Miracles: Water Into Wine
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Chapter 2 outlines for us the first of 7 sign miracles recorded for us in John’s Gospel. There are three words used in the NT to describe what we call miracles or supernatural events. Peter used all three on the day of Pentecost when he reminded the Jews of the marvelous work of Jesus in Acts 2.
The first word he used was the Greek word dunamis which means “power” or “mighty works”.
The second word he used was the word teras which means “wonders”. And finally, he used the word “semeion” which is often translated as “signs”.
What’s interesting is when we get to John’s Gospel we see a different emphasis when describing the miraculous work of Jesus. John never uses the word dunamis and he only uses the word teras one time in Chapter 4.
But when it comes to the word semeion or “sign” John uses this word 17 times which indicates that John’s focus when talking about the miraculous work of JESUS was to emphasize the value or the significance of such miraculous events as a sign to show us something significant about Jesus. In other words, he sought to emphasize for us what these events reveal to us concerning who Jesus is and what this means for us regarding our relationship with Him.
Lets read the situations surrounding Jesus’ first miracle and then talk about why Jesus used this as his first sign.
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 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 10 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.” 11 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.
So..why a wedding? Why wine? Why here, why now? Why would Jesus first miracle be seemingly just about provding more wine at a party to drink?
I want to show that this miracle was not just a story, but is a picture of who Jesus is and what He came to do.
This miracles has alot to teach us..so lets walk through it together.
“On The Third Day”- Genesis 22:3-4
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.’
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
1 “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
There is a pattern in the Old Testament of God doing redemptive, revelatory, and miraculous things on the third day. The author, introducing it this way..would have caused the ears of the readers to perk up in preperation for God doing something.
We know this is the case also because you remember Paul writes in 1Corinthians 15:3-5
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
There was no scripture that specifically said the Messiah would be raised on the third day. But what Paul means here is that he was raised on the third day according to the pattern and revelation seen in scripture. God’s deliverance, salvation, miracles seen on the third day…he continues that pattern with the Messiah and Christ being raised from the dead.
Jesus was there, and his disciples were there. In saying the third day of the wedding, it also shows us the nature of weddings then. They would typically last a week or so, and this would have been an extended event and celebration.
Also, it says Jesus being invited…normally these invitations happened long in advance. He was probably invited up to a year earlier. Now, Jesus’ ministry began just a few months earlier. This means that he would have been invited to the wedding before his ministry began, and before he formally began to reveal himself as the Son of God.
This is important because we are going to see that Jesus is going to reveal here that He was more than Mary’s son. They invited Jesus the son of Mary, but what they needed was Jesus the son of God. And in this wedding, in this miracle..it is the beginning of his revelation of who He His.
Revelation 1: The Problem With Joy
Revelation 1: The Problem With Joy
3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
A few things of note:
Wine at a wedding would have been like having a cake at a birthday party. It would have been a normal and expected part. It would be out of order to not have wine..and so running out of wine at a wedding was a big deal. On top of the fact that they are only half way through the wedding, with much more celebration to do. Weddings would last a week or so, and were a community event. So running out of wine was a big deal for the bride and groom, and the guest.
2. It was the grooms responsibility to provide the wine. This is seen at the end when the banquet master tells the groom to come to him and tells him how great this wine.
And inexplicably, the wine runs out.
The Wine Runs Out and the Groom Fails
3. On a spiritual note it is important for us to point out that the mention of wine here is significant. Wine in scripture is always a symbol of JOY.
It symbolizes the exuberant side of life. It is used to emphasize the joy that spiritual freedom and vitality brings to the essence of life. When JOY ceases, life breaks down. When difficulties come, joy tends to cease and life loses its luster.
A wedding feast without wine is symbolic to a life without JOY.
4. Wine was not only a literal source of joy and sensation at a wedding, it also pointed to a spirtual joy.
6. The groom fails. The wine runs out. And unless someone steps in, the joy runs out. A wedding is not a wedding without the wine. There is no celebration without the wine.
The people can’t see it yet, but the groom knows! And Mary knows! Its a celebration now, but the wine will not last. The joy won’t last.
