Remember When...Jesus Turned Water Into Wine

Notes

Sermon Series context —

John is writing so that we may believe. What are we to believe so far?

Jesus is the Word - Present in Creation - Bringing Order - Creative Power - God Himself

Jesus is the Light of God into a dark world - Again, creation references.

Jesus is witnessed about by the prepared servants of God (John the Baptist)

Jesus calls to Himself His disciples with a call we are to answer and respond to in faith and obedience.

Jesus is the Lord of time and history — knowing us before we knew Him. Calling us as we are to witness Him and to be witnesses.

TRANSITION: Cana Cycle introduces the signs of the first part of John’s gospel.

Commentary Notes

This is the KEY to the signs of the next 11 chapters which would total 7 signs. The book of signs (the first part of John) find their KEY here. This interaction becomes focused not on the wedding, not on Mary, but on Jesus and His display of GLORY to His disciples. (John 1:14)

Woman does not lack affection - Jesus says this from the cross.

Jesus gives gentle rebuke of His mother’s ideas about why He should be involved.

Social responsibility and shame at the forefront of this text. Prompting Mary to act.

“My time has not yet come” is a common theme in John and here it probably indicates that no longer does Jesus take direction from Mary as His mother but now, all things move ONLY at the command of His Father in Heaven.

Jesus fulfills her request and Mary’s takeaway was a statement of implied faith: “do whatever He tells you.” This tells us about his rebuke, done in affection and care, and it tells us about the nature of what Jesus intended this moment to be. Not simply a way to restore social honor to a friend but a way to display His glory and honor to His disciples.

Ritually clean jars? So much wine? Could be Jesus is intentionally fulfilling OT prophetic imagery of a the day of the Lord, the new age to come, as being one flowing with new wine (blessing, joy, peace, prosperity).

Servants respond in faith and obedience to Jesus. They knew that they had to help restore the honor of the bridegrooms family. And who did they trust to restore this honor? This Jesus of Nazareth. Another demonstration of Jesus.

It appears that it does not become wine until it reaches the mouth of the bridegroom.

Textual Thesis Statement

John 2:1-12 shows Jesus’ act where He reveals His glory through a miracle. John uses this encounter to nark the beginning of a series of signs that reveal His glory, mission, and identity. (John 1:14) This first sign acts as the key to understanding all the signs that John lays out in his gospel.

SCC Sermon Thesis

To be that One House we must encounter the glory of Jesus through eyes of faith and reflect that glory around us.

Sermon Outline

Introduction

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers. We are going to be talking about the glory of God today — and one way we see the glory of God is through our faithful mothers.

Carver Story: The Glory of God Changes Everything — It is the Purpose for Everything

REMEMBER MOMENT

In our text today we will see a moment that helps us capture the very heart of the story of God — the purpose for God creating all things is to REVEAL HIS GLORY.

Defining: Glory’s primary Scriptural use is to mean the visible manifestation of the glorious holiness of God. The worth of His being on display. To GIVE God glory (as an action on our part) is to give praise to God’s worth.

SLIDE 1: God’s purpose in creating all things is to reveal His glory. God’s glory is supremely revealed in Jesus Christ.

The text confronts us today. It is implicitly asking us: are we hungry to see the glory of Jesus? Do we want to see the glory of Jesus?

Do we value and treasure the worth of Jesus? Today — I pray we see Jesus’ glory. That is when everything changes.

Narrative Overview & Explanation

Note: this narrative is compressed and does not include a lot of details.

How have we gotten here?

John is giving us his biggest themes and to this point we have seen Jesus as...

The Word Who is God and with God

The Light Shining Into the World

The One Who Sees and Knows Us

The One Who Calls us to Follow Him

The One Who is the Son of God the King of Israel

Today...we will see Him as the One Who Reveals the Glory of the Triune God.

SLIDE 2 (VS. 1-3)

Mother of Jesus is in Cana and Jesus/Disciples had been invited (vs. 1-2)

Weddings were a big deal with strong social honor/shame responsibilities.

For some reason Mary was invited and so was Jesus and His disciples.

The narrative begins with a focus on the wedding and Mary.

Mary approaches Jesus to resolve the social catastrophe (vs. 3)

In ancient culture — a paradigm existed - public realm/private realm.

