesus, 00:13:54.039 --> 00:13:59.039 in the beginning was the Word, the Word of Revelation, the Word was with God, and the Word 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:08.779 was God. So, Jesus is God. Verse 3, through Him all things were made. Without Him nothing was made that 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:16.439 has been made. So, He is God. He is the agent of creation. Then verse 14, the Word became flesh 00:14:16.439 --> 00:14:23.899 and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came 00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:29.740 from the Father, full of grace and truth. So, in Jesus, we see the glory of God. So, if we understand 00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:34.299 that here is Jesus and He is God and He's entered into creation, the miracles are no problem to us. 00:14:35.299 --> 00:14:40.299 If we trust God's Word and if we trust who Jesus is, then we appreciate the miracles become another 00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:50.860 signpost towards Jesus' identity. Now, back to water becoming wine. That's an important image because 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:56.720 wine in the Bible. So, you go to Old Testament, Psalm 104, we discover wine is one of those gifts that God 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:05.840 gives to gladden the heart. That's what the Psalmist said. Jesus, in Luke chapter 5, had some interesting 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:13.899 things to say to some of His opponents who questioned why He spent so much time eating and drinking with tax 00:15:13.899 --> 00:15:18.879 collectors and sinners. He said, He is like the bridegroom. Jesus said, I'm the bridegroom, and when the 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:27.340 bridegroom is around, it's a time of celebration. And then Jesus said, you need to have new wineskins for 00:15:27.340 --> 00:15:33.939 new wine. And Jesus uses that image to say that in His coming, there is the dawning of joy, there is the 00:15:33.939 --> 00:15:43.799 coming of the King, the coming of His kingdom, that new era has arrived. And the evidence that this new 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:54.939 era, the dawning of the king has come, is in the jars. Verse 6, nearby stood six stone water jars, the 00:15:54.939 --> 00:16:02.099 kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing. So, the previous use for those jars, ceremonial washing. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:09.039 So, even as the people were coming, all the guests were coming to the wedding to celebrate with this 00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:18.699 newly married couple. There was that reminder, you are not clean before God, and you need to be washed. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:27.299 And of course, those who were sensitive to God's Word would understand that water could never do that. 00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:34.139 Water can never deal with the deep stain of sin. It can never deal with the problem of the human heart. 00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:42.559 But what the water could not do, Jesus has come to do. It is Jesus, the King, on His mission. 00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:48.879 Jesus, the King, who knows He's coming for His hour, that time of His suffering, His death, His sacrifice. 00:16:50.500 --> 00:17:01.500 And in His mission, in His dying for us, there is for us a cause for a deep, lasting, eternal joy. 00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:13.220 We could say that John in chapter 2, Jesus in chapter 2, is preparing us for the Lord's Supper. 00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:24.660 That He wants us to connect this wine and this hour, Jesus shedding His blood on the cross as the 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:32.340 basis for our joy, our salvation, our celebration. Because it's in Jesus' sacrifice that we are able 00:17:32.340 --> 00:17:41.080 to know and to enjoy God and to have peace with God for ourselves. Now, why is this good news? 00:17:44.860 --> 00:17:49.660 It's good news because we're all on the pursuit of happiness. 00:17:49.660 --> 00:17:56.120 We're all wired to seek after our own happiness. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:01.480 But what we find, we look around, look at our own lives, 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:07.720 often we imagine that we find happiness by consuming more. 00:18:08.800 --> 00:18:11.720 Look at our society, we are the greatest consumers that have ever lived. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:19.680 We are encouraged to create and recreate new identities for ourselves, both in person and online. 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:29.380 We are living in a time of unlimited possibilities, greater freedom than we've ever had. 00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:34.319 But at the same time, we are not happier than previous generations. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:38.360 Our lives seem more fragile than previous generations. 00:18:38.359 --> 00:18:41.319 And so the question is, why is that? 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:44.879 And it's not because we're pursuing our happiness. 00:18:45.159 --> 00:18:48.699 The problem is that our desire for joy isn't too big. 00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:54.659 It's that we're settling for something that's far less than deep and lasting joy. 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:59.779 Our pursuit of happiness without pursuing Jesus is too small. 00:19:00.719 --> 00:19:07.359 We settle for something so much less than God would have for us, which is eternal life in Jesus. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.339 Jesus would give us eternal joy. 00:19:09.959 --> 00:19:11.839 He would give us eternal happiness. 00:19:12.379 --> 00:19:17.459 He is the only one who can fill that God-shaped hole within our lives. 00:19:18.979 --> 00:19:24.399 There is real joy, deep joy in knowing Jesus the King. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:32.820 Now, let's move from the servants and let's focus for a moment or two on our bridegroom. 00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:39.360 And when we think about what happens to the bridegroom, we recognize that Jesus covers over shame. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.120 Let me read again, 9 and 10. 00:19:44.119 --> 00:19:49.719 Now, I don't know if this will meet with universal agreement, but I reckon that wise weddings, 00:19:49.720 --> 00:20:19.700 wise wedding planning gives the guy the least amount of things to do. 00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:23.000 Okay, we have some nods of agreement. 00:20:23.860 --> 00:20:31.200 First century Israel, the groom had one thing to do, one task, only one task, and it was this. 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:35.720 Make sure there is enough wine for the wedding. 00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:41.480 Make sure there is enough wine to show good hospitality to your guests. 