The Wedding in Cana
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The Wedding of Cana
John 2:1-12
BI: Keep trusting in the Lord Jesus as you wait for the best wedding day ever.
Well, last week we heard some exciting news, didn’t we? Of course, the Roediger’s had their bub Heidi and Jack and Naomi got engaged. It was that news made me reminisce about my wedding. So this week as I was preparing for today in the passage, John 2:1-12 was our wedding passage, I dug a photo of our wedding day. Here it is. (PHOTO) There we are. What a great day. 17 January 2015. Feels like an eternity ago right, we’ve got 4 kids now. There’s the beautiful Joy, and there I am. Don’t know if you can tell, but it was almost 38 degrees. I was struggling in the heat. I married the love of my life.
Friends, it’s hard to think of a more important decision than the decision to marry. God willing you’re spending up to 60 years sleeping next to this person! And unlike your birth and death you get to choose who you marry.
More than just a choice, getting married is also very expensive. Did you know what the average cost of an Aussie wedding is? Well according to onefinedayweddingfair.com.au its $54000. They’ve got a breakdown of the costs. Top three costs were venue, floral and stylist, wedding dress. It’s the most expensive party you will have to host.
But it’s a great day isn’t it. Food, fun, family, friends. I love weddings.
1. The Context: Jesus goes to a wedding (2:1-2)
In today’s passage, we’ve come to a wedding.
Verse 1
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
Jesus comes as a wedding guest. His mum’s there. His disciples are there. But it’s interesting that we don’t hear about how nice the bride looks. There’s no mention of her dress. We don’t hear about the speeches. In fact, we don’t even hear the names of the groom or bride. And what’s worse, there’s a problem at the wedding.
2. The problem: There is no more wine! (2:3-5)
We all know things can go wrong on a wedding day. For Joy and I, we paid over 2k for the photographer, but I kid you not, about 98% of the photos had me smiling like this… like I said it was almost 38 degrees hot humid stuff I’m in a tight suit shirt and tie trying to smile for photos. Things can go wrong at a wedding. I’ve been at a wedding where the bride had an allergic reaction to the food right before their speech. It was awkward. You don’t know where to look. Things can go wrong at a wedding.
In this passage, there a big problem. There is no more wine.
When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
Worse than bad photos, this is really bad. Now you have to know, weddings in Jesus’ time could go for a whole week. Like, you don’t walk 100km to attend a wedding for a couple of sausage rolls and a glass of port. It’s a whole week of festivities. Let the food, let the wine flow. And it’s the groom who is responsible for providing the wine. So it shouldn’t surprise you that there were court cases where the groom’s family are sued for running out of wine.
When Mary says to Jesus ‘they have no wine,’ she’s not just making an observation. The sky is blue. No, she wants him to do something about it! And again, this shouldn’t surprise us. That’s what mums do. Brian, the gas bill is due. Brian, the car’s out of petrol. She says it because she wanted me to do something about it.
But look at Jesus’ answer. It’s feels so abrupt. I’m sure you noticed it as it was read.
And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Jesus calls his mother ‘woman’ in the Gospels. He does it a few times. It may sound rude to our ears but it’s actually not. Culturally it is respectful, but he keeps a polite distance. It certainly gets her thinking doesn’t it? It’s like Jesus is saying ‘mum I didn’t plan to do anything here. it’s not the time to go public. Now throughout John’s Gospel Jesus refers to his hour. He keeps talking about my hour. My hour has not yet come, my hour has not yet come. Until he says in chapter 12 my hour has come. Jesus is working to the plan of his heavenly Father, not his earthly mother. His hour has not come. This is why he puts Mary in her place.
Mary realizes the right response at this point. It’s a good response. Verse 5 John 2:5
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Do whatever Jesus tells you. That’s Mary’s one command in the Bible. ‘Do whatever Jesus tells you.’ It’s a good one. Jesus is the Son of God.
And boy does he bring the wine! he changes water to overflowing wine.
3. The solution: Leave the best till last (2:6-12)
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
We don’t naturally think in gallons. We think in litres. That’s how we’re taught. Now, 20-30 gallons is about 100 litres. If you think of those big 100 litre drums, 6 of those side by side. I was at moon dog brewery in Preston this week celebrating a mates birthday – I saw those big beer drums. They’re huge. This is 600 litres. Now these were used by the Jews for ceremonial washing. At the time of Jesus, the religious leaders had ritual washings. It wasn’t part of the Old Testament law, but added by tradition later on. The Jewish people and leaders used to wash things all the time. It’s to make them acceptable and pure to God. they washed cups, cutlery, hands, all the time. It’s the thing you did to make you acceptable to God. Notice what does Jesus asks the servants to do. Out with the old - water for purification. In with the new - wine! verse 7
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
The wedding goes from a very dry disaster to an abundance of the very best wine. It’s not your $3 Aldi wine, it’s the best. You’re $150k Chateau Petru from Bordaeux. This was a miracle. The process of making wine, I’m no expert but it can take months, years even to plant, spray, pick, process. Jesus does it in a moment. Jesus has the authority and power to change water to wine.
