John 2: Jesus’ First Miracle

As we closed last week, we saw Jesus being joined by some of the 12 disciples, and tonight, we are going to look at one of Jesus’ and the disciples first public function.

1. The Setting.

John 2:1–3 NKJV

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

A. The Significance of the Third Day.

If you want a good personal Bible study, research the phrase in the Bible “On the third day.”

Of course, we know on the third day is associated with the Resurrection, but it appears throughout the Bible. On the third day is a recurring theme of DIVINE INTERVENTION and the FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PLAN.

The Resurrection

Hosea’s Prophecy

Jonah

God’s appearance at Mount Sinai

Abraham and Isaac

The Third Day of Creation

B. The Celebration.

Jesus performed His first public sign at a feast and not a funeral.

I think we sometimes get the impression that Jesus just walked around on earth like Hee-Haw, “Gloom, despair, and agony on me.” That is also how many Christians walk around, and I believe they walk around that way because they don’t realize how Jesus lived on earth.

Jesus celebrated when it was time to celebrate, and for the life of me, I believe the Jesus had a good time with His disciples.

A wedding feast in Jewish culture was a time of celebration, and I guarantee you Jesus and His disciples celebrated with the newlyweds and with the family and with each other which brings up a great point.

Jesus wants to be a part of our everyday lives.

He wants to be a vital part in all of our relationships, and our lives and our relationships should reflect the joy that characterized Jesus.

John 15:11 NKJV

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

C. The Dilemma.

We need a little cultural understanding here.

A Jewish wedding feast could last days, and it was the groom’s families responsibility to have plenty of food to eat and wine to drink. It could be quite expensive.

So, what they would do is serve the best wine at the beginning of the feast and then slip in the brown bag specials if you know what I mean, but they had run out of the brown bag specials.

John 2:3 NKJV

3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

If this problem was not solved, this family would have been disgraced, ostracized throughout Cana.

2. Enter Jesus.

John 2:4 NKJV

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

A. What did Jesus mean?

Jesus was not being disrespectful with His mother. This is one of those translation issues. The word translated woman means MY LADY.

But, what did Jesus mean when He said my hour is not yet come? ANd I am telling you this is important for every time you see in the New Testament Jesus telling someone not to say anything to anyone.

Jesus was working on a divine schedule. He was managing the pace at which people would be confronted with the reality of who He was. I like to think of it like a fireworks show.

Jesus knew it was not time for His glory to be revealed. He did perform the miracle, but He performed it discreetly with only a few people seeing it.

B. The means of the miracle.

OBEDIENCE was a key to the miracle.

John 2:5–10 NKJV

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

God does want not to debate Him. God does not want us to demand explanations. God wants us to obey Him.

I wonder how many miracles we are missing in our lives because of our lack of obedience.

C. The reasons for the miracle.

To understand the miracles found in the Book of John, you must understand this.

The miracles are really “signs” which are miracles with a purpose.

Now, do you remember the purposes for John’s Gospel? (John 20:30-31).

John 20:30–31 NKJV

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

Any miracle we read in John is to prove what John says in verses 30-31.

In this situation, keeping John’s purpose for writing in mind, Jesus turns the water into wine for two reasons. (John 2:11).

John 2:11 NKJV

11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

The reasons for Jesus turning the water into wine was to manifest His glory and so that His disciples would believe.

D. What did this prove in relationship to John’s purpose for writing?

It proves that Jesus is the Lord of Creation as only God could change the chemical properties of water into something else.

Do you remember what we read in chapter 1?

John 1:3 NKJV

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

It proves that Jesus is the Source of Transformation.

Only Jesus can change and transform, taking something ordinary or worthless and turning it into something extraordinary and incredible.

It proves the old covenant was a symbol of the new covenant, the purification made possible by the BLOOD OF JESUS.

Isaiah 1:18 NKJV

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

It proves that Jesus PROVIDES more than enough, showing God’s desire to bless and provide for His people in abundance demanding love and obedience in return.

Turning the water into wine is very significant in the Bible. John only records 8 miracles or signs that prove the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that a person has eternal life through Him. That’s how significant this miracle is.

3. The Temple Throw-down.

John 2:13–17 NKJV

13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

We see a side of Jesus that we do not like to acknowledge, and that side is Jesus’ nature to oppose sin.

What does this scene tell us? Is there a message for us?

This tells us that Christians should be angry at sin. Christians should oppose sin. These moneychangers were dishonest, and they disregarded the purpose of the Temple, and Jesus chastised them publicly and severely.

Today, too many Christians accept sin in the church and condemn sin in the world. Jesus was just the opposite. He refused to accept sin the Temple, and He refused to condemn those in the world. If you do not believe me, just ask the woman caught in adultery. Ask the demon-filled man of Mark chapter 5.

We have it wrong today, and it would probably make Christ overturn tables in the church. We overlook sin in the body of believers but quickly jump on the sin of the lost person. Our reactions to sin should be the opposite. We should confront sin in the church and share the gospel to the world.

These Jews were shocked at what Jesus had done, and they asked for a sign, and Jesus gave them one.

John 2:18–19 NKJV

18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Of course, Jesus is describing His resurrection, but the Jews scoffed and dismissed what Jesus said.

John 2:20 NKJV

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

****The RESURRECTION is the ultimate sign that reveals who Christ is.*****

Do you know the last sign/miracle of Jesus recorded in John? Raising Lazarus. Raising Lazarus was the crescendo. Turning water into wine was the beginning. Raising Lazarus was the climax. Jesus’s resurrection was the exclamation point.

It is at those two events that every Jew in Israel should have believed, but their answer to those two events was to crucify Jesus and to deny the resurrection by perpetuating a lie.

Matthew 28:11–15 NKJV

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Remember, I believe John, chronologically, is the last book written in the Bible, and I want you to notice what John writes in response to what the Jews were spreading about the resurrection.

John 2:22 NKJV

22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

AMEN!!!!!