"The Bridegroom"

Have you ever watched a group of young boys the first time they see a rock skip across the water?

They see the rock, they have thrown numerous times, sink to the bottom.

They are in awe of the marvel that the rock, heavier than the water, might not immediately sink.

They are in awe for all of about 2 minutes.

The adult or boy who threw the rock is a hero for about as long as well.

But then, they say i bet you can’t make it jump twice.

They its i bet you cant make it jump three times...

Then four...

Then five...

Etc.

You see, he who was impressed does not remain so for long.

Quickly, his mind desires more.

It’s not a miracle any longer, because he has seen it before.

In our passage today, Jesus will perform a miracle...

Yet, is this miracle really any different than what The Lord does daily.

We will see Jesus turn water to wine in the text.

Yet to borrow a word from Augustine, “For even as that which the servants put into the water pots was turned into wine by the doing of the Lord, so in like manner also is what the clouds pour forth changed into wine by the doing of the same Lord. But we do not wonder at the latter, because it happens every year: it has lost it s marvellousness by its constant recurrence.” — St. Aurelius Augustin

Should we not be more in awe of the latter.

Should we not consider more the fact that God works all things and the world is governed by His hand.

Notice the miracle this morning, nor the miracles we study over the next four weeks are any different.

We are in awe that God raises a dead man to life, but not in awe of the life He gives daily.

We are in awe of the restoration, but not the life itself.

Let’s read God’s Word together:

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.

The wedding at Cana in Galilee… probably modern Khirbet Qana.

It is uninhabited and located about 9 miles north of Nazareth.

Thus, close enough for the acquaintance of Jesus and His family.

“the third day” — a reference back to John 1:43-51 and the calling of Philip and Nathanael. — John the Baptist’s interview with authorities to the wedding in Cana is about the span of a week.

The wedding — a major social affair and lasting around a week or more.

The wedding would not have been paid for in modern manor…where the wife/family pay the bill, but it would have been the grooms responsibility to pay for the wedding.

The wedding began with a betrothal period which would be culminated by the wedding ceremony.

During the betrothal there was no consummation and the no co-habitation.

On the night of the wedding the groom and friends would go to the home of the bride get her, take her to the home of the groom, and have the celebration/ceremony.

Wedding ceremonies were usually done about or around Wednesday to Friday.

Mary was there, Jesus was there, and His disciples were there by invitation.

The Wine Is Gone

John 2:3 ESV

3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

Maybe you have heard the saying:

“You had one job!”

Do you remember who we said is responsible for the paying for the ceremony?

The Groom

To run out of wine is of utmost embarrassing situation.

It would point to lack of planning, or greed, lack of care for one’s guests, or lack of resources.

Shame would abound.

We might compare this passage to the parable of the ten virgins.

Matthew 25:1–9 ESV

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’

There was a lack of preparation or care to prepare.

Notice that the groom has failed to prepare and do His one job just as the Virgins in the parable.

Jesus Teaches, And So Does Mary a Little!

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.”

Just a side question this morning: “Have any of you ever spoke to your mom like that and lived to tell about it?”

I think my mom would have half-killed me.

In reality, Jesus is pointing back and forward simultaneously:

Look at Gen. 3:15

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Think about this for just a second...

Jesus had taken on flesh with a purpose:

He was to fulfill the total promise of the O.T.

He was to meet all the statements about Messiah from the prophets.

The the first Messianic statement was all the way back in Gen. 3:15.

Jesus is saying you are the woman in Gen. 3 and I am the offspring.

Jesus is saying I’m not just your son to be commanded to do this or that, but I am the Son.

Yet, even though she hears Him and maybe because she hears Him, she tells them something interesting and challenging simultaneously:

John 2:5 (ESV)

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

Those last 5 words of Mary should have spoken volumes then, but how much more now.

The groom was inadequate as you and I are inadequate.

She tells the servants do whatever He tells you. Great advice!

Look at the Jars!

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.

Notice what the jars are meant for: purification.

Jars used for purification held 20-30 gallons of water.

180 gallons of liquid possibly

But purification jars being used with the number of them being 6.

Maybe this is insignificant, but maybe not.

John would later be the Revelation writer and would know the number 6 is the number for imperfection. The number would be connected to the evil one.

There is no Jewish reason to have 6 jars.

So maybe the number has nothing to do with anything or maybe John is pointing to the imperfect being used by the perfect One.

Maybe John is connecting the reality to the ritual that could not make clean but the One who makes clean.

The inadequacy of the groom and the Adequacy of the Bridegroom.

The Wine Tasting

John 2:7–11 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. 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.

Notice that the proof, no pun intended, is in the pudding or in this case the wine.

Jesus has done what the groom failed to do.

Jesus came to do what we have failed to do and to give us the best possible.

Notice the reply of the “master of the feast”

John 2:10 (ESV)

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.”

In essence, he is saying you saved the best for last.

You wanted until they were merry to serve the good stuff.

But the point is that it is Jesus who brings, who gives, and who is the good stuff.

He goes to the upmost extravagance.

Walking Away, But In...

Recognize our need.

Cling to the one who meets our need.

Be grateful!