And it’s confirmed. The master of the feast – the head organizer - he tasted this new wine. It sat well on the palate. he goes: this is amazing wine.
So he gets the bridegroom and tells him: Everyone brings out the best wine first and then the cheap stuff last. But you have saved the best till last! You can understand this right. You start with the good stuff. When the palate goes, people bring out the cheap stuff. Jesus has solved the problem. In fact, he has made the party even better!
Now I want us to notice three things about this miracle.
1. Jesus creates the very best. You would expect when God does it, it’s going to be very very good.
2. And he doesn’t just make just enough wine. Jesus makes more than enough. he goes above and beyond. He brings an abundance of wine.
3. Thirdly, stop and think about this. Imagine if God turned up at your wedding and he such a cool miracle so you can enjoy yourself! He did it here. Jesus does this sign on the downlow. He doesn’t announce it. “Listen everyone, there’s no more wine I’m about to change water into wine.” No. the master of the feast, the bridegroom, bride, and families didn’t know where the wine came from. Imagine if he had made a fuss, the bridegroom would look silly and the family would have lost face. Why does he keep it under the radar? He wants them to enjoy their wedding. He does it quietly for their good. It’s over the top generosity.
Friends, have you ever thought that God knows what’s best for us? He is wise and good and wants us to enjoy life under him? I don’t know what you think about Christianity, but it is the opposite picture of what you get about religion. Dull, boring, bunch of rule keepers. Jesus does not come to suck the joy out of life. he comes to give life, life to the full. I pray with my kids most nights to thank God for what we do have, the blessings of food, fun, family, friends - thankful - God is good. he’s kind. he’s generous. Be thankful what we have.
4. The Purpose: Believe in Jesus (2:11)
So the question is; why does John record this for us? What’s his purpose? A rescued wedding party. We’ve just been told in chapter 1, the word became flesh. Jesus – God himself – came into the world. What do you expect him to be doing? Healing the terribly sick, casting out a fierce demon, calm a raging storm? No he changes water to wine. God brings into the world, the Son of God, the Messiah, Son of Man, to make grog for a wedding party.
What’s the purpose of this sign? We’re not left guessing. Here it is. Keep believing in the Lord Jesus as you wait for the best wedding day ever. that’s what i want you to remember.
verse 11
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
The word believed, it’s the same word for trust. The disciples trusted in Jesus. Really this sign is for his disciples. They’ve just been called to follow him. Now they’ve seen this sign. So they trust him. But how does this sign show God’s glory such that they trusted him?
Let’s have a think about how this works.
Now, notice the word sign there, John calls this a sign and not a miracle. Why does he call it a sign? Well, a sign points past itself to something bigger. For example, I’m driving home from Bible study. There’s a sign that tells me roadworks ahead, drive 40. The sign tells me what’s happening up ahead. What’s important is the roadworks – they are repairing the road so that we can have a nicer drive. That’s what’s important. The roadworks. The sign just lets me know what’s happening up ahead.
Jesus does turns water to wine. It’s a sign. It points to something more important about Jesus.
So what’s this sign point out about Jesus? of course, immediately it shows his authority over nature. he’s the Son of God! But even more than this, water to wine, water to wine alarm bells should ring in our minds from the Old Testament. It’s a sign that the Messiah is here! How? God’s prophets – they spoke God’s Word – they tell us God will one day renew his creation. God will reverse the way we have messed it up by rebelling against him. And they talk about a great feast in the future. A banquet, time of true joy and happiness. This is the great wedding day of Christ and his bride - the church. In fact that’s where the whole of human history is heading. the great marriage of Christ Jesus and his church - his people. So look at Isaiah 25 – He’s a prophet 800BC. – verse 6
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
This is in the Old Testament. It’s strange in a way. This is the picture of heaven. There’s food and wine. It’s not angels playing harps in the clouds. It’s real. It’s physical. It’s going to be so good. And the prophet Jeremiah tells it’s going to be so good. It’s going to be a life of food and wine, abundance and celebration. Come to just wonderful passage in Jeremiah 31:12-14
They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
and they shall languish no more.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the Lord.”