In our life, much like this wedding…we choose which groom we want. I’m not talking about what we person here..but I’m talking about the decisions we make in life where we look to something or someone to provide us joy.
The problem with joy is that the worlds best things, and even the best romance…will not be able to keep you. Joy built even in marriage to the world’s best things, runs out.
We are either in two different places:
We are either like the crowd here celebrating a party where the joy will eventually run out..where we are blind to the failures and the inability of what we love to provide us joy.
Or we are like Mary: Who see the lack, and find Jesus.
Mary knew something about Jesus no one else did.
Where do you go when the joy runs out?
Or are you still blind to the fact that the thing that may be giving you joy now..will eventually fail you.
The wine always runs out because the groom always fails. What I mean is..that the things we marry our heart to, outside of God, always fail us.
All of us marry our hearts to the things that we belive can provide the wine. That we belive can provide us joy.
And the truth is…you may be here today, and you have found out that that thing could not deliver. The wine has ran out.
Oh the world will try to hide it from you as long as possible. But your source of joy won’t last.
Notice, it says the third day. That means it started off good! The groom had it taken care of for a bit. But come day 3, something had to be done.
There are always two problems in this life that are unavoidable, the wine runs out and the groom fails.
The joy that you belived you could get from the job, the comfort, the things of this life…even the people will eventually run out.
The world has lied to you! We have been sold that this life can be made into a type of heaven and true joy can be found in it..and we marry our hearts to what the world has sold us. Only to find out that the wine has run out! And the groom has failed us!
Simply put, eventually everything we put our hope in outside of Christ runs dry.
Heres whats interesting people were celebrating..and in thier celebration…missed Jesus. They didn’t know the wine was running out. And often our problem is we only recogize we need Jesus when the wine runs out.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.
They wanted wine, they needed Jesus!
Some of us are praying to be married, but what we need is a divorce!
Jesus would step in for this groom, and take his responsibiity for wine because he could not..and I’m telling you need to let Jesus step in, and let go of that thing, that you are attached to.
Jesus were going to see is the better groom, that will provide for His people.
17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.
Jesus was at the wedding but He knew his peoples hearts were connected and in love with something besides God!
The problem is we want Jesus to bless what we love, but not be what we love. And we only come to him when the wine runs out!
You see some of us have just invited Jesus’ to our weddings. When really it is Him our hearts should be married to.
How many people come to church and are around Jesus..but whose hearts are connected to something else.
They don’t want Jesus…they want wine.
Any we only come to Jesus when the wine runs out.
How do I know?
I want you to recognize Jesus’ mind is on more than this wedding. And though thier heart was in this party..Jesus’ was somewhere else.
Revelation 2: The Cost of Joy
Revelation 2: The Cost of Joy
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
The fact Mary comes to Jesus, involving Jesus..tells us she has some role of responsibility for this wedding. She needs help getting this taken care of, and she comes to Jesus.
Jesus responds with “Woman why do you involve me”. It sounds disrespectful, but this is not Jesus being disrespectful. This is Jesus basically saying, What does this have to do with me? I am just a guest. He says my hour has not yet come.
Jesus says this, I am not here on ministry capacity! And then he says..my time, or hour has not yet come.
I have wrestled with this question: Why does Jesus say my time has not yet come, and then perform the miracle.
What it can’t mean is that Jesus just changed his mind. It wan’t like he said its not time…and then a minute later..now its time.
No there is something deeper going on.
Anytime you hear that phrase my time or hour in John it points to something.
“My hour has not yet come”
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.
8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
She asks about wine, and he effectively resonds…its not my time to die yet? Why did he respond that way?
You know..I’ve been to a couple weddings in my life, and this is probably more true of women than men..but when you are a wedding, often what do you think about? Your own wedding. You think man I like that, maybe I’ll do that at mine, or do mine in a place like this.
What I belive is happening here, and I’ve looked at some commentators, and listened to a few messages about this: I believe Jesus is at this wedding…and is thinking about His own! And so when she asks about needing wine…I think Jesus thinks of the cross…and knows how much it will take for him to provide the wine at his wedding!