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:46.720 Hospitality was a really big deal in the first century. 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:53.240 There is evidence that lawsuits were brought against people who failed to practice good hospitality. 00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:56.019 So, it was a big deal to be a good host. 00:20:56.140 --> 00:21:00.819 So, when we read in verse 3, they have no more wine. 00:21:01.860 --> 00:21:05.559 This is not some small social mix-up. 00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:08.960 This is a shocking and shameful disaster. 00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:13.819 This is the worst possible way to start married life. 00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:17.039 This is shame on the couple, shame on the extended family. 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:18.899 It's an awful beginning. 00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:27.259 Maybe you went to one of those schools where as soon as you did something embarrassing, 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:30.480 you found yourself labeled with a nickname and that nickname stuck. 00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:38.600 Well, that's nothing compared to what would happen to this couple as the shame would spread, 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:44.880 as the news would spread of this couple who failed to provide wine for their wedding. 00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:48.020 And Jesus comes. 00:21:49.040 --> 00:21:55.020 And thanks to Jesus, shame is turned to public honor. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:59.360 The master of the banquet says, wow, you've saved the best to last. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:06.020 The removal of shame is a beautiful image, a beautiful hope. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:11.380 Psalm 34, verse 5, those who look to God are radiant. 00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:16.580 Their faces are never covered with shame. 00:22:18.280 --> 00:22:20.820 Doesn't that speak to one of the deep longings in our hearts? 00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:24.940 That we could stand before others and not be rejected. 00:22:26.260 --> 00:22:29.300 That we could live in community and not feel unworthy. 00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:35.160 That we could be confident that we will not be spoken badly about or spoken against. 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:46.000 How much more to know that we can stand in the presence of God and not be rejected and not feel unclean and not be cast aside. 00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:51.400 And that's the pointer that we get from the bridegroom's transformation. 00:22:53.080 --> 00:22:57.279 This is what Jesus can do for all those who trust in him. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:04.440 He can remove our shame and give us honor before our God. 00:23:05.879 --> 00:23:08.220 Jesus said, I'm the true bridegroom. 00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:13.399 And we get wonderful glimpses of his love in the gospel. 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:16.379 He is the one who identifies with us. 00:23:17.379 --> 00:23:20.259 He is the one who has come to be God with us. 00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:23.799 In his birth, in his virgin birth, in the incarnation. 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:28.720 He is the one who, on the cross, bears our shame. 00:23:29.659 --> 00:23:31.480 Bears our sin. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.960 And through his victory at the resurrection, he secures our honor. 00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:45.220 Promising that he will one day return and bring us to eternal honor. 00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:48.919 In the new heavens and the new earth. 00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:59.360 So, faith in Jesus promises one of those things our heart needs and wants most. 00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:01.740 Security. 00:24:03.320 --> 00:24:08.700 Knowing we have the approval of the one who matters most, God himself. 00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:14.920 That leads us then to the disciples. 00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:18.480 Now, the last group that we will focus on. 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:20.380 What do we learn about the disciples? 00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:23.519 They see his glory and they believe. 00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:27.420 Verse 11, what Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee 00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:31.680 was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:35.360 and his disciples believed in him. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:39.359 So, the thing about signs, when we think about how important signs are, 00:24:39.439 --> 00:24:42.359 the thing about signs is they need to have information 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.599 and point you to the right direction, 00:24:43.679 --> 00:24:45.959 but you need to be able to read them. 00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:50.799 I don't know if any of us have been to Moscow, been to the metro. 00:24:51.699 --> 00:24:54.740 I can imagine arriving and feeling quite bewildered, 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:56.579 unless you know the language. 00:24:57.339 --> 00:25:01.819 Perhaps, word of caution, if you have just arrived in Scotland 00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:03.240 and you haven't driven in the highlands, 00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:08.519 our government has made sure that we all learn to appreciate the Gaelic language. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:11.419 So, on the road signs, you will find that the Gaelic place names 00:25:11.419 --> 00:25:12.879 come above the English ones. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:15.700 So, it can be quite confusing for folks 00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:18.839 trying to find the appropriate place where they're heading 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:22.519 and the name on the map doesn't match up to the name on the sign. 00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:26.659 Signs need to be able to be read. 00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:29.960 So, what's John's gospel revealing? 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:34.580 It's revealing that the signs of Jesus aren't done in a corner, 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.740 they're displayed publicly, 00:25:36.180 --> 00:25:38.500 but only some read them correctly. 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:41.100 We will see that very quickly, 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:43.860 opposition and rejection begins to happen. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.840 But that's not the case with the disciples. 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:49.820 They see the glory of Jesus, and they believe there is a response, 00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:51.820 and we always need to make response. 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.300 If we see the glory of Jesus, 00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:55.380 and we see what He has done, 00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:57.440 then there needs to be that response of faith. 00:25:59.080 --> 00:26:03.940 What's the information they discover from this sign? 00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:06.540 That Jesus comes with the glory of God, 00:26:06.580 --> 00:26:07.380 with the power of God, 00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:08.380 that He is from God, 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.340 He's the Son of God, 00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:10.180 and so they believe. 00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:12.060 That's their destination. 00:26:12.360 --> 00:26:14.060 That's where Jesus would have them to be, 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:16.880 believing in Him and following Him 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:20.220 because of who He is and what He has come to do. 00:26:21.560 --> 00:26:23.060 So, for them, for the next three years, 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:25.700 they're going to see more of Jesus' glory, 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:30.519 which will climax in the hour of Jesus, 00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:33.099 as He is lifted up on the cross, 00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:36.859 as He is then raised from the dead, 00:26:37.019 --> 00:26:39.299 as He returns to heaven. 00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:40.500 They will see all that. 00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:42.379 But even at this stage, 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.899 they see His glory, 00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:45.419 and they believe. 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:48.800 They believe that Jesus has come to bring joy 00:26:48.800 --> 00:26:49.680 and bring salvation. 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.980 Now, as we close, 00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:57.640 I want to stick with this marriage feast picture 00:26:57.640 --> 00:26:59.660 and take us to a couple of places in the Bible, 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:00.340 one we've read, 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:01.400 one we haven't read yet. 00:27:01.840 --> 00:27:03.880 In Isaiah chapter 25, 00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:06.019 remember those words at the beginning? 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:08.039 We have that promise 00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:10.639 that the Lord Almighty, 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:12.900 Jesus, who is God, 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:16.480 He is the one who brings entry 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.079 into eternal glory, 00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:22.220 into the eternal feast. 00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:25.539 By faith in Jesus, 00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:27.920 we live with the hope and the promise 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:31.200 that sorrow and shame and death 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:33.259 will one day be no more 00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:35.099 for the people of God. 00:27:35.099 --> 00:27:38.359 And then we go towards the end of the Bible. 00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:39.759 We'll go to Revelation 19, 00:27:39.859 --> 00:27:41.119 in verses 6 and 7. 00:27:41.219 --> 00:27:42.439 We have these wonderful words. 00:27:43.459 --> 00:27:43.899 Hallelujah. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:45.519 There's joy. 00:27:46.159 --> 00:27:48.439 For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:50.959 Let us rejoice and be glad 00:27:50.959 --> 00:27:52.579 and give Him glory, 00:27:53.199 --> 00:27:55.399 for the wedding of the Lamb has come. 00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:59.399 The return of Jesus brings in the wedding, 00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:00.899 the feast, the joy. 00:28:01.339 --> 00:28:03.099 Jesus and His people together forever. 00:28:03.619 --> 00:28:05.039 And then it goes on to say, 00:28:05.459 --> 00:28:07.599 blessed are those who are invited 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:10.000 to the wedding supper of the Lamb. 00:28:11.219 --> 00:28:12.639 Friends, that invitation 00:28:12.639 --> 00:28:14.779 is extended to us today. 00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:18.119 To believe in Jesus today 00:28:18.119 --> 00:28:19.980 is to know that we will enter 00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:21.019 into that feast 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.679 when Jesus comes back again. 00:28:24.379 --> 00:28:26.740 That means we need to read this sign 00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:28.179 to see the glory of Jesus, 00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:29.899 to see that He is God's Savior. 00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:32.200 And we need to respond like the disciples, 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.640 with faith and with joy 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:35.180 and with worship and trust. 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:40.120 May we all come to that greater understanding 00:28:40.120 --> 00:28:41.820 of who Jesus is. 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:43.620 And like the disciples, 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:45.560 may we believe in Him. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:47.700 Let's pray together. 00:28:47.700 --> 00:28:50.380 Lord, our God, 00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:52.220 thank You that You 00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:54.160 sent Your Son Jesus, 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.860 and thank You for the signs 00:28:55.860 --> 00:28:56.819 that He performed 00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:59.279 in order to show us so clearly 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:01.600 that He is sent by You, 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:04.700 that He is Your appointed messenger, 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:06.740 bringing salvation, 00:29:07.660 --> 00:29:08.980 bringing Your kingdom. 