Sermon Tone Analysis

Can we just start with: Jesus made a lot of wine?

Maybe it’s a little odd to be reading John’s gospel at this point in Advent.

We’re reading about Jesus in ministry as we prepare for the Christmas celebration of his coming.

This stock tank is 100 gal.

Jesus made between 120 -180 gal of wine.

Roughly 1 1/2 of these stock tanks full of wine.

That’s a lot of wine!

Why did he make so much wine?

Easy answer: They had run out of wine at the wedding and needed some more.

Jesus provided wine for the 7-day wedding festivities to prevent embarrassment to the bride & groom.

Being Jesus, he provided wine of such superiority that the master of ceremonies was astonished at how good it was and everyone who hears this story has a nervous chuckle at his comment about most people using the good stuff first and serving cheap stuff later, “after the guests have had too much to drink.”

That’s true enough.

But it isn’t the whole truth.

In the gospel, we don’t see Jesus using miracles in a casual way.

Reading this account forces us to look a little deeper.

The author hints that there’s more to this story than you catch on first reading when he says:

How does this event reveal Jesus’ glory?

Shall we just start with: Jesus made a lot of wine?

In , John the Baptist and Jesus’ first disciples start to reveal Jesus’ identity:

: 33

In , the author shows a number of signs that add credibility to the amazing things people are saying about Jesus.

Producing an abundance of wine is a connection with Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, the Christ.

It fits with the prophecy Jacob spoke at the end of his life about the ruler from the line of Judah:

It fits with what the prophets say

It fits with

It’s not just a Jewish audience that would sit up and take notice at a super-abundance of wine.

Greek and Roman traditions and myths associated wine with the arrival of the gods as well.

Dionysius was the God of wine and parties.

Nearby, there was a temple to Dionysius at the annual festival of the “gift of god,” "three empty jars were placed in a sealed room and on the following morning were always found full of wine” (Koester p. 85).

Joel 9 :11-13

When the author told and retold this account of what Jesus did at the wedding in Cana, Jews and Gentiles alike would sit up and take notice.

How could they not?

All of their experiences and expectations lead them to see God is at work when wine is produced in such quantity!