Mary might be taking on some private realm authority or simply seeking to resolve a problem. Regardless, she thinks/knows Jesus is capable of intervening to “rescue” the family’s honor and avoid shame.

TRANSITION: Jesus responds...

SLIDE 3 (VS. 4-5)

Jesus’s gentle correction (vs. 4)

Jesus gently corrects Mary’s assumptions. We probably don’t have the whole conversation (that’s how these things work). But we have the most important parts of the conversation.

“Woman” is not harsh culturally or in Greek. If you remember from our “Last Words” series Jesus calls His mother “Woman” on the cross. This was common cultural practice that carries no sense of dishonor or shame even if to our ears we might be tempted to think that.

Jesus makes it clear: this is not where my focus/purpose. “My hour has not come”

The narrative shift snaps towards Jesus. A loaded phrase filled with meaning.

Mary’s faith and obedience (vs. 5)

One way we see Mary lifted up in this moment is subtle but beautiful.

The narrative gives us a detail that helps us learn what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ.

Mary submitted to Jesus - trusted His character and goodness - and admonished others to obey Jesus. A wonderful picture of Biblical faith.

REHEARSE MOMENT:

SLIDE 4: Mary's response models a heart and mind of faith where she submitted herself to Jesus' authority in trust and obedience.

When confronted by Jesus and His purposes, His intentions, His mission, His timing — even if it doesn’t all make sense — what will rehearse in our mind and heart to help us live by biblical faith?

SLIDE 5 (VS. 6-10)

Jesus’ miracle/sign (vs. 6-9)

Ritually clean jars (massive)

This would be an astounding amount of wine.

Jesus makes the best wine (clearly better than the choice wine served)

Jesus commands the servants to fill and they fill. The Word speaks and creation responds. This reminds me of Genesis 1. .

The response of the master of the banquet responds amazed (vs. 10)

This shows that the Creator of all made wine out of water but that it was far superior to what had been served previously.

Jesus brings the best wine. A hint of symbolism here. The revealing of Jesus’ glory being greater than the glory of Moses or any other prophet or messenger. This new thing Jesus is doing is the best of what God has done.

SLIDE 6 (VS 11)

John’s Explanation (vs. 11)

John does a lot of explaining in his gospel which gives us insight about his intentions. Verse 11 acts as the interpretive key because John explains to us why Jesus did this sign. It is simple but essential.

God’s Glory is the manifestation of the holiness of the Triune God.

It is the beauty of God’s being, the worth of His person, the utter uniqueness of Himself — ON DISPLAY.

KEY (LAND HERE): In a moment of shame for the bridegroom — Jesus covered His shame by revealing His glory and pointing all in the wedding to Him. This points us to something amazing...

Have you had a water into wine moment with God?

REHEARSE MOMENT

SLIDE 7: The shame of our sin — our lacking, our failure, our rebellion — is the best context for Jesus’ glory to be revealed.

WORSHIP TEAM COME ON UP

REFLECT MOMENT

How do we reflect the glory of Jesus? (REMEMBER: glory is the visible manifestation of holiness of God) Jesus was on mission to reveal His glory.

As His people are we hungry to see His glory and are we on mission to reveal His glory?

Before we reflect we have to see the glory of Jesus — and respond in faith and obedience. Leading to life. This is given and driven by the Spirit of God.

This seeing is a constant practice of the Christian life. See the glory of God through His word, through prayer, through the body of Christ, through worship, through the Lord’s Supper, through the preached word, through biblical meditation.

Upon receiving the glory of Jesus through the Spirit of God — we then are transformed in such a way that people begin see the reflected glory of the triune God in us. How do they see it?

Romans 12:1–2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The glory of Jesus is best seen in the wilful self-sacrificial love of Jesus giving Himself on the cross on our behalf and for His glory. Are we in the business of GIVING of OURSELVES for the good of others and the glory of God?

Everything about your Christian life is centered on see/treasuring/valuing/enjoying/proclaiming/reflecting the GLORY OF GOD.

SLIDE 8: To be that One House we must be a house filled with the glory of Jesus — a people in adoration of the Triune God, known for self-sacrificial love for the good of others and praise of God’s name.