Bread10.07
Breaking bread John 2:1-12 21st October 2007
Why was John’s gospel written?
Author’s who write non fiction books write for a particular audience. It is almost certain that the evangelist had a Christian community in mind when he wrote his account about Jesus. The beginning prologue of John’s gospel only makes sense to those who have previously heard about Jesus being the Word and the Light.
To read John’s gospel without having previously heard the Gospel message will result in missing much of what John has to say. John’s gospel was therefore, for those who have heard previous the verbal message. For instance when John uses the words Light and darkness they must be understood as pointing to a deeper significance than which these words normally and naturally mean.
Take John 13:30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread he went out. And it was night. In this instance the use of night has for those who know about Judas much more meaning than night time had come. It points forward to the dark deed of betrayal by a close follower of the light of lights. It also points to the fact that it is possible to be that close to Jesus and at the same time be totally in the dark as to who Jesus was and what he had come for.
Changing water into wine!
Do you not think this a strange way to begin writing about the ministry of Jesus! The first miraculous deed recorded by Mark and Luke is driving out an evil spirit. Matt. records first the miraculous deed of “healing every disease and sickness among the people”. Does changing water into wine compare with demonstrating power over the spiritual & physical spheres?
We need to note that John uses a different Greek word than the other gospel writers to describe the miraculous. John does not call the water to wine “a miracle” he calls it “a sign” v11. Now as I understand the Gospels when someone performs a miracle it predominantly demonstrates who has God’s authority and power. A sign predominately indicates direction it points to something. So what is this sign of turning water into wine pointing to?
But before attempting to answer that let’s fill in a few gaps.
It is inconceivable to me that Jesus had not talked to his mother and family about his plans before and after his baptism by John. Jn 2:12 gives a cameo picture of his family and disciples together visiting Capernaum for a few days. What was the purpose of this visit? We know that later Capernaum became a home base for Jesus. Were plans laid and discussed in those few days!
This wedding takes place in the home of a rich religious Jewish man. How can we be sure of all that?
Purely elementary dear Watson.
He had paid servants v5 only the rich could afford paid servants.
He had stone jars v6 which I am given to understand were very expensive. Why did he have stone jars? Because strict religious Jews believed stone could not be defiled or contaminated and become unclean. Clay pots if accidentally touched by anyone ceremonially unclean in strict Jewish circles had to be destroyed.
What significance has turning water into wine other than causing a lot of headaches for the following morning? 120gals. 100 guests = 9-10pints each on top of what had already been drunk.
Now let’s return to that question, “What is this sign pointing to?”
What was the water in the stone jars used for? v6 Ceremonial washing. We know the benefits of water as a cleansing agent but we must not think that ceremonial washing had anything to do with removing dirt from the body.
The significance of ceremonial washing is its symbolic and ritualistic value for preparing one to meet with God. It was seen as a ritual that cleansed the person hence making them able to approach God. Before entering the Temple to worship, Jews would visit the Mikvah which was a ritual pool. Here the worshipper would go down into the water via one side of the steps into the water and come up the other side of the steps being careful not to touch those descending otherwise one became impure again.
Water is used to wash the outside - wine is taken internally.
Water by some Rabbis symbolised the way of the Law of Moses. As a means to approach God Moses’ Law can only reform the outward life. Wine here stands for the inward work of the Spirit changing the life from inside to an outward expression.
Coming to this table does not cleanse us. Partaking of the bread and wine does not cleanse us. This act of communion is not a ritual it is an act of remembrance. We remember the cost of our salvation here. However we are cleansed and are being cleansed by an act of God’s grace. This takes place through the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit who will bring us into eternal life in the same manner as the life in a seed brings forth a plant.
I have been exhorted many times over the years to look for the return of Jesus. But I want to exhort us today to see that Jesus has already come back… not in bodily form that is to come but in the form of the Spirit who now resides within us. I want to heighten our awareness this morning that God is in us.
We all have cause to doubt this because sin still comes from within. But going back to the analogy of the seed the seed shell dies that the life gene within it, can grow however that process is time related as it takes time for the shell to dissolve. The shell of our corrupted nature contains the gene of the Holy Spirit and although our sinful nature is dying that dying is time related.
A seed also needs to be in the right environment for the shell to dissolve. We are by God’s providence put into the environments of His choice. We may have to fight the environment God allows and put our case to God. Sometimes we get the apples and the pears mixed up. We try to justify our case to ourselves and fight God. Take Jonah for instance.
Compliance, Conformity and Acquiescence to God’s will for us are vital for our humanness to be changed. I am saying we should constantly be recognising God is involved in every occurrence of our lives not just the nice ones. Please fight the environment but not God who allows what comes to pass. As a boy I hated having my hair washed I never realised it was because I am a little claustaphobic. However I submitted to my mother washing my hair because I trusted her but I had to fight with the horrid feelings it generated. We know God loves us, so we too can submit to his providence but be prepared it might mean a struggle within.
Submission is the key to being changed but submission is not service. We must not let what we do for God convince us, we are submitting to his will remember Judas he did his share in mission.
What I am trying to say this morning is God’s changing us is best done with our approval by our act of submission to him. I hope that we can see the difference between submitting to God and fighting with the circumstances we are placed in.
To finish, something that for me identifies the process of change.
I am not yet as I want to be, nor am I yet as I shall be but thank God I am not now as I used to be.
297 Jesus you are changing me. Or 153 Have thine own way