Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Through out John’s Gospel Jesus performs miracles that John refers to as signs.

A Sign points to something greater than itself.

Today we are going to look at the first sign that Jesus performed and what greater truth it has to teach us about the Lord Jesus Christ.

This miracle is often pointed to by people who try to justify getting drunk, unbelievers often use this to try and justify the amount the drink.

If only they truly grasped the truth that this miracle communicates they would see they don’t need drink but they need Christ.

They would learn that Christ satisfies the thirsty soul.

This morning is want us to look at this passage in three points.

FIrst we are told the problem- this first point is called no wine.

Then we see the miracle that takes place and what it means- this point is called new wine

Then finally we see the response of the disciples to the miracle and what our response should be too- this final point is called Come and drink.

I.

No wine

II.

New wine

III.

Come and drink

Firstly then we have the problem- No Wine.

I.

No wine v.1-5

The account begins by setting the scene.

Look with me at v.1and 2 “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding”

We are told two days after the Lord had called some of his disciples they were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

Cana was a small town 4 miles away from Nazareth which was where Jesus was brought up.

The people at the wedding were probably well known to Jesus and many of his disciples, Cana was also the home town of Nathaniel.

We see from verse one that the people getting married must have been friends of Jesus and his family.

V.1-2 continues saying

The family of Jesus and his dsciples were all invited to the wedding.

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,

Cana was 4 miles away from Nazareth which was where Jesus was brought up.

THe people at the wedding were probably well known to Jesus and many of his disciples, Cana was the home town of Nathaniel.

and the mother of Jesus was there.

Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding

The people who were closest to Jesus were about to witness his first miracle.

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3 And when they ran out of wine,

This would have been very embarressing for the bridegroom who was the one who had the responsibility to provide the food and drink for the wedding feast.

the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Some how Mary was aware of the problem, maybe she was helping with the food?

Whether she knew Jesus could perfrom the mircale we do not know as this was the first miracle that JEsus performed.

Maybe she knew that he would have a solution.

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

The Lord has some reluctance to comply with the demand of his mother.

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

II.

New wine v.6-10

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.

Matt 15:1-2

The pots held roughly 450 litres in total.

7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.”

And they filled them up to the brim.

To the brim is important becuase it shows there was no room for any wine to be poured in to dilute the water, this was a genuine miracle.

8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.”

And they took it.

By this time the miracle had taken place.

The master of the feast would have been in charge of the feast, he would have decided who sat where, how much people would have drank etc.

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!”

The wine that Christ provides is superior

III.

come and drink v.11

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

Through this sign the Lord Jesus displayed his glory and his diciples believed in him.

This means that the people who were closest to Jesus were about to witness his first miracle.

Thats the scene where the first miracle takes place- The Lord and his disciples are at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, some of Jesus’ family have been invited too.

After setting the scene, John tells us the problem that takes place.

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

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3 And when they ran out of wine,

The problem that arises was the bridegroom had ran out of wine.

This would have been very embarressing for the bridegroom who was the one who had the responsibility to provide the food and drink for the wedding feast.

A wedding celebration in those days could last up to seven days and it was the bridegrooms responsibility to ensure they had enough wine for the celebration.

the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Running out of wine at a wedding was a social blunder which could result in a lawsuit, the brides family taking the bridegrooms family to court.

This was considered a serious problem.

Some how Mary was aware of the problem, maybe she was helping with the food, or had some role with the catering.

When she found out she went straight to the Lord Jesus and told him “they have no wine.”

She knew of the problem and thought maybe Jesus would have a solution.

Whether she knew Jesus could perfrom the mircale we do not know as this was the first miracle that Jesus performed.

Maybe she knew that he would have a solution.

It is believed by many that by this point Joseph, Mary’s husband had died, and because Jesus was the firstborn son he would have been the one who Mary would have turned to when she had a problem.

This is what she did here.

One preacher helpfully points out that maybe she knew that Jesus would have a solution because he never had a bad idea in his life.

What was the repsonse of Jesus?

Many are suprised by how Jesus reponded to his mother and some do not know what to make of it.

Look at Jesus response to his mother in verse 4.

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

In his response the Lord seems to be a little blunt to his mother.

What did the Lord mean by this repsonse?

Well it must be made clear that the term “Woman” that Jesus used was not a disrespectful way of addressing someone, it was a completely courteous way to address a lady.

However, it was an unusual way to address your own mother.

Then the Lord says “What does your concern have to do with me?”

Or as the AV translates it “What have I to do with thee?”

This phrase is used through out the Bible to put distance between the two parties.

It could be translated what do we have in common?

This phrase is a bit more of a rebuke.

The Lord is telling his mother that their relationship has changed.

Since Jesus started his public ministry, his relationship to his earthly mother changed.

She could no longer make demands on him as her mother, he was about his Father’s business, now he is answerable only to his Father in heaven.

If you like now Mary had to approach the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, the one who came to seek and to save that which was lost, she could not come as his mother but had to come like everyone else, she had to come as a believer.