A VITAL LESSON FROM THE MOTHER OF JESUS

INTRODUCTION

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 462: Obedience

Obedience 462

In July 1976, Israeli commandos made a daring raid at an airport in Entebbe, Uganda, in which 103 Jewish hostages were freed. In less than 15 minutes, the soldiers had killed all seven of the kidnappers and set the captives free.

As successful as the rescue was, however, three of the hostages were killed during the raid. As the commandos entered the terminal, they shouted in Hebrew, “Get down! Crawl!” The Jewish hostages understood and lay down on the floor, while the guerrillas, who did not speak Hebrew, were left standing. Quickly the rescuers shot the upright kidnappers.

But two of the hostages hesitated—perhaps to see what was happening—and were also cut down. One young man was lying down and actually stood up when the commandos entered the airport. He, too, was shot with the bullets meant for the enemy. Had these three heeded the soldiers’ command, they would have been freed with the rest of the captives.

Salvation is open to all, but we must heed Christ’s command to repent and make him Lord. Otherwise, we will perish with the judgment meant for the Enemy.

Judgment, Salvation

Date used __________ Place ____________________

The text before us today brings us to the beginning of the public ministry of the Lord Jesus. Because the Gospel of John is so different from those of the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) we must suppose that Jesus has already been baptized, tempted in the wilderness, and enlisted his first disciples. We are told by the narrative that Mary, the mother of Jesus was invited to the a wedding located in Cana of Galilee along with Jesus and His disciples. The focus of this message is on a vital lesson that Mary shared with the servants at the event on that day and the vital lesson that Mothers of this generation ought to share with their own children in these times.

MOVEMENT ONE

Although we are not able to pin down the exact date of this event with accurate precision, we do know a few things about this incident recorded by John. Namely that there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and that the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples had been invited to the wedding. Just as the reception was getting under way, the unthinkable happened: The wine runs out.” Let me be clear at this point, lest I be guilty of reading the text with Western eyes. According to the Holman New Testament Commentary on John: “Running out of wine represented a social disaster much greater in the first century than it would today. Disgrace, humiliation, insult—all these and more would be brought upon the family with such carelessness as to allow this to happen. Wedding celebrations in that day sometimes lasted nearly a week, so the wine supply was a major consideration.”

Gangel, Kenneth O. 2000. John. Vol. 4. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

MOVEMENT TWO

It is here where Mary, reveals the news to Jesus: “They ran out of wine.” This announcement was met with the response: “The Greek text literally reads, What to me and to you, woman. Some have interpreted this to mean “This is not our problem; let them figure it out” or maybe he sought to distinguish the change of relationship. He may have been saying that I cannot use my powers on just any and everything.

That is the sense that we pick up with the last part of verse 4. Jesus says, my time has not yet come. “ The word translated time in the NIV is actually horo, the common word for hour. These two terms are used somewhat interchangeably in John. Four times more in this Gospel we are told that Jesus delayed something or that his enemies could not seize him because his time had not yet come. But as he approached the time of his death on the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, the time has come” (John 17:1).

Notice that Mary does not rebuke Jesus for His remarks to her. She does not say to him “I am your mother, and you cannot speak to me that way; but instead she does something else.

MOVEMENT THREE

Mary seems to recognize that certain conditions must be present in order for miracles to take place, and she goes about trying the create the atmosphere for a move of God. Mary is aware that she in living in a faithless generation because of the presence of a corrupt religious establishment amidst a self-serving set of people. John the Baptist had declared this truth in his preaching. And so, she does not sulk about what Jesus said to her, but she begins to work the work the room and give a vital lesson in her instructions to the servants of the wedding .

TRANSFORMATIVE POINT

It is a verse 5 that we see and hear Mary saying to the servants, ““Whatever He tells you, do it.”

John (B. The Master and His Method (2:5–8)

This timeless spiritual principle lives on through two thousand years of church history: Do whatever he tells you. Mary’s faith stood strong; she knew that Jesus could do whatever was necessary in the situation as long as the servants obeyed.

I’m afraid that the reason the church is suffering the way that it is today is because it is not doing what the Lord has told it. God responds to obedience.

Anecdotes and Illustrations of D. L. Moody Related by Him in His Revival Work (Obedience)

Suppose you say to my boy, “Willie, I want you to go out and bring me a glass of water.” He says he doesn’t want to go. “I didn’t ask you whether you wanted to go or not, Willie; I told you to go.” “But I don’t want to go,” he says. “I tell you, you must go and get me a glass of water.” He does not like to go. But he knows I am very fond of grapes, and he is very fond of them himself, so he goes out, and some one gives him a beautiful cluster of grapes. He comes in and says, “Here, papa, here is a beautiful cluster of grapes for you.” “But what about the water?” “Won’t the grapes be acceptable, papa?” “No, my boy, the grapes are not acceptable; I won’t take them; I want you to get me a glass of water.” The little fellow doesn’t want to get the water, but he goes out, and this time some one gives him an orange. He brings it in and places it before me. “Is that acceptable?” he asks. “No, no, no!” I say; “I want nothing but water; you cannot do anything to please me until you get the water.” And so, my friends, to please God you must first obey Him.

New American Standard Bible. 2020. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

MOVEMENT FOUR (RESOLUTION)

Mark the text and see that Jesus gave several commands. First, He instructed fill six stone water jars to the brim. This took physical exertion.

Next, they were told to draw some of the liquid out of the pot and give to the headwaiter to taste. They did what the Lord said do and the end result was that it appeared the bridegroom had saved the best for last.

Conclusion: Just as this wedding ran out of wine, humankind ran out of fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden. When sin entered the world, the celebration ceased—but Jesus came to restore our reason to celebrate. Wine is even used sometimes in Scripture as a picture of joy: “Wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart” (Ps. 104:15).

Just as the banquet master said that most people brought out the best wine first and the cheap wine once senses were dulled, in the same way the world throws its best pictures of sin at us to trick us, then the cheap stuff comes along. Eventually the joy and pleasure the world offers through sin runs out. But God’s joy lasts forever and he saves his best blessings for last. As Christians we always have more to look forward to because heaven reminds us that God saves the best wine for the end of the party.

If we want to see God’s miraculous power, we should learn the vital lesson from Mary about “Whatever He says do, do it.