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
Christ is always portrayed as bridegroom. The church as the bride. And so Jesus here recognizes something…he says, you are asking about wine…its not yet time for me to die. I will provide the wine for my bride.
The answer for joy is not what you think it is!
Joy can not be bought by you. Joy is bought for you! Just is not about dollars. Its about the cross!
Mary thinks the cost of joy is the cost of wine, Jesus knows the cost of joy is the cross, his blood which would be shared.
He says, you want more the sweetness joy…but I must first swallow the bitterness of judgement that you deserve.
What you need isn’t waht you think.
The answer to joy is not more of what left you empty!
More wine was good, but it would not solve the problem. it was a bandaid. Wine would run out again!
Some of you are praying for God to give you bandaids when what you really need is heart surgery!
You don’t need more wine from grapes of this world, you need the wine that flows from Emmanuels veins.
He says you’re looking for joy…rememer the cross!
How do I know Jesus is thinking about his wedding, and the wine he will provide when he says this? Because look at how he performs the miracle!
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
This is where we see the shift. She comes to Jesus as her son. Then, she responds to Him as a Messiah.
She knows something about Jesus that they don’t!
Oh let me tell you..some of us are lacking joy because we hadn’t done what He said for us to do.
We are still arguing with Jesus, please Lord give me this. Instead of just saying, I’ll do whatever you tell me!
She knew He was more than her son. And looks to the disciples and says this: “Do whatever he tells you.”
They invited Jesus Mary’s son to the party…but realized they needed Jesus, the Son of God.
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
John: An Introduction and Commentary C. The Wedding Feast at Cana (2:1–12)
Stone jars were used for holding water for ceremonial washing, because stone was believed not to contract ritual uncleanness. The reference to the jars being ‘the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing’ may simply be a factual detail, or suggestive of the symbolic significance of the miracle (see below). These were large jars, holding 20 to 30 gallons each, a detail included to enable the reader to appreciate the magnitude of the miracle soon to be performed.
Touched something you shouldn’t have touched or done something you should not have done. You be unclean, and you have to clean yourself.
The water jars were used to clean the Jews. Why was this neccisary..because of sin. But again, water (which points to the law here) was not a final thing. You would use water, and if you were unclean again after you’d use it again. It pointed to the law, but the inadequicy of the law to save. Jesus takes this water..that cleanses…and first says fill them to the brim.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
This points to Jesus fulfilling the law! He would provide all that was neccisary and live a perfect life. But wouldn’t jus tlive a perfect life. He takes those full jars..and makes them into wine. He takes his perfect life and sheds his blood for his people.
Wine, again pointing to his blood poured out!
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
What Jesus is doing is poinint to HIs blood that cleanses not temporarily, but finally.
Jesus is sitting at this wedding, and theres the problem of this wine..and immediately his mind goes to the wine he would provide. To cleanse and save!
The cost of joy is the cross and the blood of Christ!
The answer to joy is the cross and the blood of Christ!
Can you image us, coming to God saying more of this to be happy…and he says..is the cross not enough?
Can you imagine complaining over the temporary wine of this world, when the Christ has shed his very blood for you?
Remember when I said a couple months ago, that the opposite of joy is not sadness. Its boredom. You can find joy in sadness, you can rejoice in the cross. But you will never find joy if the cross does not captivate your heart and mind.
Jesus would drink the cup of bitterness in the midst of joy, so we could drink the cup of joy in a bitter world.
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus says here, drink from this cup, that I shed for you! But what does Jesus drink?
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Oh I wish you could see this!
Jesus at this wedding when everyone is celebrating and drinking from the cup of joy, Jesus is thinking about the bitter cup he would have to drink.
She comes to him with this problem with wine..and he says, Its not yet my time to die. I will provide the wine.
Jesus would drink from the cup of bitterness so that we can drink from the cup of joy!
If you have trusted in Jesus he has offered you a cup of joy! You have been cleansed, and made free! It does not run out!
The Cost of Joy is the very blood of Christ!