00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:11.039 Lord, we thank You 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.860 that in Jesus 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:13.480 there is that deep joy 00:29:13.480 --> 00:29:14.880 that we long for. 00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:18.120 There is honor instead of shame 00:29:18.120 --> 00:29:20.460 that we would love to know. 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:23.299 There is the promise 00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:24.860 of eternal life, 00:29:24.900 --> 00:29:26.259 of an eternal feast 00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:28.360 in the future. 00:29:29.620 --> 00:29:30.880 And so may each one of us, 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:31.759 like the disciples, 00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:33.720 see the glory of Jesus 00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:35.839 and believe. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:37.360 Amen. 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:42.120 Now we're going to close 00:29:42.120 --> 00:29:45.079 with a hymn 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:47.799 that brings us 00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.980 to the idea of feasting. 00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:50.599 We will feast 00:29:50.599 --> 00:29:52.400 in the house of Zion, 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.779 and we'll again stand 00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:54.940 to sing together. 00:29:54.940 --> 00:29:55.019 Amen. 00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:13.860 We will feast 00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:17.220 in the house of Zion, 00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:19.980 We will sing 00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:23.220 with our hearts restored, 00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:26.700 He has done great things, 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:30.220 we will say together, 00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:33.279 We will feast 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:36.620 and weep no more. 00:30:36.619 --> 00:30:42.719 We will not be burned 00:30:42.719 --> 00:30:45.879 by the fire, 00:30:45.879 --> 00:30:52.000 He is the Lord our God, 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:54.719 We are not consumed 00:30:54.719 --> 00:30:58.299 by the flood, 00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:00.299 We will feast 00:31:00.299 --> 00:31:01.299 upheld, 00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:02.299 We will feast 00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:05.299 in the house of Zion, 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:06.299 We will feast 00:31:06.299 --> 00:31:11.299 in the house of Zion, 00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:15.139 We will sing 00:31:15.139 --> 00:31:17.299 with our hearts restored, 00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:21.639 He has done great things, 00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:23.640 We will sing 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:24.640 together, 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:27.640 We will feast 00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:31.640 and weep no more. 00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:38.640 in the dark of night 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:40.640 before the dawn, 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:46.640 my soul be not afraid 00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:50.640 for the promised morning, 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:52.640 O how long, 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:57.640 O God of Jacob, 00:31:57.640 --> 00:32:00.640 be my strength, 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:02.640 We will feast 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:06.640 in the house of Zion, 00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:07.640 We will sing 00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:11.640 with our hearts restored, 00:32:11.640 --> 00:32:16.640 He has done great things, 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:18.640 We will sing together, 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:22.640 We will feast 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:26.640 and weep no more. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:33.640 every vow we've broken 00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:35.640 and betrayed, 00:32:35.640 --> 00:32:41.640 You are the faithful one, 00:32:41.640 --> 00:32:43.640 from the garden 00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:45.640 and from the garden 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:48.640 to the grave, 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:52.640 Bind us together, 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:55.640 bring shalom, 00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:58.640 We will feast 00:32:58.640 --> 00:33:02.640 in the house of Zion, 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:04.640 We will sing 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:08.640 with our hearts restored, 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:10.640 We will sing 00:33:10.640 --> 00:33:11.640 and weep no more. 00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:12.640 He has done great things, 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:14.640 We will sing together, 00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:17.640 We will feast 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:20.640 and weep no more. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:23.640 We will feast 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:25.640 and weep no more. 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:26.640 We will feast 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:29.640 and weep no more. 00:33:33.640 --> 00:33:37.640 Our benediction comes from Revelation chapter 1 verses 4 and 5. 00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:42.640 Grace and peace to you from him who is, 00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:44.640 and who was, 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:46.640 and who is to come, 00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:49.640 and from the sevenfold spirit before his throne, 00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:51.640 and from Jesus Christ, 00:33:51.640 --> 00:33:53.640 who is the faithful witness, 00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:56.640 the firstborn from the dead, 00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:59.640 and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 00:33:59.640 --> 00:34:00.640 Amen. 00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:21.059 Will unveil the 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:22.640 and the нормyblaze animal, 00:34:22.640 --> 00:34:24.260 and from the sevenfold drift hour where theirven 00:34:24.640 --> 00:34:26.640 when his throne's into the earth.