Friends, the Messiah Jesus - the one who will bring all this about - he has come. this anticipation had been building and building. The disciples have said Jesus is He Son of God. He is the Son of Man. This sign confirms it. The Messiah is here. The new time of prosperity and abundance has come. They will see a lot more. We will see more as we work through John. But even right here, they have seen and heard enough. They believed in Jesus.
Friends, what’s stopping you from believing? The Messiah is here. Don’t miss out on this great wedding that’s coming. Jesus has shed blood to offer you a place. See in verse 4 remember when he said; my hour has not yet come, Jesus was thinking of his own wedding in a sense. And what it would take to win over his bride for himself. In fact, when he says his hour, he is talking about his death. that’s what it will take. Jesus dies for his bride, that’s his church, people like you and me and pays the penalty for our sins. He rises again to give life. Eternal life. friends, that’s what it cost him. his death. It’s going to be the very best banquet. The very best party ever. Jesus is there. God is there. Followers of Jesus will be there. There’s no sadness, no crying, pain, cancer, heartache, or suffering. It will be life as it is meant to be lived.
So many people have said to Jesus no thanks. I don’t believe. I don’t want to come. And its sad. They don’t believe that God is good. God is wise. For example, they don’t want to believe Jesus is not anti-alcohol. he’s not a party pooper. you can see it in John 2! If there’s any doubt, God says in Psalm 104: 15
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
God made it. it’s good. but it’s a good gift. but God says to keep self controlled. Have it in moderation. But as a society, what do we do? We know better God. we’ll get drunk. we’ll get smashed. we have no boundaries. so what do you get? You get accidents, pedestrians killed, alcohol fuelled violence. I grew up seeing some of the effects of excessive alcohol. God is good, God is wise but we say no thanks God, I know best. i’m not just talking about alcohol. sex, relationships, money, everything. We take what God gives us, and we reject God. We think we know best. But we don’t. So the punishment fits the crime. if you spend all your life ignoring Jesus, come judgment day, he will give us what you wanted. he will send you away. You will be sent away to an empty, lifeless, hopeless place. Hell. How terrible is that?
What’s Jesus’ answer? Religious ritual? Get in my good books? No, the jars are empty. You can’t purify yourself. No amount of washing can ever clean your heart. Forget it. It’s a waste of time. He says, and this is my first implication.
4. Implications
1. Come to the wedding.
Friends, perhaps you have just started coming to EPC since the new year. Maybe this is your first time here. Welcome. I think it’s time to work out, will I turn to Jesus or turn away from him? Will I turn and walk towards him? You may not have all the evidence, you’re still working it out. Maybe there’s something inside that says how good would it be if it’s true, and it is, why not start to walk towards it? Read John’s Gospel. John tells us John 20:31
John writes so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name. Believe today. Be right with God today. If you don’t believe, believe in Jesus. Do it today.
Secondly, if you do keep believing in Jesus.
2. Keep believing in Jesus
For the disciples believed in him. That’s what it says end of verse 11. Given all we have seen, the response is not to take our eyes off Jesus. See his glory. See that he is the Messiah, the one who has come to make us right with God. If you’re suffering. I know many of you are. And life is hard. you struggle to see the way ahead. Keep believing in Jesus. Remember his hour - his death and resurrection. he died for you sins. Jesus loves you. he will bring you home. There will be no more pain and suffering, but glory and abundance. Keep believing in Jesus, trusting in his death and resurrection.
3. Live in obedience to Jesus
Believe in Jesus, keep believing in Jesus, but live in obedience to Jesus. Notice Mary says to the servant – do whatever he tells you. We come to Jesus on his terms. It’s not because we have a family history as a Presbyterian. Or I serve a lot at EPC. I give a lot of money that’s why i deserve to be in God’s good books. No one gets a head start to be right with God. Jesus forgives anyone who believes in him. It’s a free gift. But I think Mary models what rock solid belief looks like. Obedience. Here’s a simple summary of the Christian life in practice. Here it is; do whatever Jesus tells you. It’s not he’s so powerful, what can he give me? What can he do for me? No no he is the Lord. We listen and obey. We fit into his plans. We trust and obey for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
And as we do that we know where it’s all heading. Jesus always has our best interests at heart even if we can’t see it at the time. We may face struggles of all types. Obedience may look hard. But it’s the mark of a believer of Jesus.
Friends as I wrap up, look at verse 12 John 2:12
After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
It just sounds so normal that verse doesn’t it? But the point is because of Jesus, it’s yes normal for a while but everything is changed forever. He has shown us his glory. There is going to be the best wedding forever. We won’t just be guests. It’s the wedding we were made for. We will make up the bride. And standing next is the groom. Jesus the bridegroom the one who provided it all, for his people this abundant life. Keep believing in Jesus as we wait for that great wedding day. Let’s pray together.