Jesus says, there is no joy without the cross!
Where the old groom has failed, Jesus will not fail you!
Christ pays it! Weddings are expensive!
But this marriage, the bride and Christ is the most expensive of all.
What joy that God would take a wicked, broken people, and not just save them..and bring them into an intimate relationship!
Revelation 3: The Taste of Joy
Revelation 3: The Taste of Joy
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 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 10 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.” 11 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.
Notice something else now..Jesus turns the water to wine..but notice the amount of wine.
He doesn’t just take the water jars..but fills them to the brim. And so in changing the water into wine..he makes 120-180 gallons of wine! Let me tell you something that is more than enough for this wedding! Why did Jesus make so much?
Because as the greater bridgroom he doesn’t just provide the greater wine, of greater value..he provides more than enough!
12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord— the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. 13 Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.
24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.
Wine is a symbol of joy. It points to festivity and celebration, blessing. And so, for Jesus to bring the overflow..He is not just pointing to this blood which will be more than enough, but the joy!
God here is pointing to joy without limits! Joy beyond capacity. Joy that overflows. There was enough for everybody at the wedding and then some!
You see the thing about wine is this: it evokes sensational language. It is something you taste, that literally changes how you feel.
And I need you to know that the cross, this gift…was never meant to be just a confession. Jesus invites us to enjoy it! To taste and see that the Lord is good. To experience it.
Theres a difference between iknowing what the ocean is..and jumping in the ocean feeling the tide under your feet.
Jesus invites us into something beautiful, joyful, and experiential!
This is why in the bible it talks about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. Hunger and thirst for God.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
God invites us into something to experience. Because there is a knowing that is deeper than knowledge..but comes from experience.
But to experience it, it is with a spiritual eyes and senses.
You may say RJ, how would you explain the joy of the Lord?
If you haven’t experienced it, I can’t tell you.
It would be like a blind person asking “Whats the difference between blue and red? Is it like the difference between what a flute and a guitar sound like?” Ummm….it doesn’t quite work that way. You can’t compare experiences from two different realms.
The spiritual joy, the goodness of God…it unlike anything you’ve every felt. Its like a party..but not like a party. Its better. Fuller.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 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 10 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.” 11 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.
How do you know if you are enjoying the joy of the Lord? Because you will hunger and thirst for it!
A wedding and wine is a celebration, that captivates our emotions, soul. Wine goes to our head doesn’t it, it changes our perception. And drinking from the spiritual wine of Christ…isn’t just about knowing what the cross is. Its about tasting it!
God invites us not just into a theology of understanding but an experience! If the cross doesn’t make you feel anything what are you drinking? Are your spiritual senses dulled?
I can’t describe it to those who haven’t felt it!
If a wedding makes you joyful, how much more to be united with Christ!
Jesus turns the water to wine..he does the work..but its the other bridgegroom that gets the credit for what Jesus did.
Isn’t this what Jesus does? Isn’t this what salvation is!
Jesus does the work, and somehow, we get the credit.
Jesus dies, takes our sin upon him, and we get the righteousness of His as if we did it!
Jesus look..he drinks the bitter cup of sorrow..so they we could drink from his cup of joy!
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
Jesus’ hour is upon him…the time has come. And what would he do…drink the bitter cup of judgement and wrath..so that you could have his cup of joy and salvation!
Heres what blew my mind now…Jesus is sitting at this wedding, drinking wine looking foreward knowing that he could have to drink from the cup of sorrow. He drinks sorrow in this midst of all of this joy, so that you could drink joy in the midst of your sorrow!
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
His first miracle points to the cross…and then to the end. This wedding points to His wedding with His church.
See he provides wine on the third day of the wdding. But praise God..he doesn’t just provide for this wedding on the third day..but His too.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
The Wine Has Run Out- Come to Jesus!
The Groom Has Failed- Come to Jesus!
Some of us have Jesus at our wedding, as our hearts get married to all these things..and he says…this isn’t enough. This wine will run out.
You see the miracle is water into wine, but the greater miracle is that Christ by his blood would die to save you.
