The Lamb Was a Sign

The Lamb Was a Sign

John 2:1-11

Don't ignore the signs.

ILL- Driving into Kansas City on July 4 for school and missing detour sign.

Ended up in a neighborhood that had the highest murder rate in the nation that year.

Missing the sign or mis-interpreting the sign can have huge implications.

Not just a miracle, It’s a sign!

John 2:1–11 ESV

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 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 10 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.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

vs 11= signs= miracle used to teach a truth.

Signs mean that it had a deeper meaning than jus to show God’s power.

4 Deeper Truths

1. Jesus Had a Purpose (4)

John 2:4 ESV

4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

"my hour has not yet come"- reference to the cross, not the beginning of his ministry.

John 7:30 ESV

30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

John 8:20 ESV

20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

John 13:1 ESV

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Jesus will take the drinking of wine as a reminder of his death.

2. Jesus Replaced Purification (6)

John 2:6 ESV

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.

Hebrews 1:3–4 ESV

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 9:13–14 ESV

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

3. Jesus Required Faith (5, 7-8, 11)

Mary's Faith (5)

John 2:5 ESV

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

This is Jesus' first miracle. Mary hadn't seen any.

More than a mom thinking her son was perfect.

Servants Faith (7-8)

John 2:7–8 ESV

7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.

"Fill jars with water"

ILL- Filling baptistry in Malawi. New Baptistry in building with no running water.

Disciples Faith (11)

John 2:11 ESV

11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Disciples believed in him.

They followed him because of his teaching and John the Baptist's testimony.

Now they believe. They begin to see who Jesus truly is.

ILL- Woman at the Well

The crowds followed her to the well because of her testimony.

The crowds heard and saw for themselves and believed.

We have to come to the point we believe.

They saw with their eyes and believed.

1 John 1:1–3 ESV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4. Jesus Provided Superior Gift (9-10)

John 2:9–10 ESV

9 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 10 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.”

It was to the shame of the family to not have enough food and drink at a wedding.

This is more than likely a family wedding.

They could even be fined by local synagogue for this failure.

ILL- If you don't bring enough food to church fellowship you will pay a price.

Mary cared about their reputation.

Jesus and all his brothers were there.

Jesus provides a quality of wine much above what was expected.

Jesus is the perfect gift.

Hebrews 1:1–4 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

CONCLUSION

More than a miracle. Jesus gives a sign.

Miracles point to the power of God but signs have a deeper meaning.

Don't miss what Jesus was telling them about himself.

Jesus died on the cross to be a superior sacrifice than what was in the Law.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Will you put your faith in Jesus today?