God of Miracles Carolyn & Everette

John 2:1-12

John 2:1–12 NIV

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Prayer

Background

The word became flesh

Jesus came to earth

His birth was miraculous - born of a virgin - th impossible became possible because of God!

Jesus is fully God

Jesus is fully God

He came to bring Salvation - He came to restore us to God.

Salvation is the greatest miracle

Jesus brings the Framework for the power of God and we see the evidence of this at the wedding in Cannan

It all starts with Jesus

God had a plan and that plan was to give His only son to us to bring restoration.

God is not a God who wants to hurt or punish, He is a jealous God and a God of holy standard. He will not allow sin in His presence. We were sinful yet He still loved us. He made a way to deal with that sin and give us a chance to have relationship with Him.

Isaiah 43:18–19 NIV

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Right from the start God is not a God of the same old same old.

Yes He is consistant but He is not boring!

He blesses in ways that we can never think possible.

You want restoration?

Start with Jesus

God doesn’t want us to go back to the old but to the future- he wants to do something new

Restore at a higher level

He is Jehovah Rafa - The Lord Rewards

He loves to Bless us! He loves us.

Our faith is based on the miraculous power of Jesus

Before we are mothers fathers we are sons and daughters of God first

We have the ability to dream

Fear the future or dream a better future

God what are you calling me to do

Value

illustration

When we buy or sell there is a price attached.

When I go shopping I have items in mind to look for and not only do I have items in mind but I have the amount I am willing to pay for it.

If its not that number I have in my mind then I will walk away or see if there is a bargain to be had.

In order for us to buy an item the price has to be right.

Some may think its work $600 but that might be the seller. Then if the seller is desperate to sell then perhaps he will continue you to lower the price until it meets the expected number the buyer wants but won’t say.

God has high value on us. It is a value that will leave a legacy and will last for generations.

If we want to be restored it starts with Jesus

We miss everything if it doesn’t point to Jesus

Lots of noise - easy to be distracted - he is the hope of glory

Everything we do has to point to him

The Cross says so much

Symbol recorgnized everywhere

Shows what Jesus did - died for our sins - He took our place

Redemption

Salvaton - opportunity for right relationship with God

The cross bridges the chasm/gap between humanity and God.

The cross proves our value - Jesus did not die for junk

The cross is a revelation of our value

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Plan of salvation

The crossed bridged the great divide

Explain

humanity - sinful, unholy

God - holy & just

God loved us and loves us. He had a plan

Sent His only Son.

Jesus lived a perfect life - fully God & fully man - he knew temptation, hunger, tired etc.

He still remained true.

Died on cross - defeated death, sin and hell

Rose on the third day the Victor over the grave

He is our Savior!!! Our healer!!! Our coming King!!!

Sonship identity

Sonship as identity - seen through insecurity of older and younger because haven’t dealt with their identity issue - who they are in Christ?

You are not your own you were bought with a price. You are His - masterpiece, creation. apple of His eye!

You are His! He is yours!

That should bring confidence and purpose for your life.

Hates having pictures taken or picks holes in what has been done.

God did not give us the plan of redemption if we were not worth redemming!

Jesus did not die for Junk!

Worth

What do you think you’re worth?

Many consumed with addiction, poor self esteem, poor self image, cutting, selling themselves, anorexia, bulimia, and the list can go on.

Either they have never known Jesus and been loved by him. or have not understood their value.

Sin will enslave you!

Slavery

There is a spirit of slavery that tries to keep us trapped to consume our thoughts.

The enemy is not going to let us go easily there will be a constant fight to keep us feeling like trash.

Slavery brings fear, doubt, lack, rejection, oppression - orphaned and have nothing or no one.

Slavery fights to consume our thoughts.

Romans 8:14–15 NLT

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Freedom

Walk in confidence & Freedoom because of Whose you are.

You are heirs with God, joint heir with Christ.

We often have nothing good to say about ourselves.

Live in Sonship

When we know our value it changes the posture of our lives and how we operate

The future of our church isn’t a building or program etc but in the future of sons and daughters who are filled with the Holy Ghost.

We need a revelation of the Holy Spirit in our lives

We need Holy Ghost encounters every Sunday not once in a while

It is the Holy Spirit that changs lives.

Living in the sonship of Christ:

•Mind of Christ

•Believe & Expect God’s promises

•Live according to the Spirit no flesh

•Confident in God given identity & purpose

•Welcome God’s direction & discipline

•Serve the Lord – full adoption and acceptance

•Receive favor & spiritual blessing

Identity in Christ

Know who you are in Christ:

•Need to know your identity in Christ

•Knowing changes posture, confidence & how you operate

•We need the revelation of the Holy Spirit in our lives

•We need the Holy Ghost – this is how legacy is built

•The Holy Spirit changes lives

•The miraculous power did not end with Jesus’ life

•The Holy Spirit – the comforter was given – New wine

Equation

HS + Jesus = Restoration

Restoration

•Starts with Jesus!

•He is the Hope of Glory

•Our job is to point to Jesus

•Holy Spirit does the work

•Revival does not look old it looks new

Everythiny we do has to point to Jesus

Not about us all about Him

John 2:3–4 NLT

The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

Explanation

•Jesus’ mother

•Knew the couple

•Knew the consequence of no more wine

•Mary went to Jesus

•She knew her son

•She knew who He really was

•Jesus’ response:

“Woman, why do you involve me?

My hour has not yet come”.

Mary

•Went to Jesus because of faith

•She then tells the servants

“Do whatever He tells you”

•Obedience is vital

Vessels

•The servants brought 6 (30 gallon)

• The Jars were filled to the brim with water

• Draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.

• They did as they were told & when it was tasted it was wine.

Importance of Miracle

•Gives testimony - When Jesus gets a hold your life He won’t let you go because you had a supernatural encounter with Him. Makes an impression that lasts forever.

• Our lives are not our own but vessels to be used by God

• That same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us

• We just point to Jesus & get out of the way

• The vessels delivered the miracle to the people

•We need healthy hearts to obey

• He wants to speak truth into us – willing vessel

Question

•Ever wonder when the miracle happens?

•When was it that the water changed into wine?

Pouring

It comes in the POURING!!!!!

Pour into me Lord

Broken and spilled out. I want everything He has for me.

There is living water pouring deep in you and me and you know what?

WE are living way less (below our potential) than where we are called to be.

The future is brighter, bigger than what we can see. We must trust the miracle worker He sees the bigger picture.

In Acts 2 we see there was a life changing encounter - filled with the spirit, tongues of fire.

Ever wish we had church like Acts? New things happening all the time. God’s power was on overload. The power of the spirit had rushed in over the early church and it exploded in exponential growth.

When we move in a hungry way wanting more of Him there is movement that will happen unlike anything we have ever seen.

Jehovah Rafa

Remember He is the Lord who rewards.

Our sin brought brokenness but through the cross, through Jesus we can live free!

And that’s a miracle!

The "Messianic Banquet" is a symbolic portrayal of our blessings to come.

 As Children of God, we'll be sharing a rich feast with Jesus - the Messiah. In the New Testament, we see this feast described as a wedding banquet where Jesus is the Groom and the whole Church is both the Bride and invited guests.

We have a lot to look forward to don’t miss it

When Jesus performed this miracle and gave wine that was better than the intial wine served meant something so meaningful that I don’t want us to miss here.

He used the ritual washing vessels filled them to the brim with water. Then turned them into wine, better wine, new wine unlike anything they have ever had.

Jesus had brought something new and better and its available here today.